It's been another year of massive and complex reforms for the aged care sector. Aged Care Essentials wanted to highlight some of our most read articles in 2023, as well as offer some additional resources where relevant.

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Here are the ‘Top 5’ Aged Care Essentials articles for 2023. Click on the article title to read the full article. There are also some links to helpful resources below.

1. 5 Major Reforms Coming to the Aged Care Industry in 2023

Here’s what we wrote back at the start of the year: “We are barely a month into 2023 and it is already shaping up to be another hectic year for aged care providers. Here are five major upcoming reforms to flag now so that you can prepare early and be ready.

• Registered Nurses required 24/7 from 1 July 2023.
• Mandatory 200 minutes of care time per resident per day (including 40 RN minutes) from October 2023.
• Revised Aged Care Quality Standards commencing sometime in 2023.
• New governance requirements commencing 1 December 2023.
• Wage increase for aged care workers.”

We’ll be sure to kick off the new year with an article on the major reforms coming in 2024.

Helpful Resources

• ACE: Mandatory Care Minutes and 24/7 RNs in Aged Care: What You Need to Know
• Department of Health and Aged Care: Review of the Aged Care Quality Standards
• Department of Health and Aged Care: New Governance Responsibilities for Aged Care Providers

2. Aged Care Wages Increase Explained: June 2023

This year the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) decided to increase minimum wages by 15% for aged care sector workers covered by certain awards. The increase took effect from the first full pay period commencing on or after 30 June 2023. In this article, we discuss the wage increase and the next steps for aged care providers.

Helpful Resources

• Department of Health and Aged Care: Aged Care Worker Wages - Guidance Document

3. Parental Leave Changes from June 2023: An Explainer for Aged Care Providers

Significant changes to employment conditions have been made in recent months by the Respect at Work legislation and by expanded entitlements to family and domestic violence leave. Changes to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme have now been legislated and took effect from 1 July 2023. There are also changes to the provisions for unpaid parental leave under the Fair Work Act. These changes are likely to affect most employers (including aged care providers). Here’s what you need to know.

Helpful Resources

• Department of Employment and Workplace Relations fact sheet: Unpaid parental leave.

4. New Aged Care Quality Indicators Commence 1 April 2023: How to Prepare

In April 2023, the Mandatory Quality Indicator Program was expanded to add six new Quality Indicators (QIs). In this article we look at what the Department of Health and Aged Care’s updated guidance tells us about the new QIs and the new data that aged care providers must collect and report on.

Helpful Resources

• Department of Health and Aged Care: National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program Manual
• Department of Health and Aged Care: QI Program interactive modules
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program

5. New Rules For Restrictive Practices Substitute Decision-Makers: A Summary for Aged Care Providers

In December 2022, the Federal Government introduced some new interim laws that may affect how aged care providers manage situations where a person must consent to a restrictive practice on behalf of an aged care recipient. Here’s what you need to know.

Helpful Resources

• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: Consent for restrictive practices FAQs