La Trobe Uni to train new funding model assessors
The Commonwealth Department of Health has appointed Latrobe University to train the team who will assess aged care residents using a potential new funding model.
The Commonwealth Department of Health has appointed La Trobe University to train the team who will assess aged care residents using a potential new funding model.
La Trobe University will be responsible for preparing and delivering the training to the team of clinically-qualified independent assessors who will assess all residents using the Australian National Aged Care Classification system.
The AN-ACC was developed by the University of Wollongong as part of the Resource Utilisation and Classification Study, as a possible replacement for the Aged Care Funding Instrument.
The Australian Government announced on 8 January it was appointing six organisations to provide independent shadow assessments using the AN-ACC.
The team of assessors will undertake the shadow assessments of all residents from 1 April 2021 in a process expected to take 12 months to complete.
ACFI will continue to operate during this period and remain the only mechanism through which funding is provided, the health department said.
“The AN-ACC shadow assessments will take place in parallel to ACFI assessments. During this time there will be no changes to ACFI processes. The AN-ACC shadow assessment process will not impact funding received by providers in relation to care recipients,” the health department said in a statement.
The shadow assessment process is required to ensure the government is prepared to respond in an agile manner to report to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report, the department said.
“It does not reflect final decisions of government to shift to the AN-ACC funding model, but rather a proactive approach to ensuring reform options are available to replace the outdated ACFI,” the health department said.
“The government will continue to consult with the sector on implementation matters before final decisions on the commencement of AN-ACC and an ongoing assessment workforce are finalised,” it said.
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What qualifications do these new assessors need prior to this course?
It’s clear to see that the Government is planning to undefund the sector for at least another year, probably two years by the time we see any improvement…. that’s if of course unless they change their minds and scrap the new tool!
A not so new assessor. Background in ACFI, aged care nurse, rural remote, care coordinator and clinical care manager. I was Involved from the start RUCS research. That is who we are.
The only time the Government has changed the funding model is when it wants to “claw back money” from the residential aged care providers, yet still make it look like something is being done to improve the system. Check the history of residential aged care funding, the disparity between state and federal systems, records for changes from the beginning of aged care funding, oh, and don’t forget the dementia supplement. All of this could be managed much more efficiently as so many others have previously cited.