On 14 December 2023, the Department of Health & Aged Care released an exposure draft of the Bill for the new Aged Act for public consultation. Consultation will run until 16 February 2024.
Members of the public and interested organisations can provide feedback on the draft, helping to shape the Bill before it is introduced into Parliament in 2024. Opportunities for providing feedback include attending online or in-person workshops, completing a survey, or sending a submission directly to the Department of Health and Aged Care.
The exposure draft incorporates significant changes proposed to our aged care system. It sets out a Statement of Rights, Statement of Principles, definition of high-quality aged care, new duty of care and compensation pathways, whistleblower protections, strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, a strengthened regulatory body, supported decision-making arrangements, a single point of entry for aged care services, and introduction of criminal penalties.
The revised Act resulted from the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission and is broadly welcomed across the sector.
CEO of the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA), Tom Symondson, described a rights-based Aged Care Act a “vital piece of the puzzle moving forward”.
More information on how you can participate in the consultation process, and copies of the exposure draft, are available from the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.