New Aged Care Act to put the rights of older people at centre of system
Federal Government is planning for the new Aged Care Act to come into force on 1 July 2024.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found that the current Aged Care Act is no longer fit for purpose.
The new Act will:
- create a simple, single-entry point to make access to the aged care system for older people easier,
- include a fair, culturally safe single assessment process,
- include rules on supported decision-making to ensure older people have choice and control,
- provide additional protections for whistleblowers to allow reporting without fear of reprisal,
- introduce a new approach to regulating aged care providers to ensure delivery of safe, quality aged care services, and
- strengthen the powers of the regulator, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, to manage risk, ensure integrity and support aged care.
The draft of the new Act (called the exposure draft) is now available for public consultation.
Anyone can contribute to the consultation, including older people, their families and carers, aged care providers and workers, researchers, experts and anyone interested in Australia’s aged care system.
More information on the draft and how to contribute to the consultation is available on the department’s website.
Consultation will close on Friday, 16 February 2024.