Speak Out April 2019

Aged care

Reform and change in AGED CARE IT CONTINUES TO BE A BUSY TIME OF REFORM AND CHANGE IN THE AGED CARE SECTOR, WITH MUCH OF THE SPA ADVISOR’S TIME RECENTLY FOCUSED ON THESE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REFORM AGENDA.

promptly with the possibility of being considered to appear as a witness. Accordingly, SPA’s formal submission to the Royal Commission will be submitted soon. Aged Care Working Party The annual face to face planning day was held in November 2018, with priorities for 2019 established including development of targeted member resources (e.g., re- introduction of new aged care standards, speech pathology role in dementia, workshop content for National Conference workshop planned on dysphagia and risk feeding) Vic Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation Further meetings have been held with DHHS to discuss applicability and intersections with speech pathology professional practice, and request for further specific advice re working with people with little or no speech and this legislation. Guidance materials for doctors have had content developed regarding supporting the access to the Scheme of people with communication difficulties. Look out for further member fact sheets and information to be developed subsequently regarding some of these initiatives. As always, please feel free to contact National Office at any time with any further queries or comments Kym Torresi Senior Advisor Aged Care agedcare@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au 1300 368 835

Recent activity has included: Roundtable summit

Kym Torresi attended a roundtable summit with the Federal Minister for Aged Care, Hon Ken Wyatt in Sydney in January, representing the professional constituency of the Care at Home working party of the National Aged Care Alliance. This national roundtable discussed the Commonwealth Home Support Programme with a view to informing the Minister and Department of Health when they consider program design post 2020. Representation Michelle Bennet (member of the Aged Care Working Party) has continued to attend the RUCS (Resource Utilisation Classification Study) Forum as an AHPA representative. Kym Torresi continues to attend the National Aged Care Alliance, DVA Healthcare Providers Partnership Forums and upcoming National Stroke Coalition meetings. Submissions SPA recently prepared formal submissions for the Streamlined Consumer Assessment Model and Effectiveness of the Aged Care Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework call for papers. Royal Commission into aged care A recent member survey has collected over 90 responses from SPA members to help inform SPA’s submission. An introductory letter was sent to the Royal Commissioners and was acknowledged as being of quite some interest to the RC with SPA strongly encouraged to prepare a formal submission

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April 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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