Aged Care (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 (Cth)
The Law Council of Australia provided a submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee in relation to its inquiry on the Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 (Cth) (Bill).
The Bill, which will amend the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth), has three features:
- it imposes responsibilities on approved aged care providers (approved providers) to ensure at least one registered nurse is on site, and on duty, at all times at a residential aged care facility, subject to being granted an exemption;
- it prohibits the imposition of a charge for ceasing the provision of home care and authorises the Minister to impose other requirements in relation to home care charges; and
- it empowers the Minister to require the Secretary to publish information about aged care services or providers.
The Law Council broadly supports the measures in the Bill, which are beneficial in their nature and good faith attempts to give effect to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission) directed at improving the quality of aged care services.
Last Updated on 26/08/2024