NEWS UPDATES
08 November 2022
Department of Health Update
Following a decision by National Cabinet and a commitment from State and Federal governments, isolation requirements for people who test positive to COVID-19 were removed on 14 October 2022.
While this will be welcomed by many in the community, there are also many who remain vulnerable to COVID-19, and we all need to work together to minimise the risks of infection for our residents and staff. At the time of this update, cases are still rising across parts of Australia, which is a reminder that waves of the virus emerging in communities is still happening.
Additionally with the festive season just around the corner, we strongly encourage friends, families, and staff to exercise caution and care when participating in the many social activities to be vigilant with infection control practices. By doing so, you will assist in keeping our residents safe and allow us to continue welcoming visitors into our Homes.
Below is a summary of visitor access requirements to aged care facilities as provided by state health authorities. We recommend families stay up to date with requirements via the links for any changes prior to visiting loved ones, particularly if you are planning on interstate visits.
- Any person who has symptoms of acute respiratory infection is prohibited from entering a RACF, irrespective of whether they are COVID-19 positive or not.
- Visitors who have tested positive to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic are strongly encouraged not to enter for at least 7 days after their positive test.
- Close Contacts are not permitted to enter for a period of 7 days
- RAT testing is strongly recommended before visiting
- Vaccination is not required
- Mask wearing is no longer required unless there is a COVID-19 positive case amongst residents
- If a Home has been notified that there is a COVID-19 positive case amongst residents, mandatory mask requirements must be reinstated for all visitors and staff
- Visitors who have tested positive should not enter a facility for at least 7 days after their positive test, unless authorised by the RACF for compassionate reasons.
- Close Contacts should avoid visiting an RACF for at least 7 days
- RAT testing to be undertaken and received a negative result from a COVID-19 RAT on the same day that they attend the care facility. Visitors providing essential care and entering on a regular basis can do less frequent testing, with the agreement of the RACF, the minimum recommended interval is twice weekly.
- Visitors are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and to receive their booster doses when due
- Visitors are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated for seasonal influenza.
- Surgical face masks will be required subject to each homes’ risk assessment
- Visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 should not visit a Home/high risk setting. A negative RAT result is a helpful tool to determine whether you are still infectious.
- Close Contacts should avoid visiting aged care facilities for at least 7 days
- All visitors should have a negative result from a COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken on the same day that they attend the care facility.
- Strongly recommended that visitors be vaccinated
- Face masks should be worn while visiting
- Visitors who have tested positive for COVID-19 should avoid entering a high-risk setting until at least 7 days have passed since you received a positive COVID-19 test result and you no longer have any symptoms.
- Close Contacts should avoid entering a high-risk setting for the 5 days after the date of the positive COVID-19 test
- Vaccinations are no longer required for entry
- Surgical face masks may be required subject to each homes’ risk assessment
COVID-19 State of Emergency ended on 4 November
- Visitors who test positive for COVID-19 should not attend residential aged care facilities until day 8, if they have had no symptoms for at least 24 hours
- Visitors who are close contacts should not attend residential aged care facilities until day 8 after their last exposure, excepting those who are permitted by the facility to attend, with additional precautions
- Rapid Antigen Testing is recommended on the day of visiting if feeling unwell
- Visitors will no longer be required to wear a mask when visiting unless there is a positive COVID-19 case among residents, visitors should always comply with directions as advised by management as situations may change.
As recommended by the Department of Health, aged care providers will continue to conduct risk assessments based on community and internal exposure to COVID-19. Please support our safety protocols as requested (such as wearing of face masks) to ensure we are best placed to protect your loved ones.
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NSW Government – Single-Use Plastic Ban from 1 November
In June this year, the NSW government committed to banning certain plastics to address the problem of plastic waste in the environment.
The first stage of the campaign to ban single-use plastics started with lightweight plastic shopping bags from 1 June 2022. The second stage will commence on November 1 covering additional items to include, single-use - plastic straws, cutlery, plates, polystyrene cups, cotton buds and some personal care products. Some exemptions will apply to plastic straws for people with disability or medical needs.
Our Bolton Clarke procurement team have been working in conjunction with our Hospitality and Clinical services teams to ensure our suppliers have updated their product offering to ensure compliance with the state-wide ban.
You will see some changes across our NSW Homes to reflect the Stage 2 requirements when you visit our cafes, with events and in some instances the dining service.
More information about the ban is available on the DPE website.
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Allity Billing from 1 December 2022
In February, we announced the acquisition of Allity by Bolton Clarke, Australia’s largest independent, not-for-profit provider of aged care. Since our announcement, our priority has been to ensure the operations of our Homes are not disrupted, particularly in the COVID-19 environment.
Work has also been happening ‘behind the scenes’ to combine our operations so that we can offer more services to more people across Australia and build on the services we currently provide.
Monthly statements
From 1 December 2022, you will notice a change in the format of monthly statements which you will continue to receive in the same monthly cycle.
The transfer is an administrative process only to transfer and assign contracts from Allity to RSL Care RDNS Limited as the legal entity (trading as Bolton Clarke), for our resident, supplier, and contractor agreements. If you have a Direct Debit payment set up, you will also notice similar changes on your bank statement
You will have received a letter outlining the changes to the statement, however if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Finance team of 1300 785 630 or email ar@allity.com.au
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Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Update
Over the course of the coming year, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will be implementing some changes aimed to improve the safety and quality of care. These changes are recommendations from the Royal Commission conducted in 2018.
Some of the changes will take effect from 1 December 2022 and include the following:
Stronger governance requirements including the option of a Consumer Advisory Committee to give people who use aged care services to have a say in how they are run. Bolton Clarke engages quarterly with a Community Partnership Group as part of an important program giving interested people the opportunity to come together to talk about what matters and have a say in how services are delivered. The group is established in Melbourne with the Gold Coast program commenced this year.
A new Aged Care Code of Conduct outlining how people responsible for providing aged care services must treat people receiving the care. All Bolton Clarke homes will be displaying the new Code of Conduct in communal areas as well as providing information on how to access the detailed document. The Code will supplement our existing Code of Conduct which is a mandatory for onboarding of new staff.
Moving into 2023, a new set of Aged Care Quality and Safety Standards is expected to be introduced with the draft now open for public consultation
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Consumer Experience Interviews
Thank you to all our residents and families who participated in the Consumer Experience Interview (CEI) conducted by the ACQSC between April and October. The results of the CEI will be reflective of the service at that point time and will be made available in January 2023 on the My Aged Care website. The intent is for the survey-based interviews to be completed every six months.
For our Homes, gaining monthly insights into our residents’ experiences using the same Consumer Experience Survey has been a regular practice in some states since 2019, and will be in place across all 70 Homes early 2023.
The results of the CEI are a component of the broader Star Ratings Program aimed at providing consumers with more informed choices when seeking residential aged care services. More information on the Star Ratings program is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
30 June 2022
In February this year, we announced the exciting news of the acquisition of Allity by Bolton Clarke – Australia’s largest independent not for profit provider of aged care services. By bringing together the Allity and Bolton Clarke residential aged care operations into one organisation means we will now support 70 residential aged care communities, 36 retirement living villages and more than 130,000 home care clients.
We are now able to truly support and provide for the continuity of care across the senior living journey within the one organisation, reducing the level of confusion and complexity experienced in navigating the aged care journey.
The immediate focus is on our Victorian operations with our At Home Support (Home care) services to enable a smooth transition into an Allity Home when the time comes to consider a higher level of care.
A deliberate approach has been taken with the acquisition to ensure as little disruption as possible across our Homes and for our families to maintain the quality of care for our residents. This includes retaining the Allity name and approved provider status for the foreseeable future.
We invite you to find out more about the rich history behind Bolton Clarke by visiting https://www.boltonclarke.com.au/