The Department of Health is to receive reports on the food quality in residential aged care homes under a new ‘carrot-over-stick’ approach to improving individual care.
Announced by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, the initiative was launched in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and gives age care providers an additional $10 per resident per day if they report on their services, food and nutrition in particular.
“The initiative aims to improve and strengthen one-on-one care for senior and vulnerable Australians in residential aged care settings across the country,” Mr Hunt said.
“Ninety-nine per cent of providers had taken up the 2021 Basic Daily Fee supplement, which requires a commitment from them to provide good quality services with a focus on food and nutrition,” he said.
“Such a strong take up must be commended and we now expect that all aged care providers will use these funds to deliver improved care, including food and nutrition, to senior Australians.”
Mr Hunt said the Department was working with dietitians and nutrition experts to ensure the reports captured useful information and improved the health of people living in aged care.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck said the Department’s Basic Daily Fee reporting process was now open and covered expenditure and hours, including spending on food.
“We also require providers to detail how they are working to improve their daily living service offerings including food and nutrition, to gauge how the sector is delivering more for the senior Australians in their care,” Senator Colbeck said.
“The information will be used to provide insights into sector trends, to inform future policy and may be used by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission for the purposes of regulatory intelligence,” he said.
Senator Colbeck said aged care providers who failed to submit a report by 21 October would have their fee supplements suspended until the report was lodged.
