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AGED CARE AND COMMUNITY CARE

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NSW Context

Aged and community care services in NSW includes the provision of services to older people living at home or in a residential aged care facility.   For a skilled and competent workforce, the CHC30208 Certificate III in Aged Care is the appropriate entry level qualification in NSW.
                                                                                   

Community care provision includes:

  • Community Aged Care Packages – are coordinated package of community care services to assist a person who have complex care needs                    
  • Community Options – a case management service for clients whose needs cannot be met by mainstream HACC services. Clients may be people who have complex care needs including a range of interacting physical/medical, social and emotional needs and thus require a comprehensive assessment and case management.
  • Extended Aged Care in the Home – are coordinated packages to assist a person who has complex care needs and requires care equivalent to those provided in a high care residential facility.
  • Extended Aged Care in the Home (Dementia) - are coordinated packages to assist a person who has dementia, complex care needs and requires care equivalent to those provided in a high care residential facility.
  • National Respite for Carers - designed to support and assist relatives and friends caring at home for people who are unable to care for themselves because of chronic illness, disability or frailty through the provision of respite services, information services and counselling.
  • Centre Based Day Care - provides structured group activities designed to develop, maintain or support the capacity for independent living and social interaction, which are conducted in a day centre setting. Centre-based day care also includes group excursions/activities conducted by centre staff but held away from the centre.
  • HACC - jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State governments to provide services that support people living at home who are at risk of premature entry to residential care. The services offered include domestic services, personal care, community transport, respite services, dementia services, MOW, home & garden maintenance, social support programs
  • Home Care – provided domestic assistance, personal care and respite for people with a disability, older people and their carers to enable them to live independently in their own home.
  • Transitional Care - a package of services including low intensity therapy, personal and/or nursing care in the home for up to 12 weeks following an acute episode to hospital.

 

Residential aged care services are funded by the Commonwealth Government, along with resident contributions and are subject to Commonwealth, State/Territory and Local Government regulations. The two types of residential aged care facilities are hostels (low care) and nursing homes (high care). Many facilities offer 'ageing-in-place' which enables older people to continue to live in the facility as their needs change.

The aged and community care sectors are underpinned by the following key legislation:

  • Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care Principles 1999
  • Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement (1991)
  • NSW Disability Services Act (DSA) (1993)
  • Home and Community Care Act 1985 (HACC) and Amending Agreement 1998
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and Occupational Health Regulations 2001
  • NSW Industrial Relations Act 1986
  • NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977
  • Public Health Act 1991
  • Mental Health Act 1990
  • Health Records & Information Privacy Act 2002
  • Guardianship Act 1987

 

The fundamental areas for the aged and community care sector include:

  • Medication Management

Medication management is a key area of importance in both the aged and community care sector and it is essential that people are aware that medications are poisons and should be treated with absolute care at all times. Whilst the competency Assist clients with medications (CHCCS305A) is an elective for each of the Certificate III and IV courses the industry would strongly encourage the completion of this competency as one of the chosen electives.

 

The key legislation for medications is the NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 and Regulations 2002 and in residential aged care the APAC Guidelines for Medication Management in Residential Aged Care Facilities should also be referred to. These can be downloaded from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/nmp-pdf-resguide-cnt.htm

 

  • Compulsory Reporting in Residential Aged Care

Under amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) in July 2007, approved providers of residential aged care must report allegations or suspicions of unlawful sexual contact, or unreasonable use of force, on a resident living in an Australian Government subsidised aged care home. Workers must also be aware of their responsibility for reporting and the mechanisms available to protect their identity should they do so.

  • Police Checks

 

Staff, contractors and volunteers who have, or are likely to have, unsupervised access to residents living in an aged care facility must undergo a national criminal history record check, which must be renewed every three years.

For further information see Fact Sheet Police Check Guidelines

 

 

 

Qualifications and Pathways

CHC30208          Certificate III in Aged Care

CHC40108          Certificate IV in Aged Care

CHC30308          Certificate III in Home and Community Care

CHC40208          Certificate IV in Home and Community Care

 

Recognition

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a significant pathway for candidates to attain a national training package qualification.  There has been strong support from Commonwealth and NSW governments for RTOs to find innovative and accessible RPL strategies and approaches. 

NSW Department of Education and Training is actively assisting this quest for improved RPL pathways and has worked in partnership across many industry sectors to pilot best practice models of recognition and develop supporting resources.   Some of the innovation recognition pathways trialled included group, project and workplace based models. 

Resources and further details are available at https://www.skillsonline.net.au/coagrpl_catalogue.html  

 

Traineeships

The Vocational Training Board establishes traineeships in NSW.  Through a consultative process between peak industry groups, employers and unions, facilitated by the ITAB, qualifications are identified that meet industry requirements and have appropriate award arrangements.  This information is submitted to the Board for the declaration of a vocational training order in accordance with NSW legislation.

 As qualifications have a vocational training order established, they are posted on the NSW DET Commissioner’s Bulletin.  Further advice is available from NSW DET http://apprenticeship.det.nsw.edu.au/index1.htm  

 

Current Aged Care traineeship in NSW is:

CHC30208        Certificate III in Aged Care Work

 

Enrolment against the following CHC02 qualifications are still current.  The Vocational Training Orders for the CHC08 qualifications are pending approval by DET.

CHC30202        Certificate III in Home and Community Care

CHC41602        Certificate IV in Community Services (Lifestyle and Leisure)

 

New payroll tax arrangements for apprentices and trainees

New arrangements for the payment of payroll tax for apprentices and trainees in NSW take effect from 1 July 2008.

Currently, wages paid to apprentices and new entrant trainees in NSW are exempt from payroll tax. From 1 July 2008, this exemption will no longer apply and all employers will be required to include the wages and salaries paid to apprentices and new entrant trainees in their payroll tax calculation.  Further information available from Office of State Revenue click here

 

 

VET in Schools

The CHC30208 Certificate III in Aged Care qualification in the CHC08 Community Services Training Package has been identified as suitable for VET in Schools pathways.

For more information about VET in Schools in NSW visit: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/

The NSW Board of Studies is responsible for the inclusion of training package qualifications in the HSC studies. Further information is available at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au .

 

 

Peak Bodies and Key Stakeholders

Aged & Community Services Assn NSW&ACT

The Aged and Community Services Association of NSW & ACT Inc (ACS) is a registered industrial organisation of employers who are aged and community care providers in the non-profit, charitable sector. The ACS is a representative organisation. It represents members' views politically at a Commonwealth and State level, either directly in its own right or indirectly via Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA).

 

NSW Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care

The Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care is one of the largest human services organisations in NSW. They provide support and services to more than 1 million older people, people with disabilities and their carers in NSW.

NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing

The NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing is the official advisory body to the NSW Government on matters of interest to older people. The Committee provides advice to Government, conducts consultations and seminars and publishes discussion papers on ageing issues.

Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency

Agency manages the residential aged care accreditation process using the Accreditation Standards. The Agency fulfils its functions using processes and principles set down in legislation, notably the Aged Care Act 1997, the Accountability Principles 1998, and the Accreditation Grant Principles 1999.

Guardianship Tribunal - The Guardianship Tribunal is a legal tribunal that conducts hearings throughout New South Wales. Its primary role is to make guardianship and financial management orders for people aged 16 years and over with decision-making disabilities.

Working Carers Support Gateway

The Working Carer's Support Gateway project is a new service initiative developed by the Disability and Aged Information Service Inc. (DAISI), based in Lismore on the far north coast of NSW. NSW Health is a partner under its Carer’s Program. The primary aim of the Gateway project is to provide information and support to low income and isolated carers in NSW who are juggling both caring and workplace demands.

Aged Care Association NSW

The Association represents aged care the private, church, charitable, and community sectors.

 

 

Resources

Please contact NSW Community Services and Health ITAB regarding training and assessment resource needs for the qualifications or skills sets in this industry sector.

 

NSW Community Services and Health ITAB and NSW DET resources include:

 

Recognition Model and Resources

For Certificate III and IV Aged Care and Certificate III and Certificate IV Home and Community Care are available from https://www.skillsonline.net.au/coagrpl_catalogue.html  

 

Certificate III in Aged Care Work- Recognition Training Program

This training program is designed for nursing assistants, personal assistants and care support employees who are working in the aged care setting. This may include residential aged care settings or community settings. The training program only targets nursing assistants, personal assistants and care support employees who are already in the workforce.

The resource includes:

1.    Individual Participant Support Materials 

2.    Trainer Support Materials

Registered Training Organisations wishing to provide this recognition pathway may obtain the resources from NSW Community Services and Health ITAB  www.csh-itab.com.au 

 

Other resources may be available from industry peaks, National Training Information Service (NTIS), Registered Training Organisations and Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

 

 

 


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