Specified Care and Services Reference Group

Specified Care and Services Reference Group 1 July 2013, 9.00am-10.10am Draft Record of Meeting By videoconference and teleconference

Canberra Nick Mersiades Independent Chair Kay Richards Leading Age Services Australia Peter Squire Catholic Health Australia (proxy) Lee Thomas Australian Nursing Federation Sarah Jones Australian Medicare Locals Alliance Nicholas O’Neill Department of Veterans’ Affairs Anna Kelly Department of Veterans’ Affairs Angus Algie Department of Health and Ageing (Secretariat) Oriana Rojas Department of Health and Ageing (Secretariat)

Melbourne Ross Johnston The Aged Care Guild Jo Root COTA Australia Kaele Stokes Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria Don McDonald National Seniors Australia (part attendance from 10.30am) Nina Bowes NACA Secretariat – Aged Care Reform

Sydney Dr Rodney Jilek Department of Health and Ageing Paul Turner Aged and Community Services Australia

Teleconference Tracey McDonald Australian College of Nursing Jan Erven Occupational Therapy Australia

Apologies Penni Michael Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia Glenise Berry Australia and New Zealand Society of Geriatric Medicine Sam Porter United Voice Pat Riley Uniting Care Australia Pat Sparrow NACA Secretariat – Aged Care Reform Russell de Burgh Department of Health and Ageing Dr Susan Hunt Department of Health and Ageing Mary-Ann Fisher Department of Health and Ageing

Apologies

The Chair opened the meeting at 9.00am.

1. Welcome and Apologies

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting. Apologies were recorded as above.

1 Mr Algie (DoHA) advised members that Mr Keith Tracey-Patte’s term as Assistant Secretary of the Policy and Evaluation Branch, Ageing and Aged Care Division, Department of Health and Ageing, ceased 30 June 2013. Mr Tracey-Patte’s replacement on the Reference Group will be Mr Russell de Burgh, as the new head of that Branch.

2. NACA Interaction Rules

The Chair reminded members of the NACA interaction rules under which the Reference Group operates.

3. Agenda Review

Members reviewed the agenda and did not request any changes.

4. Minutes of Previous Meeting – 24 May 2013

Action Item: NACA Secretariat to prepare and circulate out-of-session the Minutes of the 24 May 2013 Reference Group meeting by 12 July 2013.

5. Update on Pre-Costing Progress Report

Ms Bowes (NACA Secretariat) noted that on 28 June 2013 NACA completed its endorsement process for the Pre-Costing Progress Report, and that the document as circulated at this meeting was also posted on the NACA website.

Ms Bowes informed members that the change compared to the draft presented to NACA on 27-28 May 2013 is that the document now also notes the positions on the Items for which consensus was not reached of a number of NACA members not directly represented on the Reference Group, e.g. Anglicare Australia, Attendant Care Industry Association.

Ms Richards (LASA) noted that the formatting of Items 1.10 and 2.1 in the document fails to adequately identify that the noted difference of views between NACA members relates specifically to the statement ‘Every effort should be made to ensure equity of access and positive outcomes for all residents regardless of their specific or special needs.’

Mr Turner (ACSA) noted that the following text remains unclear about provider responsibilities, and that the intended meaning will need to be clarified with the contractor who performs the comparative cost study (see Agenda Item 6):  sixth bullet point under Residential Care Manual text, page 13: ‘Medicines and consumables that a resident would need during an outing or periods of social leave as defined in the Aged Care.’

Action Item: NACA Secretariat to reformat Items 1.10 Meals and Refreshments and 2.1 Resident Social Activities to clearly distinguish the text to which advice about member disagreement relates, and to republish the document on the NACA website. 6. Update on Comparative Cost Study

Mr Algie (DoHA) spoke to a written update that was provided as part of the Chair’s briefing, describing progress and next steps for the comparative cost study (attached).

Mr Algie particularly noted that:  an essential requirement for tenderers is a thorough understanding of residential aged care operations in low care and high care facilities, as well as demonstrated understanding of residential aged care financing and funding arrangements; and  the Aged Care Financing Authority, at its meeting of 12 June 2013, offered to provide two of its members as non-voting technical advisers to the Department’s tender evaluation panel.

Mr Johnston (Aged Care Guild) requested that a key milestone be the successful tenderer meeting with Reference Group early in the study (within 7-10 days of being awarded the contract) to discuss the detailed methodology, including any data to be requested from providers.

Ms Erven (OTA) noted that it will be important that the successful bidder understand the operations of smaller and regional, rural and remote providers.

Ms McDonald (ACN) noted that it will be important the successful bidder understand both the not-for-profit and for-profit segments of the residential aged care sector.

Ms Richards (LASA) expressed concern that 6 to 7 weeks may not be long enough for the successful tenderer to define the methodology, collect required data (including from providers), and produce a report.

The Chair noted that the price and duration of the study will in part depend on the bids received, and the outcomes of the discussions to define the study methodology.

7. Supplementation of Reference Group membership

Members agreed a process for supplementing existing membership of the Reference Group, to provide financial expertise to assist in understanding and responding to any costs of adopting the recommendations in the Pre-Costing Progress Report:  2 additional members, with relevant qualifications and expertise in the residential aged care sectors, to be added to the Reference Group and also to a Costing Sub-Group.  The 2 additional members plus 1 provider representative (Ms Richards, LASA), 1 consumer representative (to be advised—see Action Items), 1 union representative (Ms Thomas, ANF), 1 health professional representative (Ms McDonald, ACN) are to form a Costing Sub-Group.

Action Item: Reference Group members to provide to NACA Secretariat by email any nominations (including one page biographical information) for additional members by COB 4 July 2013.

Action Item: NACA Secretariat to circulate by email any nominations received for additional members of the Reference Group by COB 5 July 2013.

3 Action Item: Members to nominate to NACA Secretariat by email 2 preferred additional members of the Reference Group by COB 9 July 2013.

Action Item: NACA Secretariat to inform members by email of outcome of nomination process for 2 additional members of the Reference Group by COB 10 July 2013.

Action Item: Ms Root (COTA) and Ms Stokes (Alzheimer’s Australia) to advise NACA Secretariat of the consumer representative member of the Costing Sub-Group by COB 5 July 2013.

8. Next Meeting and Meeting Schedule

The Chair noted that establishing the future meeting Schedule will depend on the timing of key milestones in the comparative cost study, and that the forward meeting schedule cannot be defined until the Reference Group has met with the successful contractor for the comparative cost study to discuss the study methodology and detailed time frames.

Action Item: NACA Secretariat to consult with DoHA and set a mid-August 2013 date for the next Reference Group meeting.

9. Other Business

No items of Other Business proposed.

The Chair closed the meeting at 10.10am. Consolidated Action Items Specified Care and Services Reference Group 1 July 2013

1. NACA Secretariat to prepare and circulate out-of-session the Minutes of the 24 May 2013 Reference Group meeting by 12 July 2013.

2. NACA Secretariat to reformat Items 1.10 Meals and Refreshments and 2.1 Resident Social Activities to clearly distinguish the text to which advice about member disagreement relates, and to republish the document on the NACA website.

3. Reference Group members to provide to NACA Secretariat by email any nominations (including one page biographical information) for additional members by COB 4 July 2013.

4. NACA Secretariat to circulate by email any nominations received for additional members of the Reference Group by COB 5 July 2013.

5. Members to nominate to NACA Secretariat by email 2 preferred additional members of the Reference Group by COB 9 July 2013.

6. NACA Secretariat to inform members by email of outcome of nomination process for 2 additional members of the Reference Group by COB 10 July 2013.

7. Ms Root (COTA) and Ms Stokes (Alzheimer’s Australia) to advise NACA Secretariat of the consumer representative member of the Costing Sub-Group by COB 5 July 2013.

8. NACA Secretariat to consult with DoHA and set a mid-August 2013 date for the next Reference Group meeting.

5 Attachment to Item 6

Specified Care and Services Reference Group 1 July 2013 Item 6: Update on Comparative Cost Study

Update on Comparative Costing Study

 Request for Quotation documentation for a ‘comparative cost study’ of the marginal costs of adopting the recommendations in the Pre-Costing Progress Report will be released to selected members of the Department of Health and Ageing’s health economic services panel during the week 1-5 July 2013.  On 12 June 2013 the Aged Care Financing Authority proposed that two of its members, Mr Nick Mersiades and Mr Ian Yates, provide expert technical advice to the tender evaluation panel (i.e. non-voting members, to be provided with de-identified bids).  During the week 17-21 June 2013 Department of Health and Ageing staff circulated proposed study Objectives and Outputs to the members of the Reference Group nominated at its 24 May 2013 meeting: o Department staff held a teleconference with Mr Johnston and Ms Erven on 20 June 2013, with comments received incorporated into tender documentation. Mr Johnston and Ms Erven particularly noted that the successful tenderer must have thorough knowledge of residential aged care operations as well as aged care financing and funding arrangements. o Comment by email was invited from Ms Thomas and Ms Sparrow, who were not available for the teleconference. o Ms Michael was not available during the period.  It is planned that the tender evaluation process will be complete in early August 2013, and that the final report will be presented by the end of September.  Key milestones for the successful tenderer include face-to-face meetings with the Reference Group and representatives of the Aged Care Financing Authority during the development of detailed study methodology phase, and also to report interim and final findings.