By late 2023 aged care approved providers will be expected to implement advisory board frameworks in two key areas; quality care and consumers. This new mandate is outlined in The Federal Government’s Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment. It is a direct response to the Royal Commission, requiring providers to reinforce how they consider and respond to the care needs, experiences and preferences of aged care consumers. 

Why are Advisory Boards so essential in Aged Care?

The Royal Commission and subsequent reform agenda are focused on improving the lived experience of those living in aged care now and shaping the future of aged care. Board Advisories can be fundamental to the sustainability of your organisation and will give you additional confidence when tackling the complex nature and challenges in the sector. Having a mix of skills, competencies, and experience will add a new perspective to navigating and solving situations and a unique lens on new ideas and innovations that will enhance the quality of care for your consumers. 

So what is an advisory board in the aged care context?

An advisory board is a structured and collaborative method for aged care approved providers to engage with external advisors and internal stakeholders. External advisors can act as a sounding board for Board Members, Directors, CEO and management on quality care and consumers. You can choose advisors with specific expertise such as Clinical, HR, Customer Experience, and M&A. Consumer advisory boards will be required to include consumers and, if you feel appropriate, family members and other key stakeholders (i.e staff). 

Having an advisory board will challenge your thinking and assist you in being strategic in your decision-making. The advisory board framework will support your organisation’s best practice principles, values, and vision, ensuring your consumer is always front and centre. 

Examples of this might include;

• • Implementation of a new Model Of Care or realignment with the new legislation
  • Recruitment and retention
  • Consumer experience and their journey with your organisation

The Two Advisory Boards Required Are;

Quality Care 

Providing safe, quality care where identity, culture and diversity is considered. This is the responsibility of all aged care providers, whether in residential aged care or home care. The purpose of an advisory board in this context is to ensure that best practice principles are being followed and comply with legislative requirements and opportunities to improve are uncovered and investigated. *This advisory board is required to meet at least once every six months.

Consumers 

Aged Care Quality Standard 1 ‘Consumer Dignity and Choice’ clearly articulates that organisations demonstrate that each consumer is treated with dignity and respect, can make informed choices about the care and services they receive and live the life they choose. Whilst meetings, forums, and feedback systems are in place; for consumers to genuinely be front and centre and their voice heard and valued, they must now have the opportunity to give the provider feedback about the quality of their aged care through a consumer advisory board structure. **This advisory board is required to meet at least once every 12 months.

Ultimately advisory boards in the aged care context are designed to make a positive difference for individual consumers and the aged care community at large.

Advisory Board Centre CEO and Founder, Louise Broekman says, “We are at a crucial crossroads here, whereby these new measures are not just an opportunity to meet requirements but to shape the future of the aged care sector. It is about improving the impact on residents’ lived experiences and their access to safe, quality care. For this to be a success, however, we must ensure there are robust frameworks, structures, and protocols in place that provide a solid foundation for ethical and best-practice engagement.”

How Anchor can assist you in setting up and chairing an advisory board

Collectively the Anchor Leaders have over 80 years of experience working both in aged care homes and communities and supporting and assisting aged care providers in the areas of;

• • Strategy and Advisory
  • Leadership and Governance
  • Clinical Governance
  • Compliance and Policy
  • Education and Workforce
  • Consumer Experience and Engagement

With an in-depth understanding of the aged care landscape, regulatory obligations and consumers’ needs and preferences and a passion and commitment to the aged care sector, our Certified Chairs Cynthia Payne, Founder and Managing Director, Claire Ward, Head of Marketing, Communication and Customer Experience, Dr Maggie Haertch, Aged Services, Interim & Compliance Remediation Specialist and Andy Caldwell, Specialist Consultant is poised and ready to support you in setting up an advisory board in both quality care and for your consumers.

Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022

Advisory bodies 

(6) The approved provider must:

(a) establish, and continue in existence, a body (the quality care advisory body) that:

(i) complies with the requirements about membership specified in the Accountability Principles; and

(ii) is required, at least once every six months, to give the *governing body of the provider a written report about the quality of the *aged care that the provider provides through an *aged care service; and

(iii) is able, at any time, to give feedback to the governing body of the provider about the quality of the aged care that the provider provides through an aged care service; and

(b) require the governing body of the provider: 

(i) to consider such a report, or any such feedback, when making decisions in relation to the quality of the aged care provided through the aged care service; and 

(ii) to advise, in writing, the quality care advisory body how the governing body considered such a report or any such feedback. 

(7) A report given under subparagraph (6)(a)(ii) must comply with any requirements specified in the Accountability Principles. 

(8) The approved provider must, if requested to do so by the quality 11 care advisory body, give the body information about the quality of the *aged care that the provider provides through an * aged care service. 

(9) The approved provider must: 

(a) offer, at least once every 12 months, care recipients and their 16 representatives the opportunity to establish one or more bodies (the consumer advisory bodies) to give the * governing body of the provider feedback about the quality of the *aged care that the provider provides to the care recipients through an *aged care service; and

(b) if one or more consumer advisory bodies are established – require the governing body of the provider: 

(i) to consider any such feedback given by the body or 24 bodies when making decisions in relation to the quality 25 of the aged care provided through the aged care service; 

(ii) to advise, in writing, the body or bodies how the 28 governing body considered any such feedback.

Reference aged care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response) Bill 2022

https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bills/r6875_first-reps/toc_pdf/2252b01.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf Page 73&74