The Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) launched the Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice on Friday 5 February with Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck and the Council’s Acting Chair and Australian Unity CEO of Independent and Assisted Living, Kevin McCoy.
The Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice is one of 14 inter-related strategic actions that the aged care sector is progressing. These strategic actions make up A Matter of Care: Australia’s Aged Care Workforce Strategy released by the Aged Care Workforce Taskforce in 2018. Mr McCoy said that the code was the centrepiece of the Council’s blueprint for changing the way the nation viewed ageing and older Australians and meeting the expectations of older Australians through workforce reform.
“The code outlines a practical approach embedded in seven guiding principles that the Council will support providers to implement,” Mr McCoy said.
“It will help aged care providers to support their workers in delivering the high quality care they want to each and every day.
“We want the code to be meaningful so that it can help us deliver real and lasting change.”
Mr McCoy said that Australian Unity was one of the first providers to commit to the code.
“We are currently working on our transition plan, with the aim of demonstrating progress against all seven principles by 30 June this year,” Mr McCoy said.
“As Chair of ACWIC, I feel fortunate to be part of the reform that the Code will bring to our sector, because with aged care, near enough isn’t good enough, so we must strive to to get things right each and every time.”
Please click here for more information on the Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice.