Govt introduces new features to GPMS and Aged Care Gateway systems

Several system changes on Aged Care Gateway systems and the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) are now live, headlined by the addition of care minute targets to GPMS and more in-depth data available on My Aged Care. 

Key points

• Release 29 for the Aged Care Gateway (My Aged Care) has introduced changes impacting assessors and providers, while the AN-ACC app also has new features
• GPMS changes have occurred following the delivery of Release 7 with care minutes now available and new reporting assessment notifications
• Provider finance and operations information, plus additional residential aged care data regarding 24/7 Registered Nurse (RN) responsibilities and care minutes, are now accessible through My Aged Care

What you need to know: Aged Care Gateway changes

Four changes have occurred following Release 29 on February 19 with assessors and providers among those affected. They include:  

• Assessor team leads can now bulk assign referrals to their assessors
• New and/or updated provider portal and client notifications for initial and respite classifications, reconsideration and reassessment enable consistency across AN-ACC classifications
• More informative provider and client portal Palliative Care Status Form notifications
• An IT system upgrade to improve the performance of the myAssessor app
• New functionality related to the transferral of a linked client record to an active assessment outlet

In addition, changes affecting the AN-ACC app will go live on February 26. The AN-ACC app is available to approved residential funding assessors employed by a registered assessment management organisation to conduct funding assessments during scheduled visits. 

A system upgrade on the 26th will improve performance, while new compulsory questions under ‘Assessor comments form’ will be available for reconsideration assessments to indicate sources the assessor used. 

Applications that require system updates will need to be updated through the device’s app store or as per relevant guidelines on Sideload.

What you need to know: GPMS changes

Several changes have been made to GPMS, mostly regarding the kind of information that’s accessible to providers behind the scenes and to the public through My Aged Care. These changes are important as they create more transparency for consumers while giving providers additional insights for star ratings and care minutes.

These changes include: 

• Care minutes are now available to providers through GPMS under an application called ‘Care Minutes Targets’ that displays current and upcoming targets across multiple services
• New reporting assessment notifications are displayed via the bell icon, with notifications including on-site bookings, evidence requests and assessment completion
• Minor enhancements to the Quarterly Financial Report (QPR) functionality, including an expandable tooltip that will provide users with helpful information as they navigate through their QFR (available from the next reporting round on April 1)

As for My Aged Care, residential aged care and home care finance and operations information will be available via ‘Find a Provider’ from late February, covering: 

• Finances
• Key personnel
• Governing body statement
• Service provision and use
• Food preparation
• Diversity and inclusion
• Feedback, complaints and improvements. 

Additional information will be published on the Staffing page, allowing consumers to view a historical calendar that shows how a service has previously met its 24/7 RN responsibility. Care minutes for Personal Care Workers (PCW) and Assistants in Nursing (AIN) will also be published.

For more information on the changes, visit the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.