Section 1: Registration categories to be removed from your registration
Questions 1.1 to 1.12
Explanatory Note
The date that you provide in your response is the date that you intend for the removal of the selected category from your registration to take effect. This may differ from the actual date on which the removal of the category takes effect. For example, more time may be needed for us to consider and be satisfied of continuity of care matters before deciding to remove the category from your registration.
If you are intending to remove all the categories that you registered in and stop delivering funded aged care services entirely, do not complete the variation form. Instead, request to have your registration revoked by completing a Request for registration revocation form.
Question 1.13
Explanatory Note
Your choice to remove a category from your registration is a significant change to your organisation and may impact the remaining aged care services that you deliver.
We encourage you to disclose the reasons for making this choice so that we can provide appropriate support for the delivery of your remaining aged care services.
Evidence
If you have many reasons for choosing to remove a category from your registration, your response should identify and provide details about the most significant reasons. You may also indicate whether those reasons will continue to impact your business even after the category is removed.
The following is a list of things that may influence a choice to remove a category. These are examples only and your response should be specific to your circumstances.
Financial
- Funding for operations (e.g., a parent or holding company reducing or withdrawing all financial support)
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Declining or insufficient revenues to cover costs
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Increasing costs (e.g., wages for 24/7 registered nurses).
Aged Care Sector
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Decreasing demand for services in the locations you operate
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Difficulties in competing against other providers
Operational
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Service delivery issues (e.g., no longer having an arrangement with an associated provider to deliver services on your behalf)
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Staffing issues (e.g., loss of responsible persons or workforce shortages in remote areas)
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Issues with compliance (e.g., in relation to the Aged Care Quality Standards).
Strategic
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Business restructuring (e.g., selling business units to another provider).
You may include attachments to support your response.
Section 2: Older people affected by removing registration category
Section 2.1: Arrangements for all categories
Questions 2.1.1. to 2.1.2
Explanatory Note
If you are applying to remove any category from 1 to 5 from your registration
Your response to these questions helps us to understand:
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the extent of any effect that a removal of the category will have on older people who access related services from you (if any)
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your plans to manage any risks associated with those services no longer being provided.
If you are applying to remove category 6 from your registration
Do not complete Section 2: Older people affected by removing registration category. Instead, complete the following additional forms that can be found at the end of the variation form:
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Revoke approval of a residential care home; and/or
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Request to remove approved residential care home from registration.
Evidence
For question 2.1.1, this estimate may be informed by the number of older people:
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who are accessing funded aged care services from you and will experience a difference in their usual service delivery in that category
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who are not currently accessing funded aged care services from you in that category but have plans to.
For question 2.1.2, your explanation should include:
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the processes you followed to determine the number you gave for question 2.1.1
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an assessment of the impact on each affected older person or group of older people
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alternative care options available to affected older people and how they will be informed about these
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plans to transition out of delivering care under that category (this includes plans to mitigate against any risks to affected older people)
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any other relevant information.
You may include attachments to support your response.
Question 2.1.3
Explanatory Note
Your response to this question needs to demonstrate that you:
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understand all the notice requirements under the Aged Care Act 2024 that relate to stopping services that are applicable to you
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have arrangements in place to ensure you meet those notice requirements.
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to provide notice of various matters to different parties which may include:
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us
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the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
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older people you deliver services to
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others.
Example
ABC Pty Ltd, a registered provider, delivers services under all provider registration categories. ABC Pty Ltd intends to stop providing services under Category 4: Personal care and care support in the home or community. ABC Pty Ltd understands that a change in circumstances notification must be submitted to us about this within 14 days and arranges to do so.
Later, ABC Pty Ltd applies to have Category 4 removed from their registration. We approve this application. ABC Pty Ltd understands that they must provide a cessation notification to affected older persons and that this must also be given to us and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing within 28 days after those services stop. ABC Pty Ltd also arranges to do this within time.
Questions 2.2.1 to 2.2.3
Explanatory Note
We will only make a decision to remove Category 4 and/or Category 5 from your registration if we consider it is appropriate to do so in all the circumstances.
Accordingly, we need to understand the arrangements you have to ensure continuity of care for the older people who are currently receiving services from you under Category 4 and/or Category 5 (if any).
These arrangements must be compatible with the Statement of Rights.
Evidence
Your responses should describe how you will:
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identify all relevant factors affecting the continuity of care for an older person (e.g., assessing ongoing care needs and consulting with older people to understand their needs and perspectives)
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support older people to transition to another provider of aged care services to obtain the care they need (e.g., identifying alternative providers, making the older person aware of them, and empowering the older person in their choice of what services they access)
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engage with that other provider (e.g., in relation to the timing of transition arrangements and the sharing of records relating to an older person such as care plans)
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identify risks and managed them (e.g., ensuring older people from culturally diverse backgrounds can continue to communicate in their preferred language).
You should provide at least 2 deidentified examples of continuity of care plans for older people affected by a removal of Category 4 and/or 5 from your registration. You may also include other attachments to support your response.