Health Services (Residential Care) (Amendment) Regulations 1998
i
Health Services (Residential Care) (Amendment)
Regulations 1998
S.R. No. 131/1998
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Regulation Page
1. Objective 1
2. Authorising provisions 1
3. Commencement 1
4. Principal Regulations 2
5. Amendments to regulation 104 2
6. Regulation 304 substituted 2
304. Privacy, dignity and security of residents 2
7. Regulation 306 substituted 3
306. Personal hygiene of residents 3
8. Regulation 307 substituted 4
307. Medication for residents 4
9. Regulation 308 substituted 6
308. Suitable nutrition for residents 6
10. Revocation of regulation 309 and Division 4 of Part 3 6
11. Regulation 313 substituted 7
313. Procedures for resident complaints 7
12. Revocation of regulation 318 7
13. Regulation 402 substituted 8
402. Maintenance and cleanliness of supported residential
service 8
14. Regulation 405 substituted 9
405. Communications systems in supported residential service 9
15. Regulation 409 substituted 9
409. Supply of water must be safe 9
16. Revocation of regulations 410 and 411 9
17. Regulation 511 substituted 10
511. Minimum staff requirements 10
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NOTES 11
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1
STATUTORY RULES 1998
S.R. No. 131/1998
Health Services Act 1988
Health Services (Residential Care) (Amendment)
Regulations 1998
The Governor in Council makes the following Regulations:
Dated: 27 October 1998
Responsible Minister:
ROB KNOWLES
Minister for Health
SHARNE BRYAN
Clerk of the Executive Council
1. Objective
The objective of these Regulations is to make
consequential amendments to the Health Services
(Residential Care) Regulations 1991 which are
necessary as a result of the enactment of the
Health Services (Amendment) Act 1997.
2. Authorising provisions
These Regulations are made under sections 108A,
108B, 108C, 108D, 108G, 108I, 108J, 108K,
108L and 158 of the Health Services Act 1988.
3. Commencement
These Regulations come into operation on
2 November 1998.
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4. Principal Regulations
In these Regulations, the Health Services
(Residential Care) Regulations 19911 are called
the Principal Regulations.
5. Amendments to regulation 104
In regulation 104 of the Principal Regulations,
after "105" insert ", 108A, 108B, 108C, 108D,
108G, 108I, 108J, 108K, 108L".
6. Regulation 304 substituted
For regulation 304 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"304. Privacy, dignity and security of residents
For the purposes of section 108A of the Act,
reasonable steps to ensure that residents are
treated with dignity and respect and with
regard to their entitlement to privacy must
include reasonable steps to ensure the
following—
(a) the private property of a resident is not
taken, borrowed or given to another
person without the permission of the
resident;
(b) residents are enabled to undertake
personal activities, including bathing,
toileting and dressing, in private;
(c) information about residents is treated
confidentially;
(d) residents are dressed in their own
clothing which is of their own choice
and which is appropriate for the climate
and time of day;
(e) residents are not subjected to unusual
routines, particularly with respect to
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bed times, timing of meals, bathing and
dressing;
(f) residents have access to a telephone
which—
(i) may be used in private;
(ii) is able to be used for receiving
incoming calls and making
outgoing calls;
(iii) if people with disabilities are
resident in the facility, is suitable
for use by people with those
disabilities;
(g) screens are available for beds if the
design or shape of a room does not
permit a resident to be private.".
7. Regulation 306 substituted
For regulation 306 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"306. Personal hygiene of residents
For the purposes of section 108B of the Act,
reasonable steps to ensure that the personal
hygiene of all residents is maintained at the
best practicable level must include
reasonable steps to ensure the following—
(a) each resident bathes or showers, or is
bathed or showered, every second day
and his or her hair is washed at least
every 7 days;
(b) the finger nails of each resident are
trimmed at least once each week, his or
her toe nails trimmed as required and at
least once every 6 weeks and that
professional foot care is sought if any
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sign appears of lower limb
complications;
(c) medical or nursing assistance is sought
for a resident if any sign appears of bed
sores or other forms of breakdown of
skin integrity;
(d) the teeth of each resident are cleaned at
least once each day, each resident has a
dental check by a dentist or other dental
health professional at least every two
years and that any necessary assistance
is provided for a resident in caring for
and storing his or her dentures;
(e) the assistance of a nursing or
incontinence service is sought to assess
any resident showing signs of
incontinence and that a continence care
plan for the resident is prepared in
consultation with that service and that
the plan is implemented.".
8. Regulation 307 substituted
For regulation 307 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"307. Medication for residents
(1) For the purposes of section 108C of the Act,
reasonable steps to maintain adequate
standards of storage, distribution and
administration of residents' medication must
include reasonable steps to ensure the
following—
(a) a resident's prescribed medication is
administered in accordance with the
instructions of the person who
prescribed the medication;
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(b) a resident's prescribed medications are
obtained and administered promptly;
(c) a record is kept of the medication
prescribed for each resident, and when
and in what dosage that medication is
to be administered;
(d) each resident's medication is—
(i) kept separate from the medication
of other residents; and
(ii) given to the resident upon his or
her departure or appropriately
disposed of if no longer required;
and
(iii) kept in the container supplied by
the person who dispensed the
medication or the dose
administration container into
which the medication was placed
by the person dispensing the
medication;
(e) no alteration is made to any label
affixed to a container supplied by the
person who dispensed the medication;
(f) the medications of all residents are
stored in a locked medicine cupboard;
(g) medical advice is obtained in the event
of the proprietor or a member of the
staff—
(i) mal-administers or fails to
administer a medication to a
resident; or
(ii) has reason to believe that a
resident who administers
medication to himself or herself
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has mal-administered or failed to
administer a medication;
(h) the proprietor or member of staff
concerned makes a written report on the
mal-administration or failure;
(i) a resident who administers medication
to himself or herself takes adequate
precautions for the safe storage of that
medication.
(2) Paragraphs (a) to (f) of sub-regulation (1) do
not apply in the case of a resident who
administers medication to himself or
herself.".
9. Regulation 308 substituted
For regulation 308 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"308. Suitable nutrition for residents
For the purposes of section 108D of the Act,
the proprietor of a residential care facility
must ensure that—
(a) residents' choices in relation to food
and beverages are taken into
consideration in menu planning;
(b) meals are provided at appropriate
intervals allowing adequate time for
meals and between meals;
(c) meals are adequate in quantity and
taste;
(d) residents have ready access to adequate
supplies of potable water and other
appropriate beverages.".
10. Revocation of regulation 309 and Division 4 of Part 3
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Regulation 309 and Division 4 of Part 3 of the
Principal Regulations are revoked.
11. Regulation 313 substituted
For regulation 313 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"313. Procedures for resident complaints
(1) For the purposes of section 108G(1) of the
Act, the system for receiving and dealing
with complaints must be in accordance with
this regulation.
(2) The proprietor of a residential care facility
must nominate a person to receive and deal
with complaints from residents or complaints
made on behalf of residents.
(3) The proprietor must ensure that—
(a) all complaints are treated in a
confidential manner; and
(b) a written record is kept of every
complaint including—
(i) the nature of the complaint; and
(ii) the date of the complaint; and
(iii) the action taken in respect of the
complaint; and
(c) all complaints are dealt with promptly;
and
(d) every resident and member of staff is
informed of the complaints procedures;
and
(e) the person making the complaint is
informed of any action taken in respect
of the complaint.".
12. Revocation of regulation 318
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Regulation 318 of the Principal Regulations is
revoked.
13. Regulation 402 substituted
For regulation 402 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"402. Maintenance and cleanliness of supported
residential service
For the purposes of section 108I(1) of the
Act, the proprietor of a residential care
service must—
(a) keep the premises and facilities—
(i) free from flies, lice and other
vermin and take steps to prevent
their entry; and
(ii) free from any accumulation of
materials which might become
offensive, injurious to health or
likely to facilitate the outbreak of
fire;
(b) keep bedding and linen clean and in
good repair; and
(c) provide freshly laundered linen for
every new resident; and
(d) ensure that—
(i) all solid and liquid waste is
removed at least once a day from
all rooms; and
(ii) every container used for solid or
liquid waste or refuse is
thoroughly cleaned.".
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14. Regulation 405 substituted
For regulation 405 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"405. Communications systems in supported
residential service
The electronic communications system to be
provided under section 108J of the Act
must—
(a) enable calls to be made from each
bedroom, toilet, shower-room and
bathroom of the residential care
facility; and
(b) be kept operational at all times or an
effective alternative system provided.".
15. Regulation 409 substituted
For regulation 409 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"409. Supply of water must be safe
For the purposes of ensuring an adequate and
safe supply of hot and cold water under
section 108K of the Act, the proprietor of a
residential care facility must ensure that—
(a) hot and cold water is supplied to all
showers, baths and hand basins; and
(b) a system or mechanism is provided to
control the outlet temperature of hot
water to baths and showers used by
residents to avoid the risk of scalding.".
16. Revocation of regulations 410 and 411
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Regulations 410 and 411 of the Principal
Regulations are revoked.
17. Regulation 511 substituted
For regulation 511 of the Principal Regulations
substitute—
"511. Minimum staff requirements
For the purposes of section 108L of the Act,
the proprietor must ensure that—
(a) during the day—
(i) at least one special or personal
care provider is on duty for each
30 residents or fraction of 30; and
(ii) sufficient and appropriately
trained special or personal care
staff are employed to provide for
the special or personal care needs
of residents; and
(iii) sufficient support staff are
employed; and
(b) at night—
(i) at least one special or personal
care provider is on the premises
and readily available in an
emergency; and
(ii) sufficient staff are available to
enable the premises to be
inspected to ensure the safety of
those residents who have
difficulty in calling for
assistance.".
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NOTES
1 Reg. 4: S.R. No. 14/1991. Reprinted to S.R. No. 160/1996.
Notes
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