This submission responds to the Department of Health’s proposed Code of Conduct for the Care and Support Sector.  PCA supports the introduction of a code of conduct for aged care,  which will help ensure that aged care recipients are protected from exploitation, abuse and inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct.  However, PCA does have some concerns about the proposed code including addressing learnings from the current NDIS code of conduct, duplication of professional standards and practices, implications for personal care workers and addressing diverse needs in the code.  In this submission PCA continues to call for measures that support the professionalisation of the personal care workforce and believes this is the best way to ensure that staff are trained and prepared to deliver palliative care.  The code should also be supported by appropriate guidance training which interacts with other aged care provider and worker requirements.

PCA submission on the care and support sector code of conduct - November 2021