Aged care providers jointly call for government action
The chief executives of the Peninsula's two aged care facilities have issued a joint statement calling for urgent Federal Government action on aged care.
Mr Shane Neaves from Peninsula Village and Mr Matt Downie of BlueWave Living said the Federal Government should respond urgently to the key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
"We are urging the Federal Government to adopt a 15-point plan to ensure older Australians get the most benefit in the quickest time from an improved aged care system." said Mr Neaves.
"We urge the community to support the campaign by the Australian Aged Care Collaboration, which represents more than 1000 aged care providers."
The joint statement coincides with the release by the Aged Care Collaboration of a formal response to the final report Royal Commission.
The report calls on the Government to produce a timetable in the Federal Budget on May 11 to set out immediate steps to improve the delivery of aged care services in 15 key areas.
The report called for a new rights-based Aged Care Act within two years to protect human rights, access and choice.
It called for increased wages, training and clinical placements.
It also called for improved accountability and commitment to greater funding of the aged care sector.
"It is a matter of prioritising these recommendations for the immediate benefit of our elders, who deserve a first class aged care system," Mr Downie said.
"It is no secret that Australia spends less than half of what comparable nations do on aged care.
"We support the call by the Australian Aged Care Collaboration that the Government needs to include a detailed roadmap for longer term reform as well as an indication on how age care will be funded in the future and how that change will occur.
"Aged care providers need a clear statement from Government on longer term reform plans as well as a timetable to implement these immediate changes so that we can have some certainty for the community, for older people and our residents, and for our staff."
Mr Neaves said aged care providers supported the need for an overhaul of the aged care sector and the need for more transparency and accountability.
He said this included the need for a wider range of clinical indicators, a star rating performance system, reporting of staff care hours, reporting of service level financial data to an independent pricing authority and stronger prudential regulations.
Mr Neaves said: "The Royal Commission final report presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for real change in how we deliver aged care services to older Australians and a change to further improve their quality of life and wellbeing."
SOURCE:
Media release, 27 Apr 2021
Shane Neaves, Peninsula Villages
Matt Downie, Bluewave Living