Aged Care Insite Australia's number one aged care news source
As the government lands two major aged care bills, experts warn the sector's true reform will come down to the actions of the providers.
"The mere fact that things look good on paper, does not necessarily reflect the actual experience of the consumers in residential aged care or consumers in community care," says Dr Alan Hough from La Trobe University.
He says the new legislation is the government's reminder to providers that they are responsible for assuring quality care, not the regulator.
"It's really clear that good intentions are no longer good enough," Hough says.
Aged Care Insite spoke with Hough about how the new regulations, such as the code of conduct and star rating system, will affect providers and the services they provide.
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How about these Academics earning their secure salary actually study the residential aged care funding system to see that government regulation controlled by the Aged Care Act 1997 limits charges that providers can legally charge consumers which limits the quantum and quality of services. Since 2014 award wages have risen by about 26% and aged care subsidies have risen by just 10% , payroll tax subsidies have been removed ( 5%). If GP’s and Specialists want to increase consumer charges they can , its not reliant on increases in Federal Govt controlled medicare rebate.
What about the liberal government? They cut funding in 2015 by about $40 per day per residents and despite 30 independent reports and a royal commission they did nothing!
In a couple of months the Labor government has done much to turn around the abuse and neglect of the liberal government.
The government of the day should be held to account. They should be pursued by a class action lawsuit for the deliberate and callous attack on the residential sector and compensation should be paid to facilities for the financial losses and hardships suffered.
This was put to our representative associations but they refused to put the notion to the membership for consideration. What was their alternative solution… absolutely nothing but sit and wait.