70% of providers concerned about pace of Aged Care Act rollout

A survey conducted by an Australian aged care peak body has revealed that seven in 10 providers are concerned with the speed at which Labor's sector reforms are being rolled out, with 80 per cent saying they are worried the new Aged Care Act will put even greater pressure on an already strained industry.

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association’s (ACCPA) State of the Sector Survey sought the opinions of almost 200 organisations, focussing on the attitudes of providers about aged care in Australia.

ACCPA chief Tom Symondson said it is important to hear from the workforce amidst an onslaught of changes.

“This is a report about our sector at a critical juncture in its transformation journey, based on feedback from those that deliver care to older Australians every day. It provides evidence-based insights about what’s happening on the ground. It is honest, and it is earnest,” Mr Symondson said.

“It comes amidst a backdrop of financial, workforce and reform challenges – all of significant magnitude. The demand for aged care is also growing, highlighting the urgent need to create a system that delivers high quality care now and into the future.”

The $5.6 billion reforms, announced on September 12, were heralded by the Prime Minister as "once in a generation," and will be implemented at a blistering pace. The Albanese government has said they aim to have the new Aged Care Act in force by mid-July next year. However, ACCPA's survey reveals that only 51 percent of the aged care workforce believe the sector is on the right track.

“Providers fully support well-designed reform, but that reform must be at a manageable pace and not exacerbate already existing problems,” Mr Symondson said.

“Providers are feeling the brunt of worker shortages, with just 36 per cent confident they would be able to recruit enough staff to meet their increased care minutes. Current migration settings aren’t the answer, with 64 per cent unable to access the workers required under current arrangements.”

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The new means-tested funding measures outlined in the Act have been designed to improve the overall fairness and long-term sustainability of the sector.

“Australia’s population is ageing and we need to be ready," Mr Symondson said.

"It’s critical that funding is sufficient to deliver care and to attract investment so we can build for the future.”

The aged care workforce is not alone in it's monetary anxieties. In a submission to Parliament earlier this month, accounting peak bodies Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, CPA Australia and the Institute of Public Accountants, jointly expressed their concerns with the new funding arrangements, calling them too complex and difficult to understand.

"We recognise the urgent need for reforms to take place as soon as practicable in the aged
care sector. However, it is crucial to have clear guidance regarding funding arrangements to
ensure that these significant reforms run smoothly when they commence," the joint statement said.

"We are of the view that, based on the structure of Chapter 4 [of the Bill] and on the departments case
studies, the proposed funding arrangements remain too complex and do not appear to have
been designed to work harmoniously with other government policy areas."

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