Council of the Ageing releases plan to improve aged care sector

AGED care homes would face unannounced quality inspections at least once a year, under a plan being spruiked by the country’s biggest lobby group for older Australians.

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AGED-care homes would face random quality inspections at least once a year, under a plan by the country’s largest lobby group for older Australians.

As the Federal Government prepares the terms of reference for a Royal Commission into the aged-care sector, prompted in part by the Oakden scandal, the Council of the Ageing has released a five-point plan of how to improve the sector.

COTA chief executive Ian Yates said the Federal Government must take urgent action in tandem with the Royal Commission.

This included making:

UNANNOUNCED quality inspections of aged-care providers at least once a year and extra targeted inspections for at-risk providers.

FUNDING available for an extra 30,000 high-level Home Care Packages so waiting times are reduced to less than three months for care.

CONSUMERS put at the forefront of residential aged- care places by passing legislation before March next year.

SERVICE staffing levels, price and performance publication made compulsory by mid-2019.

CAPACITY of the aged- care workforce boosted through additional funding

Mr Yates said: “Without this fundamental change there is absolutely no incentive for residential aged-care providers to deliver care beyond the minimum requirements. These five priority actions are needed now to provide the quality care more than 1.3 million older Australians urgently need and are entitled to.”

Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt this week revealed that at least 3000 submissions regarding the terms of reference for the Royal Commission had been received.