Aged care royal commission calls for public submissions

The Royal Commission into aged care has thrown open the doors to public submissions on the day before Christmas.

The Royal Commission into aged care will accept submissions until at least mid-2019.

The Royal Commission into aged care has thrown open the doors to public submissions on the day before Christmas, setting the scene for an intense workload in the new year.

The commission, announced by Scott Morrison less than two weeks after he became Prime Minister, has already written to major aged care providers across the country requesting a detailed log of all incidents of substandard care over the past five years.

Now members of the public will be able to have their say.

There were more than 5000 submissions alone regarding the terms of reference for the commission.

“The Commission will accept submissions until at least the middle of 2019. A date for the closing of submissions will be announced in the second half of next year,” it said in a statement released after lunch today.

“The Royal Commission will hold its preliminary hearing in Adelaide at 10am on Friday, 18 January with hearings commencing in February in Adelaide.”

The commissioners Joseph McGrath and Lynelle Briggs had planned on holding that first hearing this month but that has been delayed.

In their letter to providers late last month, the commissioners asked each aged care service — meaning, each nursing home — to answer questions starting with: “Since 1 July 2013, have there been any occasions when your service or outlet has provided substandard care, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse?”

Providers have then been asked to provide a summary table of all incidents broken down by category of mistreatment or care. These categories cover standard care issues but, in an indication of the scope of the commission, providers must also note whether the abuse or poor care covered issues of “dignity”, “loneliness, disengagement, disconnection, boredom” and choice and control.

Members of the public will be able to make a submission here, by calling 1800 960 711 or by post.