|
Government Doesn’t Recognise Aged Care Funding Crisis |
|
UnitingCare Media Release
26 June 2009
The Australian Government, through the Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot, has
demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding of the challenges facing Australia as a
result of long term neglect of capital financing of residential aged care.
Uniting Aged Care Victoria.Tasmania notified the community today of its reluctant decision
to close two residential care facilities, because of a lack of access to capital to finance the
necessary renewal and upgrading of facilities.
National Director of UnitingCare Australia, Lin Hatfield Dodds, said today: “These two
facilities are closing in Victoria because the current funding arrangements for high care
residential facilities do not include adequate support for renewal or up-grading of buildings.
On top of this, current policy settings prohibit older people from contributing adequate
amounts in flexible ways towards the true cost of building and upgrading the high care
facilities they need at a very vulnerable time in their lives.
“This issue is not confined to Victoria and Tasmania. Across Australia beds are being
closed, bed licenses are being handed back and less organisations are applying for new
beds. This year alone BlueCare in Queensland has handed back 200 high care bed
licences.
“The Minister doesn’t see that this closure and handing back of beds is further evidence
that the aged care system is in crisis. A crisis recognised by the Grant Thornton survey,
other industry studies, the Productivity Commission, the National Health and Hospital
Reform Commission and most recently by the Senate Inquiry into Residential and
Community Aged Care in Australia. We can only assume the Minister is wrongly advised
on this matter.
“UnitingCare has a long and proud history of working in partnership with communities and
governments across Australia. We are committed to being there with older people and
their families when they need support or access to services. In some communities in
remote and regional Australia, we are the only organisation that is providing residential
care services. The Government has often asked UnitingCare agencies to take on services
that are at risk of closing because we are recognised for our high quality services and
commitment to service continuity.
“It is disappointing that a government so committed to a fair go, presented with all of the
evidence doesn’t want to acknowledge the fragile state of aged care services across
Australia. I call on the Minister to engage with the industry on these serious funding
issues” Ms Hatfield Dodds concluded.
***************************
You can download the pdf version of the media release here.
|
