Call for more funding in the budget for Aged Care Roadmap

While not official policy, the Aged Care Roadmap is an outline of what is required to achieve a consumer driven, market based, sustainable aged care system. It was developed cooperatively between officials and aged care stakeholders, through the Aged Care Sector Committee, as a result of recommendations by the Productivity Commission's 2011 Inquiry Report Caring for Older Australians.

However, as Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) spokesperson Beth Cameron points out, without funding stability, the actions required to transform our industry will be in jeopardy. “Things like workforce training, enhanced dementia care and continuous improvement to achieve quality service provision require funding,” she says. “Government assistance in these areas is especially necessary for not-for-profit providers and those in rural areas who incur significantly higher costs in most areas of operation.”

Aged Care Guild Chief Executive Mr Cameron O’Reilly says it is the Guild’s view that the Roadmap needs to be accompanied by a funding strategy to underpin the supply of new places where consumer demand rather than government licences dictate supply.

He highlights the Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA) estimates an additional 76,000 residential care places need to be completed by 2023-24, and the Guild believes Federal Governments of either persuasion need to ensure confidence is high amongst private investors, many of which will have to deliver the infrastructure.

In addition, according to Alzheimer’s Australia, spending on dementia is set to outstrip that of any other health condition. It is projected to be $83 billion (in 2006-07 dollars), and will represent around 11% of health and residential aged care sector spending.

LASA believes the cost-savings to the health system that age service providers generate by keeping older Australians out of hospital must be recognised and put back into our industry to insure its sustainability. It is calling on the Treasure and Minister for Aged Care to ensure the Federal Budget provides funding stability for age service providers as proof this Government is truly committed to the Aged Care Roadmap.

The Roadmap nine key features are:

• Empowering and encouraging consumers, their families and carers to be proactive in preparing for their future care needs
• Ensuring an independent and free government operated assessment which allows for eligibility, care needs, means and maximum funding levels
• All consumers can access the care and support they need regardless of culture or linguistic background, sexuality, life circumstance, location or support requirements
• Ensure the community is dementia aware and dementia care is integrated as core business throughout the aged care system.
• Delivering aged care and support on a consumer need and choice with access based on an assessed need.
• Registering providers on their scope of practice on a single provider registration scheme that recognises organisations registered or accredited in similar systems 
• Sustainable aged care sector financing where the market determines the price and the government acts as a ‘safety net’ contributing when there is insufficient market response.
• Creating a well-trained workforce that is adept at adjusting care to meet the needs of older Australians.
• An agile and proportionate regulatory framework to give consumer protection and providers the freedom to be innovative.