Dissatisfaction with aged care
A recent survey has identified widespread dissatisfaction with the service provided by residential aged care facilities, with just 54% happy with the standard of service. About 64% also claimed they would be willing to pay more tax if it meant the elderly could stay at home for longer and receive the care they needed.
A recent survey has identified widespread dissatisfaction with the service provided by residential aged care facilities, with just 54% happy with the standard of service.
About 64% also claimed they would be willing to pay more tax if it meant the elderly could stay at home for longer and receive the care they needed.
There was overwhelming support (92%) for the proposition that people should contribute, alongside government, to the cost of aged care, based on their financial means.
The Menzies-Nous Australian Health Survey report also revealed dissatisfaction with the health care system in general.
While 37% of people believed that, on the whole, the health system worked “pretty well”, 63% were still not happy with it.
The results, according to Australian Medical Association president, Dr Steve Hambleton, showed, although improvements had been made in recent years, there was still much further to go.
“Sixty-three per cent of people aren’t happy. That’s a lot of people,” Dr Hambleton said.
He claimed the health care system was built for “financially stressed” people and if they were not happy, it was a good indication there was a problem.
The biennial survey provided a snapshot of Australians’ perceptions about their health, and their attitudes toward the health care system.
Overall, 86% of those surveyed considered their health to be good, and expressed confidence that they would receive quality and safe medical care, effective medication and the best technology if they fell seriously ill.
However, those under the greatest financial stress were much less satisfied with health care, with 15% claiming the system needed to be rebuilt, compared with 8% of those Australians not financially stressed.
Half of the 1,200 people surveyed said more doctors, nurses and allied health professionals were needed, though 70% indicated they were able to make same-day or next-day appointments to see a doctor.
Additionally, satisfaction with the service provided by GPs and other practitioners was high, with 78% reporting they were satisfied after visiting their GP and 79% were satisfied after visiting a specialist.
