IRT hosts Productivity Commission forum

Aged care provider, IRT, hosted a forum which covered the complexity of aged care, the viability of the sector and the needs of seniors accessing care.

Productivity Commission Presiding Commission, Mike Woods, Assistant Commission, Sue Macri, and their staff visited IRT sites before gaining insight from forum attendees.

IRT chief executive officer (CEO), Nieves Murray, said the forum included representatives from peak body groups, profit and not-for-profit organisations, researchers, the health insurance industry and IRT residents.

Ms Murray facilitated the discussions with the assistance of panel speakers: Warrigal Care CEO Mark Sewell, ACSA National program manager & deputy CEO, Pat Sparrow, Manchester Unity (part of the HCF Group) head of retirement and aged care, Matthew Johnson, and IRT area manager – Eurobodalla, Helen Spence.

“The commission staff were obviously very aware of the challenges facing the sector, asking questions to various audience members on solutions or comments on the suggestions,” Ms Murray said.

Suggestions included:

• separating care and accommodation funding
• simplifying the entry points to the aged care system
• ensuring needs assessments build on the seniors’ existing wellbeing information
• having an inter-government, bipartisan approach to reforms to address fragmentation, duplication and demarcation of services and ensure the longevity of the sector.

Mr Sewell said he was delighted to join the panel discussions as the commission staff considered opinions from the sector about how to address the needs of older Australians.

“I’m very concerned about the stressors on non-profit providers in particular, as they seek to provide high quality services in an environment where Government funding does not meet the real costs of care and Government regulation is continually increasing,” Mr Sewell said.

“Providers of services to older people are caught in the sandwich between the Government and consumers.”

Mr Johnson agreed, adding the industry was on the verge of crisis in many areas, as indicated by the 25% of providers reporting they are trailing financially.

“In any other sector when this happens it is a crisis. We’re in a position where we can use other sources of income to support our aged care sector but not everyone can do that,” he said.

“I was encouraged by the Commission’s approach to the reform process, particularly their understanding of the sector and their approach to solutions which focus on care for the older person, not just the system.”

Ms Murray said IRT was keen for the result of the inquiry to make aged care: simple for seniors, straightforward for providers, efficient for Government and a thriving and effective sector.

“We’ve provided the commission with our submission and now we’re offering to do some more in-depth modelling in order for the reforms to have greater evidence-based support,” she said.

Ms Murray encouraged other providers, seniors and those interested in aged care to write a submission or present their own ideas to the Productivity Commission.

“We hope the outcome of the inquiry is a framework that empowers older people; that supports independence rather than dependence and funds a collaborative approach to supporting seniors in our community,” she said.