Providers to benefit from latest ACAR

The residential aged care operator was granted 966 new aged care places following the federal government's 2014 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR).

The latest ACAR will see more than 11,196 new residential aged care places worth about $660 million delivered across Australia.

Opal Aged Care will now invest more than $250 million across 11 residential aged care homes in New South Wales and Queensland, creating over 1,000 jobs in the industry and as many jobs again in the construction industry.

Opal Aged Care managing director, Gary Barnier, says the team feels honoured to have been awarded these places by the federal government.

“We take seriously our commitment to deliver high quality residential aged care in these communities where the demand for specialist residential aged care is high,” Mr Barnier says.

“These new places add to Opal's existing pipeline and reflect a strategic intent to meet the needs of Australia's ageing population by developing new beds,” he says.

As part of the announcement new homes will be established and operated in Western Sydney at Blacktown, Wentworthville, Toongabbie, Cabramatta and Penrith and North Lakes and Kawana in Queensland.

Opal Aged Care chairman, Professor Peter Shergold, says the 966 new aged care places secured by Opal Aged Care will help to further strengthen the provider's position in the industry where it continues to play a substantial leadership role in the delivery of high quality care.

Opal Aged Care privately owns and operates 60 homes in four states providing specialist residential aged care for a range of needs including dementia and respite care.

Western Australian health and aged care services provider, Southern Cross Care (WA), also achieved a strong result in the ACAR allocations announced last week.

The combination of bed and home care allocations awarded to not for profit Southern Cross Care recognises the organisation’s demonstrated capability in delivery quality long term care outcomes for its clients.

Southern Cross Care general manager for services, Graydn Spinks, says the success achieved in the ACAR allocation rounds will enable Southern Cross Care to meet the rapidly growing demand for quality aged care services by creating new community orientated aged care hubs in the northern and southern corridors of Perth.

“It is encouraging that government is now recognising this demand through the significant number of allocations created in WA. I have no doubt that the industry is at a tipping point of a new era,” Mr Spinks says.

“Our exciting new aged care residential developments will offer seamless integration between health and aged services in one location, which is now an environment in demand by the elderly,” he says.

“I believe the long term care and health outcomes of our customers’ have always been at the heart of our offer. We also have an immediate need for delivery of more home care services in our community, and the allocation of additional packages supports our philosophy of helping the elderly stay in their own home for as long as possible.”

Southern Cross delivers health and aged care services to more than 2,500 people across Western Australia. Southern Cross Care received 282 allocations across residential and home care services.