Senate Call for delay in Aged Care Security bill

The Senate Community Affairs Committee has released its report on the Aged Care Amendment (Security and Protection) Bill 2007. The Committee has recommended the deferral of the implementation date by at least one month to allow care providers time to advise staff of the additional requirements the bill will places on facilities.

The Committee has supported the key elements of this legislation:

• a regime of compulsory reporting – to police and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing – of physical and sexual assaults in aged care facilities;
• compulsory recording of aged care assaults; and
• greater protections for approved providers and staff who report assaults of people in aged care.

The Committee has, however, recommended the deferral of the implementation date by at least one month to allow care providers time to advise staff of the additional requirements the bill places on staff.

“The Committee conceded that the concerns of some in the aged care industry that a compulsory reporting regime may be overly-burdensome. However it believed that careful monitoring and adjustment of this new regime – a major departure from the previous one – is required during the early phase of implementation.

“The Committee also recommended that whistleblower protection be accorded to families of residents and aged care advocates who draw attention to allegations of abuse in aged care facilities.