WA hospitals under more pressure in the future

Without significant federal reform to the aged care system, West Australian hospitals may become the aged care service of the future.

Aged Care Association Australia West Australia, chief executive officer, Anne-Marie Archer, said the industry’s warnings about lack of future services being developed to care for an ageing population have fallen on deaf ears.

Ms Archer said something has to give; the demand for services is increasing and the number of new facilities being built is diminishing at an equally rapid pace.

“Elderly West Australians will need aged care and without the number of new services being built, the ageing population will be forced to turn to the already congested state hospital system, leaving even fewer beds available for the wider community,” said Ms Archer.

The Federal Government has forecast an allocation for WA of 4,299 beds to be taken up in the next two rounds (2009-10 round has 1,776 beds and the 2010-11 round has 2,523 beds).

“To be honest, we have no idea who will put their hand up to meet those targets as the last two rounds have already been grossly undersubscribed,” Ms Archer said.

“It costs over $1000 a day to care for an elderly person in a hospital, but the Commonwealth funded aged care system receives less than $120 a day to deliver the same service.

“The disparity is obvious and many are struggling to make ends meet, but the Department of Health and Ageing witnesses before the recent Residential and Community Aged Care in Australia Senate Review did not agree and in fact argued the profitability of the industry”.

“In the face of over 100 submissions from the aged care industry that reinforced the pending crisis; the Department is steadfast that there is no crisis in aged care”.

“Aged care providers have put forward their case from every corner of the country and sadly it seems that their message has fallen on deaf ears when it comes to the Department.

“The aged care industry will simply not continue to develop services needed in the future and this will ultimately impact on all West Australians either directly or indirectly,” Ms Archer continued.

“The recent Senate Report resulted in 31 recommendations being agreed upon; most of which will need to be acted upon by the same Department that does not think there is a crisis in aged care – yet we can only remain hopeful that they will act upon the recommendations with the urgency required”.

“Claims of record funding do not translate into a sustainable aged care system or develop new services. Consumer choices will wane and the state health system will be left holding the bag!” she concluded.