The aged care system needs to undergo radical changes according to a report into the nation’s future health needs which was commissioned by the Commonwealth Government.
The interim report from the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC) said the current model is unsustainable, too complicated and does not offer enough flexibility.
“Aged care services will need to be structured in ways that are more responsive to the needs of older people and their families,” said the commission’s chair, Dr Christine Barrett.
“We need to expand choice for both care and accommodation in aged care.”
In a controversial and potentially embarrassing move for the Rudd Government, the NHHRC report recommended that “consideration be given” to high care bonds.
The government has repeatedly stated that it will not introduce high care bonds.
But the CEO of Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Martin Laverty said the commission’s findings are compelling.
“The most important component of this report is that the commission says we need to consider bonds in high care,” he said.
“With the government’s own expert advisors saying that, this really is evidence that cannot be ignored.”
The interim report suggested that the aged care approvals round (ACAR) process be done away with, calling for a removal of all restrictions on the number of aged care places in a given region.
Instead, the Commonwealth would place a cap on the number of Aged Care Assessment Team approvals in each region.
At the same time, it recommended that the planning ratios be based on the population aged 85 and over, rather than the current measure of people aged 70 and over.
“Putting the two changes together would change the limit on provision of aged care subsidies from places per 1000 people aged 70 or over, to care recipients per 1000 people aged 85 or over,” the report said.
But the CEO of Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) has questioned the radical change in the population base for the targets.
“I think you would need to be very careful about doing that,” he said. “It would dramatically change the planning process when we move away from the 20-year old 70-based rule.”
“The average age of admission is currently around 80 or 81 and the average age of residents is about 83. There are still a fair number of people in their mid-70s living in aged care.”
“Who are we planning to admit in the future?”
The other major reform recommended by the commission is a plan to give the Commonwealth complete control over aged care in a bid to “streamline” the system.
The interim report said this would result in a more consistent assessment process.
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) cautiously welcomed the report, saying there was an urgent need for further discussion about the fundamental structure of aged care.
“We will study the report in detail and provide comment on the specific recommendations applying to aged and community care,” said the association’s CEO, Greg Mundy.
“There are some positive ideas for change in the report but we will need to explore their implications.”
“Opening up these key questions is a good start, now let’s make sure that the devil is not in the detail,” said Mr Mundy.
