Aged care services should be a key priority area for the federal government ahead of next week’s budget, according to a leading NSW charitable organisation.

Anglicare Sydney urged the government to remember its commitment to social inclusion as it delivers the national spending plan for the next 12 months.

The group is calling for a new funding base for residential aged care with stronger indexation to match the real cost of care.

“Providing residential aged care is unsustainable under current formulas used by the Federal Government,” said the organisation’s CEO, Peter Kell.

“Private operators are pulling out of the industry and not-for-profit operators like Anglicare Sydney are battling to remain viable. This has a direct impact on quality of care and the recruitment, remuneration and retention of trained staff.

“By delaying appropriate funding of this sector, governments have been leaning on the philosophical commitment of well-run altruistic organisations and their nursing staff.”

Anglicare Sydney recommends that the government create a single community care program by merging the existing Home and Community Care (HACC), Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs) and Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) programs.

It says the new program could be accessed via a central referral pathway.

The group is also asking the government to support programs and scholarships to attract more nurses to the aged care sector.

Anglicare Sydney operates six residential aged care facilities and a range of community care programs in Sydney and on the NSW south coast.