CCOA welcomes Roxon’s aged care comments

The federal health minister says aged care needs innovative new models.

The Campaign for the Care of Older Australians (CCOA) has welcomed comments from the federal health and ageing minister about the need for aged care reform.

Nicola Roxon told ABC1’s Insiders program aged care formed a critical part of the Rudd Government’s broad health plans.

Ms Roxon said there was a need for new, innovative models in aged care.

“If we don’t reform the financing and governing arrangements of our health system we’ll never actually invest in those other innovative models because you’ll have the states with the hospitals and us with aged care and never the twain shall meet,” she said. “We just can’t afford to keep doing that.”

The group said Ms Roxon’s comments were the strongest indication of the government’s position on aged care.

“The minister’s acknowledgment that more needs to be done to support and assist older, frail members of our community, must be acted upon without delay,” said a CCOA statement.

The coalition also called on the government to release the terms of the Productivity Commission inquiry which the Prime Minister promised eight months ago.

“We are ready to work with the government and again call for the terms of reference for the Productivity Commission inquiry to be announced, to enable planning for the long term future of aged care,” the group said.

The coalition behind the campaign includes Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA), Catholic Health Australia (CHA) and eight other church and charitable aged care organisations.

Tags: aged-care, campaign-for-care-of-older-australians, election, nicola-roxon,

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