Federal Government slammed on aged care
The Shadow Minister for Ageing, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, has slammed the federal government with claims that they have taken money away from aged care to pay for an ailing hospital system.
The federal government has raided the aged care piggy bank, taking much-needed funds away from nursing home beds so that older people can stay in hospital for longer, the Shadow Minister for Ageing, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said.
The Senator’s scathing remarks, made before parliament last week, highlighted a ‘buried’ budget move which had received little attention up until now.
As detailed in the budget, the government plans to redirect funding of $276.4 million over three years from high care residential aged care places to the state and territory governments to provide similar levels of care for Long Stay Older Places (LSOP) in public hospitals.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells slammed the government, saying its explanation of the LSOP scheme was nothing but spin.
The government “are going to go out and con the most frail and vulnerable people of this country. That is how they are going to mislead and that is where they are going to go and raid moneys from to pay for their reckless spending.”
Aged care associations got a mention from the Senator in parliament as well, as she referred to budget media statements from Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Anglicare, Aged and Community Care Victoria, Alzheimer’s Australia and others.
ACSA chief executive, Greg Mundy, clarified that comments made upon the release of the budget were not made in relation to LSOP funding.
“Our response to the budget did not comment on the transfer of money from one place to another as we did not pick it up until the day after,” Mr Mundy said.
Mr Mundy said that although details about Rudd’s LSOP plan were not given a lot of prominence in the days following the budget’s release, he does not believe that the details were hidden or purposely “buried”.
“It was not that obvious but it wasn’t secret as it was [made public] in the budget papers.”
“The thing about using aged care money to pay for long stays in hospitals is that it’s part of the overall health reform and not a stand alone measure.
“I saw it as part consistent with the [federal government’s] overall strategy to eliminate cost-shifting incentives. If it was a long-term decision it would be worthy of a decent discussion but from what we hear parts of it are temporary and small.”
He said that ACSA will work with the government to find out more details “rather than throw our arms up”.
Alzheimer’s Australia chief executive, Glenn Rees, confirmed that their budget comments did not include comments made about LSOP funding.
“We haven’t put any public comment out about it and we are still trying to work through where we are at,” Mr Rees said.
He said that he supports funding for more doctors, nurses and beds. “We welcome [the move] and think it’s important.”
Mr Rees said that what the budget did not address however, is whether 2005 funding worth $320.6 million, allocated for dementia prevention treatment and care will still continue.
