Transition potential

The Federal Government has restated its pre-election commitment to help move older Australians occupying hospital beds into appropriate care.

Over three years, it will provide $158 million to state and territory governments to provide up to 2000 transition care places.

The Commonwealth Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot says this will free up valuable hospital beds for those needing urgent treatment.

“This is about making sure that older Australian get appropriate aged care and making sure that hospital beds are available to Australians of all ages waiting for treatment,” she said.

“It costs almost 11 times as much to provide a hospital bed than it does provide an aged care place.”

Aged Care Association Australia’s CEO, Rod Young says that if the Government is serious about addressing the bed shortage in the acute sector, there is a “simple solution waiting in the wings”.

“The residential aged care industry currently has approximately 8000 residential care beds sitting vacant,” he said in a statement.
 
“This has been the case for some time and appears to be a long term issue that is a ready-made solution to the demand on acute sector beds.”

“Many residential service providers are in financial difficulties because of the vacancies they are experiencing and would warmly welcome the opportunity to negotiate with acute sector hospitals to provide transition care, recuperation, rehabilitation and step down services as soon as such contracts can be arranged,” he said.

Mr Young called on the Government to commence negotiations with residential aged care providers as soon as possible to ensure maximum use is made of these vacancies.