The Acting Inspector-General of Aged Care (AIGAC) Ian Yates AM has issued a Statement highlighting the Aged Care Taskforce's omission of any details about a "needs-based framework" for aged care services in its Final Report.
The Statement outlines the parallels between the Aged Care Taskforce's Final Report and the AIGAC's Progress Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which was prepared at the request of the Aged Care Minister Anika Wells to help the Taskforce in its deliberations.
The parallels between the Taskforce's Final Report and the AIGAC's Progress Report extend from older people making co-contributions towards the cost of their aged care, ensuring a strong safety net for people with low means, and the phasing out of RADs, among other measures.
However, the AIGAC's Statement, issued on Monday, says, "There is... one recommendation of the Royal Commission, to which the Progress Report drew particular attention... that has not been addressed by a Taskforce recommendation" - namely to move from a rationed aged care service to one where planning is based on need.
Traditionally, residential and home care services have been rationed through a bed-to-regional population ratio and a capped supply of HCPs and CHSP services.
With bed licences set to be abolished by the end of 2024, Ian noted that policy settings for needs-based supply have not been finalised.
In home care, waiting lists for HCPs are also growing longer.
"The Taskforce Report did not make any findings or conclusions regarding rationing versus needs-based or make any recommendations or target any of the funding principles towards needs-based planning," the AIGAC's Statement says.
To emphasise its point, a media release announcing the statement said, "The Acting Inspector-General does not commonly issue statements."
