The Governor-General of Australia has signed off on new laws creating the office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care ahead of appointing the inaugural role.
The laws, which were passed in August 2023, will take effect on Monday (16 October) and the position is being advertised online.
The Inspector-General of Aged Care will lead the Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care, and was a recommendation of the Aged Care Royal Commission. The body is independent of the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Its functions include oversight of the Government’s administration, governance, and regulation of aged care, and it will have the power to conduct reviews of systemic issues, reporting its findings to the Minister and Parliament.
At the StewartBrown Financial Forum in Sydney on Tuesday Ian Yates the Interim Inspector-General of Aged Care, explained the role of the Inspector General is to “shine an independent light’ on the aged care sector and report direct to government.
The role has similar powers to the Auditor General and can request (demand) information from all parties in aged care. He explained the role is to identify both ‘systemic’ problems as well as positive innovations.
The Inspector-General will also monitor and report on the Government’s implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
In March 2023, he also told The SOURCE that a report on the Government’s implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations will be handed down later this year.
Meanwhile the first formal Inspector General is being recruited. Check out the job ad HERE.
The SOURCE: Who will fill this new role? Ian Yates’ shoes are big ones to fill.
