The continued failure of the Australian Government to respond to its own Aged Care Taskforce recommendations, publicly released in March, has reached the point it could threaten the very passage of the reforms, forcing the closure of aged care homes and further jeopardising the building of desperately-needed new beds.
Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) CEO Tom Symondson, a member of the Taskforce, told The Weekly SOURCE time is running out.
"If it's not sorted very quickly, and introduced first up in the next sitting, the parliamentary runway starts to get very short.
"This does have to be done, and with bipartisan support, because if we don't get that the risk of it not getting through at all is massively increased.
“The consequences of delaying the legislation beyond the next election is that more residential care and home care providers go to the wall, and a lack of confidence to invest in new stock and businesses."
"We're building a fraction of the beds we need each year because the investment climate is not there.“
"Unambiguous funding direction" needed: StewartBrown
Aged care accountants StewartBrown, where Senior Partner Grant Corderoy was a member of the Taskforce, released its Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Sector Report on Monday. The report said Government delays in responding to the Taskforce recommendations are threatening the sustainability of the sector - an issue the Taskforce was established by former by Aged Care Minister Anika Wells to address.
"The sector has suffered financially and operationally for a number of years due to the uncertainty of regulation, compliance and funding which has significantly affected the future financial sustainability.
"It is critical that a clear and unambiguous funding direction is announced as soon as possible to allow providers to advance their strategic direction and encourage much needed investment in the sector."
Compounding pressures
Bolton Clarke Group CEO Stephen Muggleton told The SOURCE the ongoing delays are compounding a multitude of pressures already facing aged care providers.
“The response to the Government’s own Taskforce on aged care funding reform has been delayed for months and is now being linked to the new Aged Care Act, which hasn’t yet been introduced to parliament,” he said.
“At the same time, the government is demanding agility from the sector with AN-ACC indexation for 2024-25 likely to be released in August for implementation in October.
"Meanwhile, key details of the redesigned home care program due to commence on 1 July 2025 are missing.
“The Fair Work Commission is also still considering further pay rises for enrolled nurses, registered nurses or nurse practitioners, which are not covered in the most recent decision.
“Our older population is growing and deserves high quality care and support.
"The government has made a positive start but it’s now time to finish the job and lay a solid foundation that will equip us to respond to that need.”
The sector has to speak out as its very future is under threat.
