IRT Group, based in Wollongong, 85km south of Sydney’s CBD, is the latest to consolidate the sector by taking over another charity aged care provider.

IRT Group CEO Patrick Reid (pictured) said yesterday that Marco Polo Aged Care Services, which is based in nearby Unanderra, had agreed to a takeover by 1 July. Marco Polo Aged Care Services has been operating since 1983.

Marco Polo Aged Care Services has 334 residential aged care places across facilities in Unanderra (166 beds including a 13-bed Dementia Specific Unit) and the newer Woonona (168 beds, including a 13-bed Dementia Specific Unit) in addition to Home Care Packages.

Marco Polo chair Robert Collareda said his board had chosen IRT after an extensive process to look at how to best ensure the organisation’s homes would continue to operate.

“We have selected IRT as it shares our values and our commitment to quality care. IRT is a secular, Not for Profit organisation based in Wollongong, which has more than 50 years’ experience providing person-centred care to older Australians.”

IRT Group, which bought MHNS in July 2018, can now add to its 19 RACs in NSW, ACT and QLD. It also operates a co-located retirement village in Meridan Plains, 8km west northwest of Caloundra on QLD’s Sunshine Coast.