Powerful new reforms to ensure safe, quality aged care for older residents of Wide Bay

18 April 2018

Powerful new reforms to ensure safe, quality aged care for older residents of Wide Bay
Seniors in Wide Bay communities and their families will benefit from significant aged care quality reforms, announced by the Turnbull-McCormack Government. 
 
The reforms are in response to the recommendations of the independent Carnell-Paterson Review ordered by the Government after the shocking revelations within the Oakden facility in Adelaide last year.

Federal Member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien has welcomed the announcement and said the reforms will give the older residents of Wide Bay reassurance that anyone receiving aged care will be looked after properly.

“Wide Bay has an ageing population, more so than most areas in Australia, and the aged care sector is expanding accordingly,” Mr O’Brien said.

“I have met with and spoken to many of our aged care residents and representatives and their desire for reform in the sector has been made very clear to me.

“Under the reforms, aged care regulation, compliance and complaints handing will be brought together in a new and independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.  A new performance rating system will also be introduced and this will enable access to a comparison tool when selecting aged care providers.  

“It is crucial that our senior Australians, and their families, have clear and concise information when choosing care options, and this will be delivered under these reforms.”

Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, said the reforms would bring confidence to older Australians and their families in deciding on aged care options. 

“The new independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, will give the more than 1.3 million Australians in Commonwealth aged care support and their families, peace of mind that they will receive safe, quality care,” Minister Wyatt said.  

The new Commission will start from 1 January 2019 and will bring together the functions of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and the aged care regulatory functions of the Department of Health. 

The reforms will include development options, in consultation with the aged care sector, for a Serious Incident Response Scheme to ensure the right systems are in place to identify an incident and prevent it from occurring again. ENDS