The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released an interim report on 31 October 2019, providing insight into what the Commission has learnt from 13 hearings held across the country and over 6800 submissions since January 2019.
The Commissioners identified three areas where immediate action can be taken to:
- provide more Home Care Packages to reduce the waiting list for higher level care at home
- respond to the significant over-reliance on chemical restraint in aged care
- stop the flow of younger people with a disability going into aged care.
The report also identifies systemic problems in aged care with a system that;
- is designed around transactions, not relationships or care,
- minimises the voices of people receiving care and their loved ones,
- is hard to navigate and does not provide information people need to make informed choices about their care,
- relies on a regulatory model that does not provide transparency or an incentive to improve, and;
- has a workforce that is under pressure and under-appreciated and that lacks key skills.
Despite the identified failures, the Commissioners also heard many examples of providers who deliver innovative and effective models of care and examples of individual staff members dedicating themselves to providing exemplary and compassionate care, despite the challenges of the system and their environment.
The interim report can be read here: https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/Pages/interim-report.aspx. The final report is due by 12 November 2020.
ACH Group strongly supports the work of the Royal Commission because it:
- is committed to continual improvement and transparency
- values its passionate and dedicated workforce and recognises the great service they provide with empathy and professionalism
- wants the aged care sector to be strengthened through industry-wide improvements so all older Australians have access to affordable, quality care and services that meet their changing needs as they age.
As part of ACH Group’s commitment to excellence, feedback on our services and the care provided to residents and customers is always welcomed via www.achgroup.org.au/contact/feedback or by calling 1300 22 44 77.