The former Deputy Chief Executive and acting Chief Executive of the Northern Territory Department of Health, Ms Anderson will oversee the establishment of the new independent Commission as it increases the compliance monitoring of facilities from 1 January 2019.
The Commission, which brings together the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA), Aged Care Complaints Commissioner and the aged care regulatory functions of the Department of Health, will have a budget of almost $300 million over four years according to Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt.
$48.2 million will specifically go towards expanding, continuing unannounced inspections, better identifying sub-standard care and developing options for a Serious Incident Response Scheme.
“Senior Australians and their families will know who to contact when they need help with a complaint, a concern or when something goes wrong,” Minister Wyatt said.
“They will know that the aged care system is safe and will support their choices, rather than make choices for them.”
Ms Anderson has the right experience. From 2012 to 2015, she was First Assistant Secretary, Health Services, at the Department of Health, and before then a director in the New South Wales Department of Health.
Interestingly in her previous role, the new Commissioner worked with the NT government to implement recommendations from the Royal Commission into the detention of children in the territory.
A pre-emptive move ahead of the Aged Care Royal Commission then?
