By Derek McMillan, Managing Director, Seniors Living Strategies
“We need a Royal Commission into aged care as the industry has been unable to convince the Commonwealth of the dire consequences of the twin evils of inadequate funding and supply constraints.
The Terms of Reference of the Royal Commission needs to focus on the true cost of care.
Inadequate funding paired with supply constraints prevents innovation from flourishing and inevitably leads to poorly qualified staff, insufficient staffing, poor care and a poor quality of life.
It needs to focus on the drivers of poor-quality care and the systems of oversight.
With the government limiting the supply of aged care beds and aged care packages, it creates an environment where consumers can’t punish poor providers.
The complexity of the system, Byzantine means-testing and co-contribution requirements, limited mobility in funding and supply constraints together give rise to consumers having too little power, too little choice and insufficient competitive tension in the marketplace.
The Royal Commission needs to reference both poorly-performing and innovative models of care.
Senior Australians deserve a system which is organised around them, that can support their care needs and not diminish their quality of life.”
Tomorrow we will publish Derek McMillan’s extended commentary as a Special Issue discussion paper. If you have a comment, please email us at editor@docomemonday.com.au.
