industry & reform
The system is broken
Time for proper , hard reform in aged care .
By Ged Kearney
The Aged Care Royal Commission has handed its final report to the government . And fellow nurses , haven ’ t we been waiting for this for a long time .
For decades , we ’ ve been raising our voices , telling anyone who would listen that the aged care system is broken . I want to acknowledge the work of the Royal Commission and all who provided evidence , including the many wonderful , wonderful nurses .
While the Prime Minister could have simply acted on evidence that he ’ s had sitting on his desk for seven years – evidence of inadequate care , profiteering providers , neglect and negligence in aged care homes – the Royal Commission has enabled older people , their families and its workforce to tell their stories . It was harrowing and fundamentally awful to hear how badly the system has failed our elderly , their families and the aged care workforce .
No one should suffer the indignity that many of our elderly have suffered .
Whilst most aged care facilities are providing excellent care , the Royal Commission detailed shocking failures in many others . It outlined the structural weaknesses in the system and , to quote the Commission itself :
“ The aged care system fails to meet the needs of its older , vulnerable , citizens .
It does not deliver uniformly safe and quality care , is unkind and uncaring towards older people and , in too many instances , it neglects them .”
This is a system where people banned from the poultry industry after starving chickens were given an aged care licence .
It ’ s a system in which nurses and carers find themselves with impossible workloads – literally run off their feet . Where attending to a resident who has fallen may mean others aren ’ t fed .
The Commission says that the aged care workforce is underpaid and undervalued . Ain ’ t that the truth ? So before the politics of the recommendations of the Royal Commission begin , I want to say to those of you who work in aged care , a very sincere thank you . Thank you for everything . For hanging in there and for speaking up . I know how hard it is to care and advocate for people – especially at the end of their life .
You do your absolute best to provide your residents with dignity and respect , but I know over time it ’ s been getting harder and harder to give them the time and the care you want to give them , and that they deserve .
You have been screaming out for reform and resources – so you can do the very best job for your residents and indeed their families . But your calls have
“ Nurses are
respected , loved and believed . Your voices are powerful beyond belief .
been completely ignored by the Liberal Government .
What the Royal Commission has shown us is that it doesn ’ t have to be this way . Now the report has been handed down , the Morrison Government has a blueprint for how to actually fix aged care – once and for all .
And we cannot let the opportunity slip by us . We must continue to push the government to act . And to act properly – not just be there for a photo opportunity and then no delivery . We need proper , hard reform . Reform I ’ d argue only the Labor party is capable of delivering – but in this instance , I hope I ’ m wrong . The Labor party knows how crucial this is . Labor ’ s leader
Anthony Albanese has pledged to stand up and fight for the workforce , for quality care and for a system we can be proud of .
So raise your voice , write to your MP and demand the government act on the recommendations in the Royal Commission . Nurses are respected , loved and believed . Your voices are powerful beyond belief – please raise them .
This article was originally published prior to the release of the final report . ■
Ged Kearney is the Shadow Assistant Minister Health and Ageing and a Registered Nurse . agedcareinsite . com . au 15