Only the beginning
Budget investment into aged care is just the start .
By Greg O ’ Loan
The Morrison Government committed $ 17.7 billion over five years ($ 3.45 billion per year ) to repair the aged care industry as part of the 2021 Budget . This billion dollar investment into the sector is only the beginning , and now the real fight begins to see how the troubled sector lifts its standards after the royal commission found it was failing residents and their families .
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety final report revealed over 148 recommendations were needed to improve the aged care sector , highlighting glaring holes that require immediate action . Out of the 148 recommendations , the government accepted , or accepted in principle , 126 of them , including commitments to improving quality standards and regulation , and providing better access to primary care . In mathematical terms , the Government accepted accountability for over 85 per cent of the report ’ s findings .
While the Government acknowledged the bulk of those recommendations , Australia won ’ t actually see many of those reforms in the near future . Besides an initial and particularly significant injection of funds to assist providers with a $ 10 per person per day increase , and a commitment to the new home care packages , the real , structural change will not begin until the second half of 2022 and much later .
Again , we must look back to proposed deadlines and accountability . We need
actionable and strict deadlines in place to ensure that investment is married against outcomes and objectives with regular check-in points . Deadlines and timelines ensure compliance while encouraging accountability .
For instance , coming into force on 1 July 2022 , providers will have to report and publish care staffing minutes for each facility on the MyAgedCare website , and they will also be required to report to residents and their families on care delivered . Technology will play a big part in this development .
Furthermore , The Grattan Institute estimated it would take up to $ 7 billion per year to fix the aged care problem , while we also felt that the Government should be committing to $ 4 or $ 5 billion per year as a minimum . The investment put forward from the Government is just shy of that .
The $ 652 million in workforce-specific funding isn ’ t enough to fix staff shortages . And even funding 13,000 extra home care workers as well as more than 33,000 new training places will not be enough to address the shortfall . The government does also plan to introduce 80,000 more home care packages and increase the number of care minutes .
Upskilling and training staff as well as offering better wages is also key to the industry bouncing back . Aged care suppliers and staff must have access to technology solutions in order to
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We need actionable and strict deadlines to ensure investment is married against outcomes and objectives .
assist in the digital landscape shift while encouraging them to embrace change . Smart software can assist staff according to their availability and expertise , and enables organisations to schedule the right resources based on location , skills availability and client need .
There are also those existing techsavvy home care providers implementing fully-integrated and holistic software systems that are designed for home care providers – specifically , pairing it with smart technology in the homes of their clients to help in the provision of care .
And while technology is also about staying connected , investment to those who deliver the care will ensure our connected hubs grow larger and more respected . Making sure people get the services they need , when they need them , from their preferred supplier can make a huge difference to the quality of care delivered and smart ERP software can certainly simplify this admin-heavy task . As Treasurer
Frydenberg addressed the nation on Tuesday , 11 May
2021 : “‘ Team Australia ’ at its best . A nation to be proud of ,” – Instead let ’ s be a nation that strives to improve the aged care sector and meet deadlines , be accountable first . Then we can chant and cheer the good work we are doing . ■
Greg O ’ Loan is the regional vice president for ANZ for Epicor Software
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