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Rollout needs work
Peak body points out
ICHC rollout shortfalls.
M
ore work needs to be done on
the rollout of the government’s
Increasing Choice in Home Care
program, Leading Age Services Australia
says. Announced in the 2015–16 Budget
and commenced on 27 February 2017, the
ICHC reforms aimed to improve the way
home care services are delivered.
Sean Rooney, chief executive of LASA,
said the peak body’s research has revealed
a number of aspects of the rollout that it
wants to work with government to address.
The Second Home Care Provider
Survey found while available home care
packages increased by 14 per cent from
79,000 to 90,000, there was a much
smaller increase in consumer activation of
packages (4.7 per cent).
LASA said this increase appears lower
than what would be expected.
“Extrapolated to a system-wide level, a
4.7 per cent increase translates to nearly
7000 less HCPs than what should be
activated if all consumers were to activate
their assigned package. This suggests
further investigation and investment is
required to improve the rate with which
Doctors honoured
Order of Australia recognition
for members of the Australian
Medical Association.
F
ormer AMA president Dr Mukesh
Haikerwal, AO, and current MJA
editor-in-chief Laureate Professor
Nick Talley were among a number of
AMA members to receive Australia Day
Honours this year.
Haikerwal and Talley received the
highest honour – Companion of the
Order (AC) – together with neurosurgeon
Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld, while AMA
federal councillor Associate Professor
Julian Rait received the Medal of the
Order (OAM). AMA president Dr Michael
Gannon congratulated all the recipients
and thanked them for their contributions
to the medical and nursing fields.
consumers activate HCPs once they are
assigned to them,” the report said.
It also found that premature residential
care admissions due to a shortage of
high-level home care packages occurred
at a rate of 2.7 per cent of all packages,
and the extent of accumulated unspent
home care package funds is estimated to
be $200–350 million system-wide. LASA
added the number of package upgrades
for existing home care consumers to a
higher-level home care package increased
significantly across the six months, and said
this highlights the effectiveness of the My
Aged Care system in facilitating consumer
upgrades consistent with demand.
The home care package rollout is being
challenged by the implementation of
significant system changes that support
greater consumer choice while the system
is also straining to keep up with growing
demand, Rooney said. “In the short term,
more work needs to be done to ensure
that available packages are reaching those
who need them most. This should include
re-allocating inactive packages and utilising
the unspent funds in existing packages.” ■
“They have dedicated their lives and
careers to helping others through their
various roles as clinicians, researchers,
teachers, authors, administrators or
government advisers – and importantly
as leaders in their local communities,”
Gannon said.
“The great thing about the Honours is
that they acknowledge achievement at
the international, national and local level,
and they recognise excellence across
all avenues of human endeavour, and
doctors from many diverse backgrounds
have been recognised and honoured
again this year.
“These are pioneering surgeons
and researchers, legends across many
specialties, public health advocates,
researchers, administrators, teachers,
and GPs and family doctors who have
devoted their lives to serving their
local communities.
“We are, of course, especially proud
of AMA members who are among the
75 people honoured in the medicine
category.
“On behalf of the AMA, I pay tribute
to all the doctors and other health
professionals who were honoured for
their passion for their profession and
their dedication to their patients and their
communities.” ■
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