Aged care peak body welcomes Royal Commission

THE peak body for the aged care sector has welcomed a Royal Commission into the industry, saying aged care was “an issue of national importance that is too important not to get right”.

A preliminary hearing for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety began in Adelaide last week.

The hearing follows the federal government receiving more than 5,000 submissions from aged care consumers, families, carers, aged care workers, health professionals and providers.

Leading Age Services Australia chief executive officer Sean Rooney said the aged care industry was fully supportive of the process.

“The safety of older Australians is not negotiable and any instance of failure of care is unacceptable.

“We all want a safe, high quality and high performing aged care system. Older Australians need it and older Australians deserve nothing less.”

He said he welcomed the Royal Commission’s intent to conduct hearings, roundtable discussions and extensive consultation around the country.

“It is vital that the Royal Commission be open and transparent and provide a forum for all involved in the aged care system to tell their stories with regard to their experiences.

“While the vast majority of Australia’s age services and their dedicated staff deliver good quality care, it is the responsibility of our industry, the government and the wider community to ensure there are no exceptions.

“We must grasp this ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to make the aged care system better for all older Australians, now and into the future.”

However, he said it was important not to lose sight of “making the aged care system better right now, by addressing the key issues of access to services, funding of services, quality of services and supporting the workforce that delivers these services”.

If you have a concern about the care you or someone else is receiving, phone the commission on 1800 951 822 or head to the website at agedcarequality.gov.au.