Catholic Health Australia has criticised the Albanese Government for delaying essential aged care reforms and ignoring the private hospital system in its federal Budget yesterday.
CHA said the Government’s decision to delay aged care threatens access to quality and dignified care for older Australians.
The peak body, representing 350 Catholic not-for-profit aged care facilities, said the government is failing to implement the recommendations of the Aged Care Taskforce.
“It’s been six months since the Aged Care Taskforce delivered its recommendations and the government has not even responded to them,” said CHA director of aged care policy, Laura Haylen.
“The decision to neglect the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations in this Budget is incredibly disappointing and frustrating.
“With most facilities operating at a loss and many at risk of closure, we are running out of time to secure quality and sustainable aged care for our loved ones.”
CHA chief executive Jason Kara said the Government must take action to shore up the struggling private health system after ignoring it in yesterday’s Budget.
“The Government has ignored a critical part of the health system that performs two-thirds of elective surgeries in this country, missing an opportunity to take pressure off public hospitals,” CHA CEO Jason Kara said.
“In the past five years, 71 private hospital services have closed down as a result of workforce shortages and funding from insurers failing to keep pace with soaring costs of providing care.
“Without immediate action, these closures will continue and more private patients will be pushed into public hospitals which are already operating over capacity, impacting patient access to timely care and increasing costs for taxpayers.”
FULL STORY
Government delays aged care reforms in budget at its peril (CHA)
