Care can't wait - AMA welcomes final aged care report

The AMA welcomes the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety final report – a harrowing account of what doctors working in aged care have known for a long time and detailed recommendations for the future of aged care.

The AMA made five detailed submissions and appeared three times to tell the Royal Commission our experiences on behalf of our patients, their families, friends and carers.  They can be viewed here.

AMA President, Dr Omar Khorshid, said that older Australians have the right to live with dignity and have safe and appropriate aged care services provided to them.

"Older Australians deserve to have the same opportunity to have the best quality of life as everyone else, and the same access to high quality medical and nursing care they have enjoyed throughout their lives," Dr Khorshid said.

"Sadly, this Report shows that this has not been the case. In fact, far from it."

"The AMA has continuously warned the Government that the health and aged care systems are not equipped to deal with the growing ageing population living longer and with multiple chronic diseases.

“Together, the AMA and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation have been calling on the Government to take urgent measures to improve the situation in aged care and bring comfort and confidence to our parents and grandparents who have given so much to their families and the communities throughout their lives.

With the release of the Royal Commission’s final report, there must be no more excuses, no more delays. The reform process must start immediately. Care can’t wait.

"Doctors working in aged care have long called for change - now the Government must embrace this opportunity to make aged care a safe and high-quality place for older Australians, including improved access to medical care.

“The AMA is eager to work with Government in examining the findings and working to make the urgent and important changes as Australia introduces generational change to fix our aged care system once and for all.”

The AMA will analyse the Royal Commission’s 148 recommendations over the coming days and put forward a detailed position.

AMA Position Statements on aged care can be viewed here.