AMA Submission to the Department of Health on the Aged Care Legislated Review 2016-17

The AMA submission to the Department of Health on the Aged Care Legislated Review argues that the aged care system must evolve in order to accommodate Australia’s increasing ageing population by addressing the lack of aged care staff and the issues behind underutilising the role of the medical practitioner. Aged care staff and medical practitioners need access to highly skilled employed nurses, properly equipped clinical treatment rooms, and updated IT clinical software. There needs to be increased communication systems between the residential aged care facility staff, the residents’ GP, My Aged Care, and Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs).

The Government must ensure that the consumer-driven system must be flexible and efficient to meet the changing needs of the ageing population, and to ensure that rural areas are not left behind.