Submission
AMA submission to the Department of Health: Future reform – an integrated care at home program to support older Australians
This submission refers to the discussion paper, an integrated care at home program, which is available here.
This submission argues that for successful aged care at home reform to occur, the Government must ensure the following:
- Investment in aged care now, in order to produce the foundations of higher quality system.
- The Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment process must be simple, efficient, and fast to avoid delays in accessing care.
- Consumers need support to make decisions regarding their home care package.
- Policy objectives should include access to quality medical care with a focus on palliative care, and a streamlined link to a consumers’ usual GP, who should remain the coordinator of medical care.
- Clear communication pathways between all care providers including medical professionals and aged care service providers, improved through interoperability between the My Health Record, My Aged Care, GP clinical software, and age care provider software.
- The aged care system needs an Aged Care Commissioner as an overarching body that provides a clear, well-communicated, governance hierarchy for aged care service providers.
