Productivity Commission Inquiry into Aged Care 2010 - 2011
The Productivity Commission's Inquiry into aged care, announced in 2010 -
Caring for Older Australians - has provided a unique and significant opportunity for all in the aged care industry to comment on, and help guide the way forward for the care of older Australians.
The Final Report
The Productivity Commission issued its final report to Government on 28 June 2011. The Government held a briefing session and released the report to the public on Monday 8 August 2011. The report is a key signpost that aged care reform must now be embraced.
Click here to view the Final Report
National peak association Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) prepared a summary of the Final Report for members’ information. Click here to view the ACSA summary
Feedback on the Final Report
Following the release of the Final Report, the Prime Minister announced the Minister for Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler, will now conduct a listening tour throughout the country. This commenced the next chapter in the progress towards aged care reform.
ACCV and its members
In line with this information process, ACCV conducted a two-step briefing process with members on the report which included a series of information sessions. In August and September 2011, ACCV CEO Gerard Mansour attended ACCV Committee and Taskforce meetings, and also provided briefings at Regional and Metropolitan member meetings.
Click here to view an overview of the presentation provided by ACCV CEO Gerard Mansour at the ACCV Member meetings
The Minister
Then as the next step, on 16 September 2011, ACCV hosted the Aged Care Leaders Symposium which was an event created specifically to begin to ‘unpack’ the implications of a reform agenda for members. The Minister for Ageing pre-recorded an interview prior to the event at our request, with the Editor of trade publication Australian Ageing Agenda, Keryn Curtis. Further discussion on the report and the government’s reform plans at this event were led by national body leaders, as well as consumer representatives.
Click here to view the Minister's interview
A summary of member feedback
Following the presentation to members, ACCV sought member feedback on the Final Report from members via an online survey. At the ACCV Aged Care Leaders Symposium, ACCV sought further member feedback throughout the event through various ad hoc survey requests.
A summary of this combined feedback has been prepared. Click here to view the summary
The next steps
The focus has now turned fairly and squarely onto the Gillard Government as it now considers how to respond to the Productivity Commission’s final report on aged care reform.
The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing has committed to obtain feedback and input from the National Aged Care Alliance (NACA), of which ACCV is a member.
The Minister has set up an ‘Ageing Reform Expert Panel’ comprising eight members from the NACA, incorporating providers, consumers, staff and professional organisations. ACCV members are represented on the Panel by both national association CEO’s Rod Young (ACAA) and Patrick McClure (ACSA).
In addition, NACA has created five Working Parties to feed into the Panel. ACCV CEO Gerard Mansour is a member of the ‘Finance Working Party’ which is providing input to the Panel and the Minister.
ACCV continues, as its number one reform agenda priority, to advocate for the need to ensure we build a financially viable and sustainable industry so that consumers can receive both choice and access to aged care services in their own homes and aged care homes.
Other phases of the Productivity Commission inquiry into aged care
Click here to view more on The Submission Phase
Click here to view more on The Draft Report