AN elderly Launceston woman who had her aged care accommodation fees increased by 60 per cent following a refurbishment of the facility is a symptom of a sector that has lacked oversight, the federal Member for Bass believes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In another instance, residents at a Launceston aged care facility were required to pay $75 per hour for private physiotherapy after the service was removed due to a funding shortfall.
Six Tasmanian aged care facilities also failed accreditation audits in 2018.
The federal government launched its Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission this week, promising more random audits, while the royal commission into aged care will deliver its interim report in October.
Hearing dates and locations for the royal commission have yet to be determined.
The measures come as the waiting list for aged care in Tasmania grows.
At the end of 2017, 2474 Tasmanians were waiting for care. Six months later, that figure had grown 11.4 per cent to 2757.
Member for Bass Ross Hart said shortcomings in the aged care sector had been recognised long before the announcement of the royal commission.
“Tasmanians need confidence that these reforms will address some of the shortcomings already identified, including Tasmanian facilities that have come to attention because of defective care and or facilities and have been sanctioned,” he said.
“Aged care workers do a fantastic job, but there are too few of them and they are underpaid.”
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission included a hotline for people to raise concerns, and a budget of $300 million over four years.
Senior Australians and Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said a single Commissioner overseeing compliance monitoring and complaints would improve the sector.
“For the first time, senior Australians and their loved ones have one place to go when they need help, want to raise a concern, or access information about an aged care service,” he said.
The hotline is 1800 951 822.