Sunday 16 September 2018

PM Morrison announces royal commission of Aged Care, after cutting funds to it 2016


Good grief. Just how stupid does this gov think Australians are? They spend five years slashing and burning everything in sight, and now when they're in deep electoral shit they make some lame patch up gesture.

 In 2016, as treasurer, Scott Morrison announced $1.2 billion worth of funding cuts to the Aged Care sector over 4 years. This despite industry concerns that it would have a very negative impact on the quality of care being provided.
The Turnbull government's $1.2 billion of aged care funding cuts could force smaller providers to close down or sell up and may lower standards of care for the elderly, industry groups warn.
Treasurer Scott Morrison's budget outlined $1.2 billion of cuts over four years as the ageing population drives increasing demand for aged care services.

  Industry body Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) said 38 per cent of aged care providers were already not viable.

  "Our seniors living in remote and rural areas will not be able to age in place and will need to travel long distances, far from families and friends, to receive the care they deserve," LASA spokesperson Beth Cameron said.

  Sources said that increased pressure on small players would accelerate consolidation of the fragmented industry.

  The cuts will also provide the federal opposition with ammunition to attack the government in the imminent election campaign.

  Shadow minister for ageing Shayne Neumann said that the "savage cut" has "failed more than 353,000 Australians living with dementia". Sydney Morning Herald
As industry predicted 2 years ago, there has been a big increase in lack of care being provided to the elderly in nursing homes. Now Morrison has announced a royal commission into the Aged Care sector citing concerns over those increases. Caused by his own funding cuts.
The prime minister said he could no longer ignore the alarming number of aged care operators "flouting the law and putting lives at risk".

  There was an 177 per cent increase in the number of aged care homes where a serious risk to residents was identified in the last financial year, according to new government figures.

  There was a 292 per cent increase in the number of facilities that refused to comply with rules.
"Walking by these statistics was not possible," Mr Morrison said.

  The Oakden nursing home for elderly people was shut down last year following a damning report by South Australia's chief psychiatrist highlighting ongoing neglect and mistreatment of residents.

  Mr Morrison said the government also needed to prepare for a major increase in demand on aged care as the baby boomers age. Nine News
Has Morrison offered to restore the funding cuts in the wake of this? Not at all. All he's offering is a paltry $90 million, already budgeted to Aged Care, sooner than expected. To "mop up". Meaning his $1.2 billion funding cuts still stay.
Reacting to recent aged care scandals, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday announced that $90 million in funds budgeted towards aged care will be fast tracked in a bid to "mop up" the industry.

 The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will also receive an extra $16 million with some of the funding going towards spot checking facilities.

 "My message to senior Australians is I want you to age with dignity. I want you to age with respect," Mr Morrison said.

 However, aged care advocate Lynda Saltarelli, from Aged Care Crisis, said the announcements were little more than window-dressing, and the issue of staff needed to be urgently addressed. Nine News



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