Speak Out December 2019 V2 DIGITAL EDITION

Aged care

AGED CARE UPDATE Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Interim Report Release 31/10/19 The interim report from the Royal Commission into Quality and Safety of Aged Care has now been released. It is simply tilted Neglect. Detailed recommendations will be available only in the final report later next year, but the Commissioners have made it clear that their recommendations will involve major transformational reform and redesign of the aged care system that is described as "woefully inadequate" and not routinely providing safe and quality care for older people. The lack of access to allied health services such as speech pathology is referred to within this report and the Commission's background papers, along with a need to include focus on restorative care. The Commission also referenced key points/ themes which while are not directly specified as recommendations, give some insights into likely directions to be recommended in the final report in November 2020. Immediate action areas of increasing the number of Home Care Packages, responding to an over-reliance on chemical restraint and addressing the issue of young people in residential aged care were also outlined. SPA will continue with targeted advocacy efforts to contribute to system redesign that ensures people with swallowing, mealtime and communication needs can access appropriate supports that they need, including appropriate speech pathology services. The interim report can be accessed here. Advocacy meetings – SPA meets with Federal Minister for Aged Care SPA National President Tim Kittel, Manager Policy and Advocacy Mark Smith and Senior Advisor Aged Care Kym Torresi attended a meeting with the Minister for Youth, Sport, Senior Australians and Aged Care, Senator Richard Colbeck at Parliament House on 17 October 2019. The Minister was very generous with his time and engaged in discussions regarding the issues and concerns brought forward by SPA. Potential actions were discussed and the Minister and his advisor indicated that they were happy to remain in contact to hear further input from SPA in the future.

SPA president Tim Kittel and Senior Advisor Aged Care Kym Torresi at Parliament House in October.

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December 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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