ABOUT ACSA
Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA) is the leading aged care peak body supporting over 700 church, charitable and community-based, notforprofit organisations. Notforprofit organisations provide care and accommodation services to about one million older Australians.[1]
ACSA represents, leads and supports its members to achieve excellence in providing quality affordable housing and community and residential care services for older Australians.
Aged care providers make a significant $17.6 billion contribution to the economy by producing outputs, employing labour, paying wages and through buying goods and services.[2] This is akin to the contribution made by the residential housing, beef and dairy industries. In many regional and rural areas aged care is the largest employer, which is where the majority, if not all, providers are notforprofit.
ACSA members are important to the community and the people they serve, and are passionate about the quality and value of the services they provide, irrespective of their size, service mix or location.
ACSA CONTACTS
Jonathan Marin, Executive Director – Queensland
Aged & Community Services Australia
0428 288 281
Derek Dittrich, Manager Policy and Member Advice
Aged & Community Services Australia
(08) 8338 7111
Christopher Hampton, State Government Relations Manager
Aged & Community Services Australia
0409 511 037
What does a health system which supports healthy ageing look like?
Question one
Do you agree with the characteristics outlined are important for a health system which supports healthy ageing? (yes / no / comments)
Yes, agree. Some additional comments:
- In relation to“integration across care settings”. It is well recognised that the ‘transition points of care’ are risk points for consumers of health services. In the context of older persons, these transition points are very relevant and often occur between aged care / acute care / community pharmacy interfaces. A health system that is focused on safeguarding consumers across these transition points is vital.
- In relation to “equitable access for all older people” it is important that all older people have access to the health services they need, when they need them, regardless of whether they live in their own home in the community, in retirement villages or in residential aged care services. Older persons who live in aged care facilities should have equal access to health services, an example being equitable access to mental health services.
Question TWO
Are there other characteristics you believe are important for a health system which supports healthy ageing?
Health services which focus on maintaining wellness or reablement of the older person that allows them to remain in their own home (for example rehabilitative services following short term, self-limiting illness or injury) would be an important component of a health system which professes to support ‘healthy ageing’. A lack of these short term, time-limited rehabilitation services may result in premature admission to residential aged care services.
It is well recognised that as Australia’s population ages there will be a commensurate growth in the number of older persons who have a diagnosis of dementia. Health services will need to be focussed on both suitable built-form environments as well as appropriately skilled health care practitioners to be able to provide a quality service to older Australians.
what are the barriers to good health services for older people and healthy ageing?
Question three
Do you agree the issues outlined are key barriers to the provision of good health services for older people as they age? (yes / no / comments)
Yes, agree with the barriers listed.
Question FOUR
Are there other issues that you believe are key barriers to the provision of good health services for older people and healthy ageing?
Access to services for regional, rural and remote older persons. Consideration needs to be given in relation to the challenges for people in regional and remote locations in accessing health services, this may relate to:
- A lack of services that are available in these regions including rural GP services, rural palliative care services etc.
- Challenges in travelling long distances to services, particularly from remote Queensland communities
- A lack of specialty services in regional and remote locations i.e. mental health services, specialist medical services, rural GP and allied health services, specialist gerontology services etc.
- Technological barriers to receiving services i.e. internet access for telehealth services etc.
We believe a number of recent announcements support the above notion of the challenges associated with providing good health services for older Australians in regional and remote communities, including:
- Announcementof a ‘National Rural Health Commissioner’ by the Hon Dr David Gillespie MP, Assistant Minister for Health[3];
- A ‘boost for mental health services in the bush’ as announced by The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health, Minister for Sport[4]; and
- ‘Dying to Talk in the Bush: PCA and RFDS project’ media release by the Royal Flying Doctor Service[5]
what are the key strategic priority areas for improving health services for older people and supportingh healthy ageing?
Question FIVE
Do you agree the issues outlined above are key strategic priority areas for improving health services for older people and supporting healthy ageing? (yes / no / comments)
Yes, agree with the priorities listed.
Question SIX
Are there other issues that you believe are key strategic priority areas for improving health services for older people and supporting healthy ageing?
Yes, see our commentary in relation to Question 4 above, specifically access to health services for older persons in regional, rural and remote regions. Access to services for these people should be one of the priority strategies.
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[1]Australian Government, Department of Health, Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act 1997, December 2016.
[2]Deloitte Access Economics, Australia’s aged care sector: economic contribution and future directions, Aged Care Guild, June 2016, page 24.
[3]Announcement of Australia’s first National Rural Health Commissioner, media release, The Hon David Gillespie MP, Assistant Minister for Health, Member for Lyne, 21 October 2017
[4]Boost for mental health services in the bush begins today, media release, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health, Minister for Sport, 1 November 2017
[5]Dying to Talk in the Bush: PCA and RFDS project announcement, media release, RFDS, 17 October 2017