THE federal government’s cuts to aged care run far deeper than initial estimates costing providers and patients.
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Aged nursing providers have called on the incoming federal government to review the $1.2 billion in cuts which UnitingCare Australia said will affect the level of care delivered to the elderly.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association local representative Michael Kirby said cuts at state and federal levels painted a “fairly grave future” for patients residing in aged care.
“They’re not going to get the care they need,” Mr Kirby said.
“People who are in aged care usually have a large amount of co-morbidities and high acuity and they need specialist care to look after them and maintain a quality of life.”
Mr Kirby said the NSWNMA has petitioned the state and federal governments to commit to the restoration and retention of nurses in aged care.
“The state government is changing the public health act to remove the requirement to have nurses in aged care facilities 24 hours a day,” he said.
“It’s a state government initiative remove that funding arrangement and requirement and the federal government’s not looking to make any improvement in aged care.”
Chairman of UnitingCare Australia aged care network, Steve Teulan, agreed the cuts had gone too far after the release of independent modelling on the funding by Ansell Strategic.
“The results are stark,” Mr Tuelan said.
“The cuts far exceed the amounts stated by government and would reduce funding to support older people in care by $6655 or 11 per cent per resident, each year.”
Mr Tuelan said the cuts were particularly harsh for people with complex ailments like diabetes, dementia and heart disease and said they could miss out on “vital treatment, including physiotherapy, pain management and skin care”.
UnitingCare said it would call on the incoming government to defer any cuts and undertake a proper analysis.
“We call on the incoming prime minister and treasurer to halt these cuts and to work collaboratively with the aged care sector to identify sustainable options for meeting the health care needs of older people in care,” Mr Teulan said.
The 2016/17 budget heralded $1.2 billion in cuts to aged care funding; however, independent modelling by Ansell Strategic has indicated the cuts to providers would be in excess of $2.5 billion over the next four years, $840 million more than their forward estimates.
