The Albanese Labor Government is being called out for the serious failures in its rollout of the new Support at Home Program, which are harming vulnerable older Australians.
The Coalition has joined with colleagues from right across the Parliament to write a letter* to the Albanese Government demanding action on its flawed assessment algorithm that is overriding clinical judgement on seniors’ needs, as well as rising administrative costs and rationed care.
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Senator Anne Ruston said it was clear that the Albanese Government has broken its promise that no older Australian would be worse off under the new system, and it has broken that promise in multiple ways.
“When parliamentarians from across the political spectrum unite on an issue, it speaks volumes,” Senator Ruston said.
“This is a damning indictment of the Government’s failed Support at Home rollout and the real harm it is causing vulnerable older Australians.”
At the centre of the concerns is Labor’s new aged care algorithm, which is overriding the clinical judgement of nurses and health professionals and leaving vulnerable older Australians without the support they need.
“It is unacceptable that Labor is allowing a flawed algorithm to determine what care an older Australian can receive,” Senator Ruston said.
“Vulnerable older Australians, including those with MND, dementia and other progressive illnesses, are being denied the support they need and there is no ability for a human to step in even when the decision is clearly wrong.
“The Government is relying on an automated system that clearly doesn’t work, while ignoring the expertise of doctors and nurses.”
At the same time, costs for essential home care services have surged due to excessive red tape and rigid rules, and some older Australians are being forced to go without basic care such as showers because they simply cannot afford it.
The Coalition has found that the situation has been made worse by the secret introduction of “interim packages”, which provide just 60 per cent of the funding to meet assessed care needs, and a waitlist that continues to blow out.
“It’s clear the Albanese Government has put its Budget bottom line above the care in aged care,” Senator Ruston said.
More than 234,000 older Australians are currently waiting for support, including more than 131,000 who have been assessed as needing a home care package but will wait an average of nine months.
“This is Labor’s aged care crisis, and it is only getting worse,” Senator Ruston said.
“Minister Rae has been completely missing in action and it is clear he has no plan to fix these problems.
“The Coalition is calling on the Albanese Government to immediately implement human override of this flawed new algorithm without delay.
“It is time that this government starts listening to older Australians and acts urgently to fix its broken system.”
ENDS
*Joint Letter to the Minister for Aged Care Sam Rae:
@Anne_Ruston
/AnneRuston