RETIREMENT VILLAGE operator Lendlease has made a return to the aged care sector, taking the highest number of places in the latest Aged Care Allocation Rounds.
The Government has allocated an additional $649 million in the 2016-2017 Aged Care Approvals Round to create 9911 new residential aged care places, along with a further $64 million for capital grants projects.
The new government funding, which was announced by the Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt, will provide almost 10,000 older Australians access to new or refurbished residential aged care services.
Property developer Lendlease, which sold all its bed licences four years ago, has returned to the aged care sector after topping the list for the number of places allocated.
This includes 756 licenses across six new services in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and three in Victoria - including 162 dementia and 18 respite places - at sites co-located within existing retirement villages.
A Lendlease spokesperson said the announcement was "very exciting".
"We have previously indicated that we would look at continuum of care within our retirement living villages. This announcement in relation to bed licences is very exciting for our business as it underpins our strategy," the spokesperson said.
"We will now push forward with our development plans and continue to explore opportunities to expand and refine our offering to benefit our residents."
Signature Care which operates in Queensland, Victoria and NSW took the second highest number of total allocations with 640 places across seven facilities.
Aegis's new facility Shoreline in North Coogee south of Perth received the biggest allocation to one facility. This includes 15 places for CALD (Italian), 45 dementia places, 10 respite and 138 general access places.
In announcing the funding, Minister Wyatt said the government is committed to providing a sustainable aged care system that meets the needs of our older Australians.
"People living in rural, regional and remote Australia will also benefit with 2719 residential places being offered for services outside metropolitan areas," he said.
The latest announcement follows one made in February which allocated 475 Short-Term Restorative Care places also through the 2016-17 Aged Care Approvals Round.
For details of the latest ACAR funding results, visit www.agedcare.health.gov.au/2016-17acar/results