AGED Care minister Ken Wyatt has announced the allocation of $3 million of additional funding to 18 aged care services in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
The funding, under the Flexible Aged Care Places Allocations Round for Multi-Purpose Services (MPS), will also support the establishment of a new service in Bonalbo, NSW.
"This investment will help ensure more senior Australians have access to high-quality, higher-level aged care services," Mr Wyatt said.
"Multi-Purpose Services play a critical role in small rural communities, many of which cannot support a stand-alone hospital or aged care facility."
"It is important that senior Australians with increasing care needs are able to stay close to friends and family and the communities they have built their lives around.
"This funding will allow these MPS to deliver the care that rural, regional and remote seniors deserve."
The MPS program is a joint initiative between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.
The funding announcement was welcomed by Aged & Community Services Australia describing it "an important investment".
However ACSA chief executive Pat Sparrow said more needed to be done to ensure sustainability and greater consistency of services for all older Australians relying on aged care services in rural and remote communities.
She said rural and remote providers, including those operating as a Multi-Purpose Service, often faced a higher costs in delivering services that were the lifeblood of their communities.
"The funding of all rural and remote providers needs to be addressed by the Government as a matter of urgency," Ms Sparrow said.
For details on the new funding allocations, click HERE