THE Royal Commission into Aged Care will be based in Adelaide, will run for 18 months and Australia will need to brace itself for some difficult stories, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned.
The wide ranging inquiry will be headed by WA Supreme Court Justice Joseph McGrath and former senior public servant Lynelle Griggs.
“Our Government wants to ensure Australians have access to the level of care and support each person would expect for themselves,” said Mr Morrison.
“A key task of the royal commission will be to help build a national culture of respect for ageing and older Australians.”
Mr Morrison said the government was committed to providing older Australians with access to care that supported their well-being, dignity and choices; and the comfort and assurances their families needed.
“And we need to do it in a way which recognises the contribution of those Australians who are being cared for.
“This is very much about looking at what has happened, but it is also very much about understanding what needs to be done in the future.”
While based in Adelaide, the commission will undertake hearings around the country and take evidence over video and other formats. It will provide an interim report by October 31, 2019 and a final report by April 30, 2020.
The broad terms of reference were developed from more than 5,000 submissions and four national roundtables.
They include:
- Quality and safety including the extent of substandard care
- How to best deliver care to the increasing number of Australians living with dementia; and services to people with disabilities residing in aged care facilities including younger people
- The future challenges and opportunities for delivering accessible, affordable and high quality aged care services, including people’s desire to remain living at home as they age, and aged care in rural, regional and remote Australia
- What the government, the aged care sector, Australian families and the wider community can do to strengthen care services to ensure quality and safety
- How to allow people greater choice, control and independence and how to improve engagement with families and carers and how to best deliver sustainable aged care services
A royal commission website is under development.
Full terms of reference www.ag.gov.au
Eileen Wood
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
