Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The Rudd government is committed to tackling the challenges of the 21st century. And one of those major challenges is our ageing population. Australians have the second longest life expectancy in the world, at 81.4 years, after the Japanese. In addition, women on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and in Western Australia’s wheat belt have among the longest life expectancies in the world. By mid-century most Australians can expect, on average, to reach the mid- to late 80s. Currently, there are 2,800 Australians aged 100 years or over, and that is expected to grow to 78,000 by 2055.

An ageing population and record life expectancy are to be celebrated. The previous government neglected older Australians; we plan to change that. That is why, over the next four years, we are investing a record $40 billion into aged and community care; of that, $28.6 billion on nursing homes alone. In 2008-09, $2.2 billion will be spent on community care programs to help people remain independent and in their homes.

Last year nearly 56,000 people received help at home through community care packages. The 56,000 community care packages complement the nearly 170,000 residential aged-care beds supported by the federal government. Meals on Wheels—an example of state and federal governments working together—is one of the many initiatives to help people remain within their homes.

Some 80,000 volunteers and workers deliver about 15 million meals a year from 750 kitchens to the frail, the aged and people with disabilities right across Australia. Indeed, today is National Meals on Wheels Day. I was very pleased to deliver a meal to John and Ruth Perryman right here in the ACT. They are both 85 years of age. Later on today, I look forward to launching the Meals on Wheels Parliamentary Friends Group. It will be chaired by the member for Hindmarsh and the member for Parkes. I commend them on their initiative.

In Australia there are almost 3,000 nursing homes. They are world-class services with thousands of hardworking, dedicated staff. Of those nursing homes, only nine of them are under sanction. Three of those nine were identified through the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency’s unannounced visits program. The record 3,000 unannounced visits began on 1 July. We make no apologies for protecting our nation’s frail and aged. Indeed, unannounced visits are commonplace in Australia. For example, last year ACT Health alone conducted 1,984 food business inspections and 225 cooling tower inspections in Canberra. I can tell you, as a former police officer, I certainly know the element of surprise was a major factor in effective investigations.

Also, in the commercial area, McDonalds has a strict regime of testing, unannounced visits and so-called ‘mystery shoppers’. They evaluate cleanliness, quality and service. Unannounced visits are even more important in aged care where frail, elderly residents are cared for 24 hours a day and are often unable to speak out if they have concerns about their care. Unannounced visits give an accurate picture of a facility’s day-to-day operation.

From 1 July to 14 August, the accreditation agency and the Department of Health and Ageing have conducted 501 and 178 unannounced visits respectively. In the case of a nursing home where serious risk has been identified, the accreditation agency visits daily until the serious risk has been removed. The Department of Health and Ageing will also send Commonwealth nursing officers to monitor the quality of care being given to residents.

The accreditation agency has a set of at-risk factors to identify nursing homes for further unannounced visits. They include:

• existing non-compliance problems in any of the areas of the 44 standards, including nutrition and hydration;
• the number of complaints against a facility;
• the known financial difficulties or business restructuring;
• a change of approved provider;
• major changes in key personnel and senior staff;
• ambitious building programs; and
• a sudden change in resident population and mix of residents.

The accreditation agency will undertake a program of unannounced visits across entire groups of homes where they need to determine if problems are localised and site specific or systemic across the group. This recently occurred with the Japara Group after the Kirralee facility in East Ballarat was identified in an unannounced visit. At Kirralee, the accreditation agency assessors identified five areas of serious risk, including nutrition and hydration. The Department of Health and Ageing advised that the measures were ‘among the strongest ever taken against a care provider’ by this government.

After the agency found significant noncompliance at Kirralee, it conducted a program of unannounced visits to all other homes in the 32-member group. As a result, the agency uncovered significant concerns in relation to another home in the group—Brighton Aged Care in Adelaide. On Monday night, 25 August, the agency acted. The agency reduced the accreditation period of Brighton Aged Care in Adelaide as an outcome of a review audit conducted in early August.

The accreditation agency has formally identified 17 areas of noncompliance out of 44 accreditation outcomes arising from the review audit. This, indeed, is a staggering figure. Previously, on 15 August, the department issued a notice setting out the actions that the home must take to address the original 14 areas of noncompliance and the timeline in which this must be done. The department will now consider whether additional compliance action is required given the agency’s decision of 25 August.

These unannounced visits are all about the health, safety and wellbeing of residents, and I make no apologies for these tough measures. I also urge the opposition to give their bipartisan support to unannounced visits. I am confident that the aged-care industry and the many older Australians it serves will see the longer-term benefits of a more transparent and accountable aged-care industry. I will continue to work in partnership with older Australians, aged-care providers, unions and consumer groups to improve the quality in residential aged care and ensure the long-term viability of the sector.

I ask leave of the House to move a motion to enable the member for McPherson to speak for seven minutes.

Leave granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Mrs May speaking for a period not exceeding seven minutes.

Question agreed to.

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