Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I have some questions about the bill that I want to ask prior to moving my amendment. The Australian Greens, as indicated by our vote on the second reading question just then, support this bill overall. We think it includes some important steps forward in aged care in Australia. But we've got three areas of concern I want to ask some questions about. The first is the availability of allied health in aged care, particularly physiotherapy, under the new funding instrument, the AN-ACC. The second is issues we've got with the transparency of the findings of the independent pricing authority. And the third area I want to ask some questions about is schedule 9, about restrictive practices.

Starting off with allied health: I want to read out some of an email I received on Friday from Alwyn Blayse, the CEO and principal physiotherapist of the Allied Aged Care health group, who presented to the Senate inquiry on the previous version of this bill under the previous government late last year. What Mr Blayse said to me on Friday was that Labor is ignoring the concerns of allied health that they recognised in the Senate hearing of November 2021.

He said, 'Sadly, all of those predictions I and others made about the future of allied health in our submission have come true. Residents are being claimed for pain treatments not even occurring, and I've got proof, and removed from treatment for economic reasons. Homes have cut hours of allied health all over the country and providers like us in regional areas are facing impending job losses.'

He continued, 'My team and I are doing our best to avoid and bring staff to work in other areas but we want to stay in aged care. We can't, though, as providers are cutting our lists, not paying us and cancelling contracts, using any flimsy excuse they can. And I can share detailed emails on this and that refer to AN-ACC as the reason.' He gives information from various providers and others: 'Helping Homes—read between the lines that allied health isn't required. So cut it and use cheaper wellness and lifestyle instead, which risks unqualified staff treating frail people with hot packs and exercise. They aren't even insured or registered to do this.'

Mr Blayse continues, 'This isn't even the top of the iceberg: 23,000 veterans in aged care won't be looked after. You should see the waffling and buck-passing answers I get from the department of health and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, simply asking if veterans would be able to have treatment under the AN-ACC.'

So my question is: what are we going to be doing about these very serious concerns that allied health providers, particularly physiotherapists, have about this current bill?