Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Health and Disability Commissioner
Aged Care Commissioner Carolyn Cooper has been in the role since March this year. In this opinion-editorial, she talks about the current problems facing the aged care sector and the need for an urgent response to ensure older people receive the support they require.
Ms Cooper acknowledges the “conscientious effort of so many people working in health to protect and safeguard the well-being of our older population.
“I am conscious the health and disability system is under significant pressure with limited capacity to respond to the demands placed upon it, but older people need and deserve to have access to appropriate health and disability services whenever and wherever they need them,” says Ms Cooper.
Ms Cooper has observed a range of issues across the system affecting the quality of care and quality of life for older people, including capacity and capability of workforce to meet complexity of needs, workforce sustainability.
She highlights the role of critical partners in the success of the health reforms, and primary care who maintain oversight of increasingly frail people in their homes.
“The issues I am seeing, must be addressed by collective action across the health and disability system. I’m calling on all of us in the wider health and disability system to work collectively to give older people a voice and greater confidence in the quality and safety of health and disability services.
“Older people need, deserve, and should expect no less than a joined up approach from health and disability services,” says Ms Cooper.
