Better health and ageing for all Australians

Living Longer. Living Better.

Aged Care Reform Implementation Council - Communiqué - 7 August 2012

The inaugural meeting of the Aged Care Reform Implementation Council (the Council) was convened in Adelaide on Tuesday 7 August 2012.

In this section:

The Council was established by the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, The Hon. Mark Butler MP, as part of the Living Better Living Longer aged care reform package that was announced on 20 April 2012 and is independently chaired by Professor Peter Shergold AC.

Membership of the Council includes:

  • Professor Henry Brodaty AO;
  • The Hon. Susan Ryan AO;
  • Professor Ann Harding;
  • Mr Rauf Soulio;
  • Mr Jeff Lawrence; and
  • Ms Lynda O’Grady (Ex‐officio ‐ Chair of the Aged Care Financing Authority).
The Members discussed the Council’s important role in the implementation of the aged care reforms, ensuring that the aged care reforms are implemented coherently and consistently and that strong and appropriate linkages are made between the reform elements to maximise the effect of the reforms for all stakeholders.

The Council as an independent body will monitor and report where the implementation is working well and as intended, where there are doubts the Council will measure and evaluate, and where there are concerns about impact or effectiveness, the Council will suggest remedies
or improvements.

The Council will need to ascertain whether consumers are feeling more in control of the services they access. “Are they able to move smoothly through the system? Are they empowered to confidently choose the services that are right for them? Are the particular needs of all ageing Australians being met, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference? Are quality standards being upheld?”

The Council will also examine the impact of the reforms on organisations that provide aged care support and accommodation and ask, “Are providers able to offer the services that people want, while still running financially‐sustainable businesses?”

To obtain these answers the Council will seek to engage with all stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is actively and genuinely engaged in every step of the rollout of the aged care reforms.

The Council’s next meeting will be held on 19 October 2012.
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