Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality opens

On the first day of 2019, the government launched the independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, putting in motion the ‘one-stop’ safety website and single telephone number for aged care concerns which will allow individuals to engage with the Commission.

Following on from a series of scandals involving the mistreatment of elderly residents and 5,000 submissions from aged care consumers, carers, health professionals and families, Prime Minister Scott Morrison established the inquiry into the aged care sector last September.

The Commission has a budget of close to $300 million over four years, with more than $48 million to be invested into ramping up compliance checks and risk management, such as the employment of a Chief Clinical Adviser, new compliance officers as well as developing options for a Serious Incident Response Scheme.

It will look into the quality of aged care, including how best to deliver aged care services to those with dementia and younger people who are forced into facilities due to disabilities, in addition to examining any future challenges for delivering affordable and accessible services.

Just a few weeks ago, a 48-year-old NSW aged care worker was charged with what police described as “horrendous and unfathomable” attacks against five elderly residents at the Warrigal Community Village in Warilla. Detective Chief Inspector Glen Broadhead said all the victims – three women and two men between the ages of 74 and 87 - were highly vulnerable people with dementia.

Another recent case showed a Sydney aged care worker pleading guilty to two counts of common assault after two separate attacks were caught on a hidden camera at the Bupa Seaforth facility between August and September 2018. Prakash Paudyal, who used a shoe to hit an 82-year-old man with dementia, was sentenced to eight months last week with a non-parole period of four months, in addition to being permanently banned from aged care work.

With attacks such as this being uncovered at an alarming rate, and more than 1,000 reported aged care assaults between 2017-18, the introduction of the Commission has been celebrated by many.

Ken Wyatt AM, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, commented:

“For the first time, senior Australians and their loved ones have one place to go when they need help, want to raise a concern, or access information about an aged care service.”

Commissioners Tracey AM RFD QC and Briggs AO opened the Royal Commission on Friday 18 January 2019 where the first preliminary hearing was held in Adelaide. Briggs AO spoke of what to expect over the course of the Royal Commission, and their aim to have “a system which has services that are compassionate, fit for purpose, customised to individual needs, and of the highest standards in terms of quality and safety.”

The Royal Commission will visit all capital cities as well as regional centres and will produce an interim report by 31 October 2019, with its final report to be released no later than 30 April 2020.

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