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NACA calls on parties to get the link between aged care and health right
28 September 2004
The National Aged Care Alliance (the Alliance) today called on the political parties in the lead-up to the federal election to commit to the introduction of a national strategic framework for the health care of older people covering all settings where services are provided.
A spokesperson for the Alliance said that older people, including people in residential aged care services, need fair and equitable access to the full range of health services for optimal independence and well being to be achieved.
Too many older people are falling through the gaps and missing out on essential health care because Australia's health and aged care services are not well coordinated or appropriately integrated, the Alliance claimed.
Governments need to act urgently to introduce policies to achieve a system of services where older people can access a full range of health and aged care services based on need. The Alliance is calling for:
- the introduction of a national strategic framework for the health care of older people covering all settings where care services are provided;
- the development of best practice care pathways and guidelines to be developed and introduced across the acute, community and residential aged care settings to cover a range of areas and conditions;
- a common clinical assessment process to be introduced for use across the continuum of care regardless of where care is being provided; and
- a network of health coordinators to be appointed to work closely with nurses, general practitioners, medical specialists, pharmacists and allied health staff to ensure the effective integration of both the common assessment process and the best practice care pathways and guidelines.
The National Aged Care Alliance is a body representing 24 peak national organisations in aged care including consumer groups, providers, unions, and health professionals. The Alliance Federal Election package consists of four priority areas for action by the next Federal Government. The four priority areas are:
1. Getting aged care funding right;
2. Getting the aged care workforce right;
3. Facing the dementia epidemic; and
4. Getting the link between aged care and health right.
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