The Australian Government supports care for older Australians living in aged care homes through a government subsidy that homes receive based on the aged care provider’s appraisal of each resident’s care needs. From March 2008, the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) replaced the Resident Classification Scale (RCS) as the mechanism to allocate this Government subsidy.

The ACFI was developed in response to the Review of Pricing Arrangements in Residential Aged Care carried out by Professor Warren Hogan in 2004 and the RCS Review in 2003. The ACFI is designed to:

• better match funding to the complex care needs of residents;
• reduce the documentation created by aged care providers to justify funding; and
• achieve higher levels of agreement between aged care staff and departmental review officers in review audits (known as validation).

The Australian Government committed to a post-implementation review to ensure that the new instrument is meeting its objectives.

People living with Young Onset Dementia

Young Onset Dementia is poorly recognised. People living with this condition require different responses to those of older poeple living with dementia.

For too long, residential aged care has remained the default option for people living with young onset dementia who can no longer live at home.

The submission calls for immediate government action to develop the age appropriate supports and services in the community these individuals require.

Key issues

People who suffer traumatic head injuries playing sport have no personal injury insurance for lifetime support.

The Alliance has called for this cover to be included in the general injury stream of the NIIS.

To read more about the inquiry, go to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry homepage

Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

No Cover No Care

An essential public health response to the need for Lifetime Care and Support for West Australians seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents.

The West Australian Government recently released a Green Paper seeking public comment on reform of the state’s Compulsory Third Party Motor Vehicle Insurance Scheme. This reform is part of a broader national reform in this area and an important precursor to implementation of the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS).

In its submission, the Alliance called for more integrated responses across the disability, health and aged care sectors an development of a national rehabilitation strategy.

The Young People In Nursing Homes National Alliance is pleased to contribute to this Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) and welcomes the fact that work on the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) is proceeding. We complement PwC on what is a well researched and well written document.