Peaks and providers reject 1.7% figure for aged care and home care submissions on the Royal Commission’s Consultation Paper – and who else made submissions?

Several sides have pointed out that the 32 submissions made by aged care and home care providers covered in yesterday’s issue doesn’t reflect an accurate picture of the number of providers who contributed to submissions. LASA tells us that they did an extensive consultation with its members prior to making their submission on the Paper and plan to provide subsequent submissions on broader system reform to the Royal Commission. The CEO of one large Not For Profit added they provided a detailed response to both LASA and their parent organisation, while another Not For Profit that did make a submission says it represented seven individual providers. But even taking these combined submissions into account, it’s hard to conclude the submissions are a true representation of the whole sector. Here’s a complete breakdown of the various groups that made published submissions:

• Aged care, home care and CHSP (community care) providers – 38
• Home carers/members of the public – 15
• Local councils – 11
• Consumer advocacy groups – 10
• Healthcare groups – 7
• Former and current individuals working in aged care – 7
• Allied health groups – 6
• Transport groups – 5
• Dementia advocacy groups – 5
• Industry groups – 4
• Primary health networks – 4
• Government and government bodies – 3
• State bodies – 4
• Academic researchers – 4
• Aged care therapy programs – 4
• Industry peak bodies – 3
• Assessment services – 3
• Aged care technology providers – 3 (Checked in Care, Emprevo and Ward Medication Management)
• Not For Profit groups for older people – 3
• Dental associations – 3
• Ethnic representative groups – 2
• Carers groups – 2
• Palliative care groups – 2
• Pharmacy groups – 2
• Nurse practitioners – 2
• Lawyers – 2 (one from a peak body and the other from Arthur Koumoukelis at Thomson Geer)
• Consultants – 2 (Fortis and Research Analytics and People and Culture Solutions)
• Unions – 1 (the ANMF)
• Aged care investment funds – 1 (Justin Laboo’s Catalyst Health REIT)
• Background check providers –1
• Geriatricians – 1
• Legal services – 1
• Accountants – 1 (the Melbourne-based MVA Bennett)
• Architect – 1 (former ThomsonAdsett head of Seniors Living Dr Matthew Hutchinson)
• Aged care psychiatrist – 1
• Aged care inreach services – 1
• Housing groups – 1
• Media groups – 1

A few points. While some of the submissions are from larger bodies representing several providers, some are also from single providers. These range from Regis Healthcare – which provided the longest submission at 79 pages – right down to a number from small community CHSP providers and stand-alone facilities. Even if every one of the total 38 submissions from aged care, home care and CHSP providers represented seven smaller providers, that still would only amount to 15% of the sector. The industry peaks and larger bodies must also speak for a broader cross-section of providers that may not always have the same concerns, depending on whether they are small or large, regional or metropolitan. Case in point: several submissions are from providers in rural and remote areas that are incurring heavy financial losses. While the true submission figure is higher than the original calculation, do they really illustrate what everyone in the sector is thinking? Interesting too is the fact the second largest number of submissions at 15 came from members of the public – usually people caring for an older person at home or with a family member living in residential care voicing individual concerns or taking a bigger picture view. A sign that the Royal Commission is still engaging the community – at least some of them? This group is followed by local councils – generally ones that are still providing community care services but struggling in the current competitive climate – and the consumer advocacy groups that always devote resources to making their voices heard. Then you have another set of submissions from those with experience working in the sector past and present, various healthcare, allied health and dementia advocacy groups plus Government bodies, academic researchers and the peak bodies (only three out of the seven). It’s also worth noting there are relatively few submissions from the advisers, lawyers, accountants and consultants who work with providers, with Arthur Koumoukelis and Justin Laboo being the notable exceptions. Surely, they would have something to say on the shape of Australia’s future aged care system? You can read the submissions here. Where will the sector be in 2025 then? The focus of this year’s LEADERS SUMMIT is what a post-Royal Commission future could look like for both aged care and retirement living. Over 30-plus industry leaders will be on the podium sharing their visions and strategies – you can see the speaker list HERE. Join the discussion by registering HERE for Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March, at the Hyatt Regency Sydney, overlooking Darling Harbour and Barangaroo.