Every day around the country, individuals working in aged care are responsible for the care of more than one million older Australians, and that number is growing. We take this responsibility seriously and believe the majority of care provided is of the highest quality.
Aged care is a uniquely human industry. We recognise things can and do go wrong. We are also an industry committed to continuous improvement and addressing problems where they occur. We believe there is no room in our community for poor or inattentive care and we have zero tolerance for criminal abuse, assault or negligence.
We acknowledge that in recent times there has been increasing community concern about the quality of aged care.
As aged care providers, respect for our elders is at the heart of what we do. We share the community’s desire for older Australians to be able to choose from a range of quality aged care services that provide the compassionate and dignified care they need and deserve.
The aged care sector does not fear scrutiny or accountability. We have actively participated in multiple and substantial government-led inquiries and reviews over the years with the aim of improving and delivering quality aged care services.
We will participate fully and transparently in the Royal Commission towards the same ends.
The Royal Commission will provide the community with an opportunity to engage in a much-needed, constructive national discussion about the future of aged care, including how as a society we will deliver the quality services our growing ageing population will need and how it will be sustainably funded.
We want the Royal Commission to focus on the root cause and critical issues facing aged care. This will give us the foundation to deliver on public expectations in the future.
As the peak body for not-for-profit aged care providers, we believe the attention a Royal Commission will bring to the sector can be harnessed for the good of all Australians.
~
