The AMA's is calling on IHACPA to factor in the cost of training into funding for residential aged care.
Last week the AMA made a submission to the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) consultation on the pricing framework for residential aged care services 2024-25. The Pricing Framework is published by IHACPA yearly and underpins the way IHACPA develops its costing and pricing advice for residential aged care.
In the Pricing Framework consultation paper, IHACPA recognises the need for providers to deliver services that meet the Aged Care Quality Standards, yet the funding model proposed does not recognise the need to include funding for staff training to be able to deliver quality services.
The AMA has consistently argued that factoring the cost of training into funding should be applied to residential aged care in the same way it is for public hospitals. With the growing reliance on staff from overseas to fill the roles in the aged care sector, and concessions to standard skill visa requirements such as no post qualification work experience requirement, the AMA argues that aged care providers should have to provide on-the-job training for the staff. This is also a requirement under the new Aged Care Quality Standards.
This lack of training and experience in providing quality aged care services increases hospital admissions and ED presentations for older people living in residential aged care.
