Labor has finally admitted there may be a problem in their aged care assessment algorithm with a review into their Integrated Assessment Tool.
Today though, they rejected the urgent measure that human override be reinstated by voting down a Greens amendment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner Bill.
The Bill contained both the establishment of the office of the Commissioner on a permanent basis, and a separate schedule related to the controversial aged care assessment system.
The new schedule was tacked on to the bill last month to serious criticism from the Greens. The 'escalation pathway' contained in the schedule does not restore human override by clinicians, instead allowing the Department to review decisions. This pathway was harshly criticised by experts in the hearing on the Bill.
The Senate has previously passed a bill to reinstate human override for assessments, and a Greens motion to scrap it altogether.
As stated by Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens spokesperson Older People:
"Labor's aged care assessment tool is broken, it is systematically underassessing older people, especially those with cognitive issues, frailty and mental health conditions.
"Older people are dying because this tool is denying them the care they need, and the Labor government is blind to it.
"We have been told to wait for the much-needed review, but older Australians cannot wait any longer. They need human override to protect them from this broken tool now.
"The Greens amendment would've immediately restored human override by clinicians, and it is disappointing that Labor and the Coalition have not taken this opportunity to do so.
"We know that Labor can reinstate human override at any time with the stroke of a pen, and every under-assessment that this tool spits out is a political choice by this government."
