The Australian Government is delivering more aged care beds where they are needed most, to ensure every older Australian can access the world-class aged care they deserve.
Today, the Government is announcing an additional investment of $115 million through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (ACCAP) to rapidly increase access to residential aged care in select hotspots.
Adelaide, Illawarra, Perth and the Hunter are the four areas to be targeted in this additional funding round starting immediately.
An Expression of Interest process is encouraging interested providers to put forward proposals that will build and open more beds within two years to help address immediate delayed discharge pressures on hospitals, and deliver services that align with the National Aged Care Design Principles.
This latest injection will take funding through the ACCAP program to over $1 billion since 2022. Future ACCAP rounds will follow later this year to ensure the Government continues to kickstart projects in regional areas.
The process will be split into two phases, with the first EOI, covering Adelaide and Illawarra, to open on Friday, 13 March and the second to focus on Perth and The Hunter to follow. Interested providers will have six weeks from opening to submit their EOI.
EOI documents, including instructions on how to participate, will be available on GrantConnect.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, Mark Butler MP:
"The Albanese Government is making record investments to increase the supply of beds and capacity of our aged care systems to ensure every older Australian gets the dignity of care and support they deserve.
"We know we face a big challenge in increasing bed capacity across our health and aged care systems to meet growing demand, and that is why we're investing so strongly to increase supply as quickly as possible.
"Our Government has already invested $1 billion in expanding bed capacity in the aged care system and this latest round of funding will increase supply in areas that need it most, like Adelaide."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae MP:
"The Albanese Government is on a mission to deliver more beds, faster and in the places they are most needed - so older Australians and their loved ones have confidence that they can be cared for with dignity, when they need it.
"This announcement is the culmination of our methodical work to identify areas where bed capacity is most urgently needed, and we're moving quickly to fix it.
"We want every older Australian to access the care they need and get it sooner and closer to home. That's exactly what this round is aimed at doing - improving access as fast as possible.
"We've already invested $1 billion in aged care capital through ACCAP - more than any previous government, and we'll continue to invest in aged care supply as our ageing population grows."
Quotes attributable to the South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton MP:
"South Australia welcomes the Albanese Government's investment in additional Federal aged care capital funding.
"We are pleased that Adelaide will be among the first places in Australia to receive this additional funding, because this is needed to reduce the aged care bed block.
"The Federal Government's important investment will complement the Malinauskas Government's $250 million interest-free loans policy for providers to build new aged care centres, and our plan to develop a new 600-bed aged care precinct at the old Women's and Children's Hospital."
