AHPA’s submission to consultation for “A New Model for regulating aged care” in June 2023 focused largely on the implications of the proposed new regulatory model for allied health services in aged care.
AHPA and its Aged Care Working Group support the development of a new model to regulate aged care, and the aim of strengthening the quality and safety of the aged care system in a manner proportionate to risk and administratively efficient. We do not support some key aspects of the model as currently proposed because they are inconsistent with that aim.
Our submission also identified some fundamental flaws and failures in the present aged care system that must be addressed by the new model. Specifically, an effective, high quality aged system must address the current reality that allied health is sidelined in comparison to the two other essential pillars of aged care, nursing and personal care.
We argue the new regulatory system must reject the current ‘nice to have, but not essential’ approach to allied health, and instead embed accountability for the provision of allied health services as a critical element of the aged care system.
You can read our submission here: