AHPA welcomed the opportunity to make a submission on the Exposure Draft of the Inspector General of Aged Care Bill 2022.
Our comments on the Exposure Draft emphasise the need for a strong and independent Inspector General function that enhances the accountability of Australia’s aged care system via regular engagement with key stakeholders and public examination of pertinent systemic issues.
The role of Inspector-General must be centrally focused on assisting other entities such as the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (or successor) to achieve and maintain appropriate standards of quality and safety.
To provide context for this emphasis, our submission begins by outlining the current state of allied health in the aged care system and existing approaches to monitoring and accountability for the provision of allied health services. As consultation on the in-home aged care reforms is still proceeding, we focus on residential aged care.