1 / 12

Getting Community Care Providers Connected

Getting Community Care Providers Connected. Connections in Aged & Community Care Symposium 2 July 2010. Community Care in Australia. Govt investment in community care services

anika-berger
Download Presentation

Getting Community Care Providers Connected

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Getting Community Care Providers Connected Connections in Aged & Community Care Symposium 2 July 2010

  2. Community Care in Australia • Govt investment in community care services • In 2008-09 $2.9 Billion for Community Care services across Australia - including expenditure of $1.8 Billion on Home and Community Care (HACC) • Almost 1 Million people accessed support - collectively across funded community care programs • Broad range of programs/initiatives • Privately funded service options increasing • Growing area and preferred by many older Australians

  3. Community Care in Queensland • Large number and diversity (size, location, focus)of service providers • Increased use of technology for business operations • Some providers adopting “virtual office”, significant investment in telecommunications and computer software/hardware • Limited evidence of smart technology changing the way services are delivered or replacing face-to-face service provision

  4. Community Care in Queensland • HACC Service Types & Guidelines – strong focus on supporting independent living and funded on hours/transport trips/meals/modifications • Veterans Home Care – similar to HACC • Packaged Care (CACPs/EACH/EACHD) – more complex care and greater flexibility in applying funding but use of technology not actively promoted • Funding to Life Tec to promote and advise on assistive technology but not for direct subsidies or provision of equipment to clients

  5. Investment in Technology Commonwealth Govt in 2007-08 allocated $21.4 million over four years to : 1. Undertake research into national and international use of Assistive Technologies 2. Establish an industry body to: – promote the use of assistive technology, and – to use the busying power of the large number of services - to negotiate discounts on assistive technology solutions. 3. Offer annual grants program ($15.3 million over three years) to fund innovation in Assistive Technology – First grants to be advertised early in the 2008 calendar year And then……

  6. Investment in Technology • 2009 budget discontinued initiative as: “aged care industry is now aware of the availability and benefits of such technology.”

  7. Investment in Technology • Smart Home Demonstrator • Queensland HACC Program 2010 • - $1.1 million one-off funding targeted at “smart assistive technology” • Linked to provision of allied health services • Focus on promoting a person’s functional independence BUT……….

  8. Investment in Technology • A welcome but small, targeted investment • Potentially fragmented approach • Funded organisations responsible for own evaluation • Unclear how initiative will be evaluated as a whole • No commitment for ongoing support/focus • HACC Program will be split from mid 2012 – ageing part to the Commonwealth

  9. What’s Required ? • Government needs to recognise and actively promote technology • Government program and funding guidelines need to allow for investment/provision of smart assistive technology as normal part of service provision • Ensuring research and evidence is provided to key decision makers within Government (politicians and bureaucrats) • Raising awareness with consumers and within broader community

  10. An International example

  11. Opportunities to Influence • Queensland Govt – 10 year plan for Queenslanders with a disability – consultation process • Department of Health & Ageing - to get back on agenda (Aged Care Innovative Pool) • Queensland Govt – Positively Ageless Seniors Strategy 2010-20 • Submissions to Productivity Commission Inquiries • Care of Older Australians • Disability Care & Support

  12. Let’s Get Connecting! Paul Johnson Community Care Manager Aged Care Queensland paulj@acqi.org.au

More Related