An additional $3 million in funding has been made available for rural and remote providers in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, announced the funding boost yesterday which will see additional funding for 18 providers under the Flexible Aged Care Places Allocations Round for Multi-Purpose Services (MPS).
“This investment will help ensure more senior Australians have access to high-quality, higher-level aged care services,” Minister Wyatt said.
“Multi-Purpose Services play a critical role in small rural communities, many of which cannot support a stand-alone hospital or aged care facility.”
The funding will also support establishment of a new service in Bonalbo, NSW.
“It is important that senior Australians with increasing care needs are able to stay close to friends and family and the communities they have built their lives around,” said Minister Wyatt.
“This funding will allow these MPS to deliver the care that rural, regional and remote seniors deserve.”
The MPS program is a joint initiative between the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.
“Offering flexibility and maximising care choice for all Australians, whether they live in city or country areas, is fundamental to the Turnbull Government’s age care reforms,” said Minister Wyatt.
ACSA CEO, Pat Sparrow, welcomed the announcement, saying rural and Remote providers, including those operating as a Multi-Purpose Service, often face a higher cost base in delivering services that are the life blood of their communities.
“The funding of all rural and remote providers needs to be addressed by the Government as a matter of urgency,” Ms. Sparrow said.
“One thing Government could do easily and quickly is to adopt recommendation 32 of the Legislated (Tune) Review of Aged Care 2017.”
“A review the Multi-Purpose Services (MPS) program which aims to better align service delivery models in rural and remote areas, create greater consistency of services for older Australians living in those areas and ensure any future funding is properly targeted, will start the process of ensuring sustainability for rural and remote services.”
“Older Australians relying on these services need the certainty of ongoing service delivery from viable providers and funding needs to protect and ensure that consistency of care.”
The services that will receive the funding are:
| Provider | Aged care planning region | MPS Service | New flexible places |
| Northern NSW Local Health District
|
Far North Coast | Bonalbo
|
15 |
| Western NSW LHD | Central West | Grenfell | 3 |
| Western NSW LHD | Orana Far West | Nyngan | 5 |
| Western NSW LHD | Central West | Tullamore | 1 |
| Western NSW LHD | Orana Far West | Trangie | 3 |
| Hunter New England LHD | New England | Boggabri | 1 |
| Hunter New England LHD | New England | Manilla | 6 |
| Hunter New England LHD | New England | Merriwa | 2 |
| Murrumbidgee LHD | Riverina Murray | Urana | 3 |
| Murrumbidgee LHD | Riverina Murry | Jerilderie | 5 |
| Murrumbidgee LHD | Riverina Murray | Tumbarumba | 3 |
| Timboon and District Health Care Service | Barwon-South Western | Timboon | 6 |
| Country Health SA | Eyre Peninsula | Ceduna | 6 |
| Country Health SA | Eyre Peninsula | Eastern Eyre – Cleve | 7 |
| Country Health SA | Eyre Peninsula | Eastern Eyre – Cowell | 5 |
| Country Health SA | Eyre Peninsula | Eastern Eyre – Kimba | 1 |
| Country Health SA | Yorke, Lower North and Barossa | Lower North – Snowtown | 2 |
| Country Health SA | Yorke, Lower North and Barossa | Burra | 2 |
| Country Health SA | Hills, Mallee and Southern | Mallee – Karoonda | 2 |
