AMA Position Statement on Access to Medical Care for Older Australians
The AMA has developed a new Position Statement on Access to Medical Care for Older Australians, which highlights medical care as an integral component of comprehensive quality aged care.
AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the AMA has for many years promoted the importance of access to medical care for older Australians but successive Governments have failed to elevate medical care as a priority in their aged care policies.
Dr Hambleton said that the Government’s recent Living Longer Living Better aged care package failed to give any prominence to medical care.
“The aged care sector must be able to provide the level and quality of medical, nursing and allied health services required to meet the needs of the ageing population,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Without appropriate policy and funding measures, there is a very real risk that older Australians will not be able to get the medical care they need when they need it.
“The Government must take a serious look at measures to ensure that older Australians continue to have access to medical care in their twilight years.
“The AMA Position Statement sets out the measures that the Government should put in place now to allow our ageing population to secure affordable medical care into the future.
“Medicare rebates for medical services provided in residential aged care facilities must be increased to reflect the complexity of care and the significant amount of additional, but clinically relevant, non face-to-face time with the patient that goes into overseeing their care.”
The AMA Position Statement on Access to Medical Care for Older Australians can be viewed here.
