Specialities
BREAKING: ACAT Privatisation STOPPED!
The Morrison Government’s plan to privatise Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT) has been scrapped following a meeting of the state and territory health ministers today in Melbourne.
In a communique published after the COAG Health Council meeting, the Morrison Government has “agreed to work with the States and Territories to have a consistent, uniform, efficient and integrated aged care assessment process” and “confirmed that it is not proceeding with the current tender process”. Click here for the full communique.
Just before Christmas last year, the Morrison Government quietly announced its decision to put the management of Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT) out to tender, with the successful provider to take over the service from April 2021.
The pre-emptive decision was made before the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety had a chance to deliver final recommendations. It would have affected existing assessment services expertly delivered by a skilled NSW public health workforce of registered nurses, social workers and others, jeopardising the jobs of hundreds of skilled practitioners.
Consumers in need of expert support could have been directed to a for-profit provider, not independent of the care provider.
A fantastic result! Thank you to all the NSWNMA members who assisted in this campaign! Privatising this critical service would have put the health of elderly Australians at greater risk.
Kerri Carmichael says
Having worked in the Aged sector since 1990 I am so pleased that the ACAT Teams will remain with State Health staff. We need the expertise to complete these assessments as nearly all clients have co morbidities and need skilled staff to approve appropriate services.
Clients are in desperate need for HCP in the community to remain living independently. We need politicians to step up and support our most vulnerable.
Sarah Troy says
This is brilliant news. We must push back against privatisation. It does not deliver in the best interests of people.