Commonwealth crackdown on state-run ACATs
The Department of Health has required state and territory governments to demonstrate how they will improve the performance of their Aged Care Assessment Teams amid concerns over assessment delays.
Department officials told a Senate estimates hearing last night states were being held accountable for failures to meet key performance targets as part of agreements with the Commonwealth to deliver comprehensive assessments for older people.
The department revealed some states were taking up to three months to complete 80 per cent of assessments referred by My Aged Care, with Queensland and Tasmania singled out as among the worst-performing jurisdictions.
Three states – Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia – met a deadline last week to submit plans for lifting their performance. The department was awaiting responses from the other jurisdictions, it said.
“We have identified areas of concern. Some states are more timely than others, and so we have taken a much stronger action with those states,” Fiona Buffinton, first assistant secretary aged care access and quality, told the hearing on Tuesday.