The myHomecare Group was featured in The Guardian’s article ‘Home care packages delayed as staff shortages ravage aged care sector.’
Our views on the current staffing shortages are mentioned within.
For a summary of the article read on.
Despite the release of 80,000 extra packages, thousands of people are still waiting for adequate in-home care.
Home care providers say staff shortages are so acute that people can’t receive services.
The Australian government pledged $6.5 billion last year to fund an extra 80,000 Home Care Packages to alleviate the crisis.
The new packages, largely welcomed by the sector, are being progressively released over two years to mid-2023. But the actual delivery of services approved and funded by the government is being compromised by ongoing staffing shortages.
The peak group Aged and Community Services Australia says it has received anecdotal reports that in-home care staff shortages are now so severe that some people cannot receive their care.
That accords with comments from the largest Home Care Package Provider, the myHomecare Group, who told Guardian Australia that the sector’s “abysmal” turnover and staffing shortages were compromising less urgent services to home care recipients.
The latest government data shows that, despite the new funding, the total number of providers has actually decreased in the past year, down 1.8%, or 17 providers.
68,429 people had been approved for a Home Care Package, but are still waiting for that Package to be provided. The number of people without adequate home care has reduced but is still significant.
“While Labor has offered nothing on home care – the Morrison Government is investing in aged care workforce initiatives that attract and retain a diverse range of workers with the right skills, knowledge and attributes to work and pursue a career in aged care,” a spokesperson said. “Initiatives include place-based approaches targeting local workers and national projects.”
Providers Take Industrial Action.
Meanwhile, in residential care, workers across five providers have voted to take industrial action.
The United Workers Union said that the providers employed 7,000 workers who had voted to take industrial action. Three more ballots are due in the next week.
“They are sick of propping up a broken system,” UWU aged care director Carolyn Smith said.
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