Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question and for her focus on health and aged care in her state of Tasmania.

I haven't seen that news report, Senator Tyrrell, but I think those stories have been far too common in aged care, which is why we took the policy to the election that we did, around implementing nurses 24/7 into aged-care facilities and increasing the care minutes. Responding to some of the health challenges in aged care has been very difficult for providers where nursers have not been available, and I know that the Minister for Aged Care—in fact, I met with her yesterday on aged-care matters—has been absolutely focused on making sure that nursing 24/7 is implemented. We're looking at workforce shortages, where they are and how we deal with those, and working with providers. The aim is that people who live in residential aged care have access 24/7 to nursing care, which is something that they haven't had, particularly in small and regional areas.

I spent some time working in aged care and visited a number of aged-care facilities, and those aged-care staff do an incredible job caring for people often with very complex health conditions. Sometimes residential aged-care facilities are actually more like a subacute hospital than your traditional thinking of what an aged-care facility would be because of the complexity of the residents who are living there.

My answer to you, Senator Tyrrell, is: that is the aim of the policy—to make sure that residents' health needs are addressed and that we have access to that professional service 24/7. (Time expired)