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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/08/qa-aged-care-minister-clutches-purse-strings-while-faced-with-nursing-home-neglect
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| Q&A: aged care minister clutches purse strings when faced with nursing home neglect | Q&A: aged care minister clutches purse strings when faced with nursing home neglect |
| (5 months later) | |
| The federal aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, spent almost an hour on national television on Monday night wearing the pursed expression of a man with an empty wallet, trying to avoid being asked for money. | The federal aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, spent almost an hour on national television on Monday night wearing the pursed expression of a man with an empty wallet, trying to avoid being asked for money. |
| One seat away on ABC TV’s Q&A program, the head of the aged care sector lobby, Sean Rooney, was after much more than the minister’s spare change. | One seat away on ABC TV’s Q&A program, the head of the aged care sector lobby, Sean Rooney, was after much more than the minister’s spare change. |
| Rooney, the chief executive of Leading Age Services Australia, told the panel the sector needed $1.3bn from the federal government in the next 18 months, in addition to current funding levels. | Rooney, the chief executive of Leading Age Services Australia, told the panel the sector needed $1.3bn from the federal government in the next 18 months, in addition to current funding levels. |
| How can I tell my patients they'll be fine in a nursing home? Our trust in the industry was misplaced | Ranjana Srivastava | How can I tell my patients they'll be fine in a nursing home? Our trust in the industry was misplaced | Ranjana Srivastava |
| That sort of money would be needed just to keep existing standards in place, until the final recommendations of a royal commission that has revealed horrifying stories about mistreatment, neglect and a lack of resources in Australian nursing homes. | That sort of money would be needed just to keep existing standards in place, until the final recommendations of a royal commission that has revealed horrifying stories about mistreatment, neglect and a lack of resources in Australian nursing homes. |
| “If we want a world-class aged-care system it’s going to require world-class funding,” Rooney said, addressing his comments no one in particular. | “If we want a world-class aged-care system it’s going to require world-class funding,” Rooney said, addressing his comments no one in particular. |
| “We spend 1% of [gross domestic product] on aged care. This is not a sustainable, viable system as it currently stands and we need to come up with a solution, right now.” | “We spend 1% of [gross domestic product] on aged care. This is not a sustainable, viable system as it currently stands and we need to come up with a solution, right now.” |
| Colbeck wanted to help, he said. He just didn’t have the money right now, but would definitely think about it and talk to his boss first. | Colbeck wanted to help, he said. He just didn’t have the money right now, but would definitely think about it and talk to his boss first. |
| “It’s not something that we’re not considering,” he said. | “It’s not something that we’re not considering,” he said. |
| “I can’t make a commitment to something that hasn’t been decided by government. | “I can’t make a commitment to something that hasn’t been decided by government. |
| “We are looking at all of the reports and numbers right now. I’m very cognisant of the needs of industry right now.” | “We are looking at all of the reports and numbers right now. I’m very cognisant of the needs of industry right now.” |
| "I am very cognisant of the circumstances around the industry right now" @richardmcolbeck on the Government's planned action on aged care #QandA pic.twitter.com/xdRJuYhksB | "I am very cognisant of the circumstances around the industry right now" @richardmcolbeck on the Government's planned action on aged care #QandA pic.twitter.com/xdRJuYhksB |
| The episode of Q&A devoted its entire hour to the aged care situation. The royal commission has heard a seemingly endless stream of horror stories about poor and exploitative conditions. Talk about solutions mostly came down to numbers and brass tacks. | The episode of Q&A devoted its entire hour to the aged care situation. The royal commission has heard a seemingly endless stream of horror stories about poor and exploitative conditions. Talk about solutions mostly came down to numbers and brass tacks. |
| Colbeck said staff-patient ratios were a “simple and blunt instrument” and that there was no evidence these would improve the system. | Colbeck said staff-patient ratios were a “simple and blunt instrument” and that there was no evidence these would improve the system. |
| Sarah Holland-Batt, a consumer advocate whose father was abused in an aged care facility, said Colbeck’s notion of a blunt instrument could also be called a “bare minimum”. | Sarah Holland-Batt, a consumer advocate whose father was abused in an aged care facility, said Colbeck’s notion of a blunt instrument could also be called a “bare minimum”. |
| “As someone whose parent suffered repeatedly from poor staffing ... [I] frankly think the fact that there is not a registered nurse on site at aged-care facilities [at all times] is outrageous,” Holland-Batt said. | “As someone whose parent suffered repeatedly from poor staffing ... [I] frankly think the fact that there is not a registered nurse on site at aged-care facilities [at all times] is outrageous,” Holland-Batt said. |
| 'Something is wrong at the top': how Bupa's aged care homes hit rock bottom | 'Something is wrong at the top': how Bupa's aged care homes hit rock bottom |
| Labor’s shadow aged care minister, Julie Collins, said the system needed more transparency about how government funding was being spent, and around how complaints were handled. | Labor’s shadow aged care minister, Julie Collins, said the system needed more transparency about how government funding was being spent, and around how complaints were handled. |
| “For repeat offenders that continually breach accreditation, I think we need to consider some form of penalty,” Collins said. | “For repeat offenders that continually breach accreditation, I think we need to consider some form of penalty,” Collins said. |
| The celebrity chef Maggie Beer, whose foundation has been working and campaigning to improve food for people in aged-care facilities, said in some cases meals were costing $6 per person, per day. | The celebrity chef Maggie Beer, whose foundation has been working and campaigning to improve food for people in aged-care facilities, said in some cases meals were costing $6 per person, per day. |
| “It can’t happen, you cannot get proper food [for $6 a day],” Beer said. | “It can’t happen, you cannot get proper food [for $6 a day],” Beer said. |
| “Should there be Government regulations that force facilities to improve meals and so improve the quality of life?” #QandA pic.twitter.com/qOAEa2vrTO | “Should there be Government regulations that force facilities to improve meals and so improve the quality of life?” #QandA pic.twitter.com/qOAEa2vrTO |
| “It’s not just money that will make a difference. You cannot do real food, with the scent of home cooking. The scent of food is what gives you the cues to eat and helps the pleasure of eating. At $6 or $7 a day you can only have processed foods or frozen foods. | “It’s not just money that will make a difference. You cannot do real food, with the scent of home cooking. The scent of food is what gives you the cues to eat and helps the pleasure of eating. At $6 or $7 a day you can only have processed foods or frozen foods. |
| “There’s got to be joy in life, there’s got to be pleasure. I bring so much back to food. Nutrition is not enough.” | “There’s got to be joy in life, there’s got to be pleasure. I bring so much back to food. Nutrition is not enough.” |
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| Royal commission into aged care quality and safety | Royal commission into aged care quality and safety |
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