Government appoints first aged care quality and safety Commissioner

The Government today announced Janet Anderson as Australia’s first aged care quality and safety Commissioner.
 
Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Federal Minister Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt, described the appointment as ‘a significant milestone in the journey towards a better, safer aged care system’.
 
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon earlier welcomed the commitment to restore trust in aged care, saying that GPs have long been concerned over conditions in the sector. He has called for ‘real action’ to ensure the delivery of quality care.
 
Ms Anderson is an experienced health sector leader who will oversee the approval, accreditation, assessment, complaints resolution, monitoring and compliance of Government-funded aged care providers, and prepare the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission for intensified compliance monitoring from 1 January 2019.
 
The Commission will also incorporate the Department of Health’s aged care compliance responsibilities from January 2020.
 
The Commission will have a budget of almost $300 million over four years, $48.2 million of which will go towards expanding monitoring and compliance teams, continuing unannounced inspections of aged care facilities, identifying sub-standard care, and developing options for a Serious Incident Response Scheme.
 
Ms Anderson will be assisted by aged care medical expert Associate Professor Michael Murray, who is working as the new interim Chief Clinical Advisor to support key establishment activities in the Commission.

Updated: This article originally incorrectly stated Janet Anderson had been named Commissioner of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

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