No Complaints About the New Aged Care Complaints Commissioner

Alzheimer’s Australia has welcomed the newly established independent Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. Ms Rae Lamb, supported by a team of 150 people in multiple sites across Australia will handle and investigate any complaint relating to a Commonwealth subsidised residential or home-based aged care service.

Alzheimer’s Australia National President, Professor Graeme Samuel AC supports the comments made by the Minister for Health, Aged Care and Sport, The Hon. Sussan Ley recognising that "separating complaints from the regulation and funding of aged care will strengthen the aged care complaints process."

“Making the Commissioner independent gives consumers confidence that their complaints will be listened to and that making the complaint can lead to positive action to improve care for themselves, loved ones and others,” Professor Samuel said.

Alzheimer’s Australia is pleased that consumer concerns about reluctance to complain identified by the Productivity Commission’s 2011 report, Caring for Older Australians, have been considered - with the independent Commissioner allowing complaints to be lodged openly, confidentially and anonymously by anyone including care recipients, family members, friends, staff, volunteers or professionals.

“This independent Aged Care Complaints Commissioner is a welcome step in the right direction – but it needs to be complemented with a broader commitment to putting some quality indicators in place across the aged care sector. This can only be done by listening to what consumers have to say about their experience of care and services, through transparent reporting to drive quality improvement, consumer confidence and informed consumer choice.

“By being able to measure quality based on consumer experience, we can aim to improve care and services not only for the 342,800 people living with dementia, but all Australians accessing aged care services across the country,” Professor Samuel concluded.

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