A major shake-up for the rest-home sector has been signalled, including a new watchdog to help stamp out poor care.
Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa has revealed she has asked the Ministry of Health for advice about possible reforms, and options covered include establishing an aged care commission.
Preliminary advice sent by officials this week outlined the possible scope of responsibilities and functions of such an office.
"This advice will be considered in consultation with other ministers to determine next steps.''
Ms Salesa's statement yesterday came after Grey Power said earlier this week it was disappointed and frustrated no commitment had been made to set up an aged care commission, and was concerned for the safety of some people in aged care.
An investigation earlier this year found a third of the country's 651 aged-care facilities had experienced recent shortcomings related to resident care.
Residents have died from festering bedsores, and in one case a family found maggots hatching in their father's sores.
Other issues include a lack of food and incontinence supplies and a 95-year-old forced to sleep in a recliner chair for 24 days because an adjustable bed was not available.
Legislation introduced this week in Australia will set up a new independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to crack down on widespread failures in rest-home care.
In New Zealand, both Labour and the Green Party went into the election with policy to set up a similar watchdog.
The two parties together with Grey Power held an inquiry into the sector shortly before last year's election, and produced a report calling for big changes.
Those included making voluntary aged care standards mandatory, and setting up the office of the aged care commissioner and position of aged care commissioner, to help enforce standards.
Other recommendations were to set up a star rating for rest-homes, and investigate whether the current process for complaints from residents and families was good enough.
Ms Salesa said the inquiry recommendations did not form part of the Coalition Agreement with New Zealand First.
Advice she received this week from officials related to Labour-Greens-Grey Power inquiry recommendations.
- NZME
