RSL Australia Calls for Changes to Draft Aged Care Legislation to Improve Veteran Outcomes

12 Mar

MEDIA RELEASE

The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has lodged a submission calling for changes to the Government’s proposed new Aged Care Legislation to improve outcomes for veterans, widow(er)s and their families.

The RSL participated in the consultative forum on the draft legislation hosted by the Department of Health and Aged Care and fully supports the the joint submission lodged by national organisations working with older people and carers.

However, RSL National President Greg Melick said there were specific gaps in the legislation that needed to be addressed to ensure that veterans, widow(er)s and their families were not disadvantaged when they moved into aged care. This formed the basis of the RSL’s submission provided as feedback to the draft Bill.

“Our submission stresses the importance of eligible veterans and widow(er)s being able to seamlessly access the high quality medical and allied health services, aids and appliances provided by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) as they move into aged care system. Access to these services should be provided as a life-time entitlement,” Greg Melick said.

“The RSL is also expressing its concern regarding the limited reference in the draft legislation to ensuring that this access to DVA entitlements is consistent for all eligible veterans and widow(er)s.”

Greg Melick said the legislation needed to acknowledge the unique nature of veteran needs and the services available through DVA and should identify veterans, and war widows and widowers as a specific group.

“While we agree that services should not be duplicated, it is essential that previously provided services are not simply removed from eligible veterans, widow(er)s and their families on moving into aged care, and this should be specified in the legislation.

“The RSL’s submission is asking the Government to amend the draft legislation to ensure the recognition and ongoing delivery of all services provided by DVA to all eligible clients in an aged care environment and sets out wording to achieve this.

“The legislation should include a section on integrated services and clearly state where services are provided by multiple organisations, as well as the need to identify existing DVA entitlements.

“It should be noted that DVA is currently undertaking a legislative reform process which is likely to involve significant restructuring of veteran legislation, and this may need to be referenced in the Aged Care Bill.”

Greg Melick said Australia’s veterans, widow(er)s and their families already had legislated entitlement to high quality medical and allied health benefits.

“It is essential that they can access these benefits as they move into supported living. Their benefits should not cease just because they have made that step into older age, and this factor had already been identified by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, particularly in rural and remote areas,” he said.

Read the submission