The state government has refused to confirm whether two Bundoora public aged-care providers would be privatised as part of a statewide reduction in public sector aged-care beds.
But the government has reaffirmed its 2012-13 budget commitment to increase the number of non-government aged-care beds by “reallocating” public aged-care services.
A government budget update in December last year outlined that
privatising government-owned aged-care beds could potentially save $75
million.
Opposition spokeswoman for seniors and ageing Jenny Mikakos raised
the alarm about the potential privatisation of two nursing homes in
Bundoora during a recent tour of the Merv Irvine Nursing Home with
Bundoora MP Colin Brooks.
Ms Mikakos said privatising nursing homes limited choices for Victorian families.
She said the decision to “sell off” aged-care facilities was an attempt to reduce staff costs.
A spokesman for Minister for Ageing David Davis, Ashley Gardiner,
said a recent takeover of Peninsula Health by Southern Cross Care (SCC)
would include an increase in the number of aged-care beds from 50 to
120.
Under the agreement, the privately owned SCC will develop a new
facility on the existing Rosebud Residential Aged Care Service site.
Mr Gardiner said the privatisation process would not reduce the
overall number of aged-care beds because the federal government
allocated additional licences each year.
“No decisions had been made about individual sites,” he said.
Mr Gardiner said the state government would work with
private and not-for-profit sectors to develop “better clinical outcomes
involving the transfer of management of aged-care services”.
Northern Health, which operates Merv Irvine and Ian Brand nursing homes in Bundoora, referred all comment to the state government.
