❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the availability of aged care beds in the South West region, including waiting times and accommodation options. The answer provides data on bed numbers, waiting lists within WACHS facilities, and alternative support options.
AnsweredQoN 2239Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the WA Country Health Service Regional Aged Care Unit and ask: (a) how many people are currently waiting for aged care beds in the South West; (b) what is the breakdown of low care, medium care and high care assessed patients waiting for accommodation; (c) how many low care, medium care and high care beds are currently provided by facilities in the South West; (d) how many low care, medium care and high care beds are currently available; (e) what is the average waiting time for low care, medium care and high care patients to access available beds; (f) what accommodation options are available for those patients waiting for aged care beds in the South West; and (g) how many hospital beds in the South West are currently being occupied by patients waiting for aged care accommodation?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 May 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
33 days
Answer as at 10 April 2014
(a) WA Country Health Service (WACHS) South West currently has 14 inpatients awaiting residential care placement as Care Awaiting Placement in acute care.
Residential aged care bed allocation is a Commonwealth government responsibility. It is not possible to accurately identify the number of people living in the community waiting for Residential Aged Care Beds.
Individual Residential Aged Care Facilities maintain waitlists within the South West, with no requirement to report these to WACHS.
(b) Within the WACHS South West facilities, there are eleven (11) high care patients and three (3) low care patients awaiting placement.
(c) High care beds: 716
·
Commonwealth funded private facilities: 665 beds
·
WACHS - South West Multi-Purpose Sites (MPS): 29 beds
·
District Hospital sites: 22 beds
Medium care beds: Nil
Low care beds: 454
·
Commonwealth funded private facilities: 424 beds
·
WACHS - South West MPS: 30 beds
(d) The South West Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre maintain an availability register that is sent out to stakeholders on a weekly basis which would indicate possible respite and permanent beds available.
The latest register dated 8 April 2014 listed one (1) available bed in Augusta and one (1) extra services bed in Bunbury.
(e) According to WACHS Care Awaiting Placement South West data for past 12 months (3 April 2013-2014) the average length of time as Care Awaiting Placement for WACHS in-patients is 20.5 days. As per answer (a), this is not able to be determined for people waiting in the community.
(f) For some residents, it is possible to remain supported in the community whilst waiting for residential care, with in-home community supports such as the Home and Community Care program and Commonwealth funded Home Care Packages. People assessed as requiring immediate residential care may elect to be accommodated in residential care in the metropolitan area whilst waiting for place closer to home, or as Care Awaiting Placement in the local hospital until a suitable placement can be sought.
(g) 14 beds.
(a) WA Country Health Service (WACHS) South West currently has 14 inpatients awaiting residential care placement as Care Awaiting Placement in acute care.
Residential aged care bed allocation is a Commonwealth government responsibility. It is not possible to accurately identify the number of people living in the community waiting for Residential Aged Care Beds.
Individual Residential Aged Care Facilities maintain waitlists within the South West, with no requirement to report these to WACHS.
(b) Within the WACHS South West facilities, there are eleven (11) high care patients and three (3) low care patients awaiting placement.
(c) High care beds: 716
·
Commonwealth funded private facilities: 665 beds
·
WACHS - South West Multi-Purpose Sites (MPS): 29 beds
·
District Hospital sites: 22 beds
Medium care beds: Nil
Low care beds: 454
·
Commonwealth funded private facilities: 424 beds
·
WACHS - South West MPS: 30 beds
(d) The South West Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre maintain an availability register that is sent out to stakeholders on a weekly basis which would indicate possible respite and permanent beds available.
The latest register dated 8 April 2014 listed one (1) available bed in Augusta and one (1) extra services bed in Bunbury.
(e) According to WACHS Care Awaiting Placement South West data for past 12 months (3 April 2013-2014) the average length of time as Care Awaiting Placement for WACHS in-patients is 20.5 days. As per answer (a), this is not able to be determined for people waiting in the community.
(f) For some residents, it is possible to remain supported in the community whilst waiting for residential care, with in-home community supports such as the Home and Community Care program and Commonwealth funded Home Care Packages. People assessed as requiring immediate residential care may elect to be accommodated in residential care in the metropolitan area whilst waiting for place closer to home, or as Care Awaiting Placement in the local hospital until a suitable placement can be sought.
(g) 14 beds.
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