The Australian Government will invest a further $132.2 million in its response to the Aged Care Royal Commission’s recommendations on COVID-19.

The Government accepted and is acting on all six recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety as previously announced in October 2020.

The $132.2 million package includes $63.3 million for a range of Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) measures including mental and allied health support, and additional allied health group services, $57.8 million to fund jurisdictions to support Infection Prevention and Control training within facilities and a further $11.1 million toward a Serious Incident Response Scheme.

These measures mark not only an improvement in access to mental and allied health services for senior Australians in aged care but also provides additional funding to GPs and allied health professionals delivering in-person care in facilities nationwide.

The Australian Government has been working with state and territory governments to implement a decision of National Cabinet of 21 August, 2020 for three actions to boost preparedness at the provider, local, state and national level of:

• Ongoing assessment of the preparedness of aged care providers.
• Auditing of State and Territory emergency response capabilities and planning for the standing up of joint health aged care emergency responses.
• Prioritisation of additional face-to-face infection prevention and control training for residential aged care providers.

“This investment directly addresses issues raised by the Aged Care Royal Commission and will improve and support the health and wellbeing of aged care residents most significantly impacted by COVID-19,” Minister Hunt said.