NSW Hospitals Overwhelmed by Aged Care Shortage
NSW hospitals are grappling with a growing backlog of patients who are clinically ready for discharge but lack access to appropriate aged care or disability care services. This shortage has resulted in hospitals becoming de facto aged care facilities, particularly in remote rural areas.
NSW Health officials have warned the state government that hospitals and emergency departments are being forced to accommodate older adults and individuals with disabilities due to a lack of community-based support services. This has led to an unnecessary strain on hospital resources and bed occupancy.
Data from NSW Health indicates that around 550 patients occupy hospital beds without a clinical reason on any given day. This surge in aged care patients exceeding their discharge dates began in late 2022, while the number of NDIS patients awaiting discharge has slightly decreased.
NSW Health’s submission to the special inquiry into healthcare funding attributes the current situation to a combination of factors, including:
- Increasing strain on the aged care sector, leading to facility closures and reduced capacity
- Long-standing viability concerns and chronic workforce shortages within the aged care sector
- National aged care reforms that have not adequately addressed the sector’s challenges
This situation has a significant impact on the public hospital system, preventing patients from being discharged despite being clinically ready.
The Committee for Economic Development in Australia (CEDA) reported that aged care facilities are struggling to recruit enough workers to meet the mandated staffing levels, particularly in rural and remote areas. This has resulted in many facilities operating under capacity and exacerbating the bed shortage.
The federal government funds aged care, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and primary care, while state governments bear the responsibility for hospital systems.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the challenges and stated that the government has deployed 24 urgent outreach teams to help reduce emergency department presentations by treating older adults in their homes or aged care facilities.
Park emphasized the importance of the special inquiry in examining the healthcare system’s governance and accountability mechanisms and identifying strategies to curb waste and escalating costs.
The inquiry received more than 200 submissions, including one from the Western Local Health District (LHD), which covers a third of the state. The LHD’s submission highlighted the market failure of aged and disability care in small towns, leading to a lack of home support services and aged care facility closures.
The Western Sydney LHD’s submission addressed the issue of reduced bulk-billing rates and a shortage of GPs, which have contributed to a significant increase in emergency department presentations.
The federal government is currently reviewing the NDIS to ensure its sustainability following an independent review. The NDIS is projected to cost over $100 billion by 2032.