The Process of Health Care Policy Development with Reference to Aged Care Policy - Coursework Example

Article Name: Institute: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 The Process of Health Care Policy Development with reference to Aged Care Policy 3 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0.0 Policy Analysis 4 2.1.0 Framework 4 2.1.1 Cost benefit 4 2.1.2 Cost-effectiveness 5 2.1.3 Market Competitiveness 5 2.1.4 Regulatory Impact 7 2.2.0 Social 7 2.2.1 Community Impact 7 2.2.2 Interest Group Impact 8 2.2.3 Community Values 8 2.2.4 Social Justice Principle 9 2.2.5 Cultural Heritage Impact 9 2.3.0 Environmental 10 2.3.1 Environmental impact analysis 10 2.3.2 Environmental Quality 10 2.3.3 Biodiversity 10 2.3.4 Habitat Preservation 11 2.4.0 Political 11 2.4.1 Consistency with governing party principles and policies 11 2.4.2 Agreement among policy elites 11 2.5.0 Legal 12 2.5.1 Administrative and Constitution Framework 12 2.5.2 Institution Structures and Relationship 13 2.5.3 Accountability 13 3.0 Conclusion 14 4.0 References 15 The Process of Health Care Policy Development with reference to Aged Care Policy 1.0 Introduction Australian aged care policy put emphasis on healthy ageing, and although death in the aged care environment is a common happening, least policy subsists to strengthen activities that surround death in this milieu (Cotter et al., 2012). The Australian aged care policy place considerable significance on aged people having easy access to cost effective as well as high quality aged care services, and this is echoed in present regulatory as well as institutional arrangements, which offer substantial weight to accomplishing even-handedness of access in addition to a minimum adequate service quality standard. The reason for choosing this policy is for the reason that when most people grow old as observed within the neighboured they are left without care by their own families, and so this policy plays a crucial role in the life of the elderly people. Besides that the policy has interested me because when I grow old I will desire as well to be in a position to access satisfactory care in my home.  Aged care system in Australia has changed in an impromptu manner in reaction to: the changing as well as increasing demands and needs of older individuals; political compromises; risk management failures; in addition to interest of sustainably containing the expenditure of the public (Prosser et al., 2013). The article seeks to analyse the process of health care policy development with reference to aged care policy. 2.0.0 Policy Analysis 2.1.0 Framework 2.1.1 Cost benefit Australia’s Department of Social Services always provide financial hardship aid for vital aged care related costs. In this regard, aapplicants for this form of financial assistance may look for help with their day after day expenses, accommodation bond, the accommodation charge, or the income-tested charge (Stafrace & Lilly, 2008). For an additional cost, a number of aged care homes can provide the care recipients with a higher accommodation standard, food as well as services. Besides that, the community and residential aged care in Australia has been subsidized to largely by the government, with care recipients contributing through day after day charges, which are deducted from their Means Testing and/or pension. Living as well as accommodation costs can as well be covered by means of accommodation bonds, which according to Gargett (2010) are barely accessible for Low Level Care (previously recognized as hostels), or places of Extra Service which, as defined by the name provides services akin to hotel in nursing home or high-level care places. According to Hannon (2011), the bonds are invested by residential aged care facilities owners and afterwards use the retention and return amount to finance capital costs related with housing residents. Furthermore, the bonds are usually financed through the money received by selling the care recipient’s house. 2.1.2 Cost-effectiveness Scores of the aged-care services reviewed by Hillen et al. (2011) across the prevention spectrum were established to be cost-effective (proportionate either to treatment, the subsequent optimal prevention option, or traditional protocols), especially when a long-standing societal and horizon perspective are espoused. The industry for aged care has for years been claiming that it is financial support for both high-care nursing homes and hostels must considerably be heightened (Avkiran & Mccrystal, 2014). A number of reviews as well as formal inquiries have concentrated on this issue, and such reviews and inquiries as per Tooth et al. (2012) have examined the funding issue without cost-and-quality benchmarks, presuming that at present the aged care quality is satisfactory (Gargett, 2010). Considering the meagreness of the formal aged care standards and the manner in which compliance with them is examined, Shaw et al. (2011) argue that Australians are unaware whether the aged care quality is excellent, appalling or uncaring and if they are receiving money value in aged care. 2.1.3 Market Competitiveness Undoubtedly, aged patients can be extremely susceptible to health care prices, akin to scores of other industries. In addition, as suggested by Stafrace and Lilly (2008), health plans that are consumer-oriented can be an enormous alternative that can make aged patients more cautious as well as cost-conscious with regard to their aged care needs (Fleming & FitzGerald, 2009). Moreover, shifting toward a value-based payment system can allow aged care to turn out to be more cost-effective as well as integrated whilst enhancing quality. Even though loaded with several setbacks over the past years, aged care that is well managed may considerably improve in a market that is consumer-driven (Codde, et al., 2010). In this regard, policymakers will have to formulate certain reforms relating to certificate-of-need laws, taxes, mechanisms for risk adjustment, as well as the implementation of relevant anti-trust laws to guarantee a justly competitive aged care market (Cotter, et al., 2012). 2.1.4 Regulatory Impact In Australia, the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd (ACSAA) is liable for accrediting community as well as residential aged care providers in addition for supervising their observance with standards for aged care (Stafrace & Lilly, 2008). The ACSAA’s Board of Directors included individuals with skill in aged care, together with employees recruited by aged care providers. Besides that, nursing homes in Australia function within the compliance as well as accreditation monitoring system. Monitoring compliance appears to concentrate much on nursing homes having both operational as well as administrative systems ready to deliver aged care of high quality (Codde et al., 2010). Furthermore, aged care providers can recommend a certain auditor to carry out the full audit, and the systems subsistence is typically confirmed by exhibiting documentation of aged care auditors, which according to Howe (2008) can be altered so as to attain accreditation. In this regard, where systems are implemented and where no proof subsists that systems are non-functional, the nursing home looking for accreditation will get a tick (Brodaty & Cumming, 2010). 2.2.0 Social 2.2.1 Community Impact In Australia, older people get support as well as care from informal carers, directly services from market suppliers ranging from private nursing to home maintenance, and from publicly subsidized formal residential as well as community care services. According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), in spite of a common fairy tale that the majority of older individuals reside in cared accommodation, almost 92 percent of older Australians stay in private homes as family members or lone-entity households (Tooth et al., 2012). AIHW further notes that merely 8 percent are normal residents in non-private homes, which consist of guest houses, motels, hotels as well as cared accommodation like aged care homes, infirmaries and supported dwellings provided by a number of retirement villages. Even though the percentage of older people staying in non-private dwellings heightens with age, the majority of aged persons stay in private homes (Perry et al., 2011). The older people care needs may differ noticeably and they might require intensive periods of rehabilitation or restorative care to help them to get back their freedom. 2.2.2 Interest Group Impact The aged care political setting, including both the balance of interest groups and governing political party, has been paramount in shaping Australian aged care policy development. According to Cusack et al. (2011), interests groups have been lobbying for the aged persons to be offered the chance to benefit from both public and private insurance. An optional view backed by the National and Liberal (or conservative) Parties as well as interest groups, is that private health insurance is an vital aspect of a unbiased system consisting of both privately and publicly funded and offered aged care. 2.2.3 Community Values Basically, there are a range of setbacks with looking for community preferences to manage aged care: the hardship in determining well-versed choice, the duration needed to achieve consensus, the pressure groups tendency as well as concerned parties to prevail over the unvoiced majority and the like. Jeon et al. (2010) posit that there are issues of wider principle (like fairness) that do appear to be well managed in aged care, since they are always referred to community values; however, how well to bring out these values remain contentious and needs more research. 2.2.4 Social Justice Principle Primarily, the social justice principles; supportive environments, diversity as well as equity are a fundamental part of effective promotion of aged care. The Australian government promotes social justice as it is intended to offer access to aged care opportunities for every aged member of in the community and aspires to decrease the health inequalities level in Australia. Social justice as per Prosser et al. (2013) denotes that the aged people’s right in the community are well thought-out in an equitable and fair manner. While equal opportunity targets all and sundry within the Australian community, social justice on its part, targets the disadvantaged as well as marginalized groups of aged persons in the community. 2.2.5 Cultural Heritage Impact The cultural impact as a contributory influence on the behaviours, interpretations as well as perceptions of aged persons in certain cultural groups is imperative. Issues like cultural disparities in describing aged care as well as in treatment designs are as well vital. Given that knowledge of certain culture can be achieved, Ergas (2012) posits that cross cultural contrast can also result in acknowledgment of potential universal features. Therefore aged care must take into account the cultural heritage of the care recipients so as to avoid violating those people’s cultural beliefs. 2.3.0 Environmental 2.3.1 Environmental impact analysis Firm investments in environmental protection as well as public health have external advantages in terms of reduced aged-care expenditures. Integrated with the other benefits, Smith and Stevens (2013) assert that environmental protection investments without a doubt yield a lot of benefits to the society. Therefore, aged care policy does not exclude environmental quality consideration since any possible exclusion will ultimately lead to heightened expenditures. Codde et al. (2010) study results advocates a need to expand the cost suppression debate to make sure health environmental determinants get notice as possible balance to traditional policies of cost control. 2.3.2 Environmental Quality Polluted environments heighten the transmission risk of aged care related infections. Suitable prevention practices for the environmental infection are imperative to maintaining a secure setting of care for both providers and care recipients. 2.3.3 Biodiversity There is heightening concern concerning the health impact of biodiversity change as well as loss. Biodiversity changes according to Fleming and FitzGerald (2009) have an effect on bionetwork performance as well as considerable disturbances of environments can lead to life sustaining ecosystem services in addition to goods. Biodiversity loss as well indicates that we are losing, prior to innovation, scores of nature's genes and chemicals, have already offered humankind with vast health benefits. 2.3.4 Habitat Preservation Climate as well as weather plays a crucial part in aged people's health; therefore, climatic changes have an effect on the average weather state of affairs that older people are used to. Warmer temperatures will probably result to longer and frequent heat waves as well as hotter days. This as a result, might heighten the number of heat-correlated deaths and illnesses. The severity and frequency increases of severe weather occasions like storms might heighten the risk of treacherous flooding, as well as other direct risks to aged people together with their property. 2.4.0 Political 2.4.1 Consistency with governing party principles and policies In spite of frequent media reports that highlight the failure several health care policies, Australia according to Karmel et al. (2009) has an excellent aged care system (McVey et al., 2014). Policymakers, Politicians, as well as the community are time and again incarcerated by the health ‘setback presented by its supporters. Australian politicians as well as policy makers have been advised to put front the needs of aged Australians and centre as they make reforms to the health care polices and principles, with aged care proponents asking the current government to embrace additional reforms. The government campaigning of the aged care sector started to surface during the election period, and the Opposition has principally supported the changes (Teshuva & Wells, 2014). 2.4.2 Agreement among policy elites Policy elites have agreed that residential care to be offered to the aged persons when their care needs (social, psychological, medical and/or physical) surpass the community care ability. Such needs may be caused by different factors, which included unsuitable living arrangements, an episode of acute health, or an insufficient informal carer support (Jowsey et al., 2013). A number of facilities specialise in offering support as well as care for older people who are homeless as well as affected by alcohol and drug. Besides that, low level residential care offers housing as well as associated day after day living support (such as cleaning, laundry, and meals), in addition to a number of Personal Care Services (PCS) (Karmel et al., 2009). PCS according to Nepal et al. (2011) can entail help with managing incontinence, mobility, eating, toileting, support for community rehabilitation, and help in receiving health as well as therapy services. High level care on its part covers extra services like palliative care, nursing care, therapy services, medical management and devices to aid with mobility. 2.5.0 Legal 2.5.1 Administrative and Constitution Framework In Australia, there are three community care packages namely; Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs), Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia Packages (EACH-D). All of community care packages are intended for aged persons who are entitled for residential care, but instead they opt to stay in the community as well as are securely able to do so with the family support (Stephens et al., 2011). On the other hand, home and community care (HACC) programs is definitely the biggest as well as the most wide-ranging support program for aged persons in Australia. Howe (2008) asserts that HACC plays a crucial role in helping aged persons to continue living by themselves in their own house and still remain to be part of their community. 2.5.2 Institution Structures and Relationship According to aged care policy, informal support is can be in form of emotional support, cognitive tasks, mobility, communication, as well as paperwork. Besides that, informal carers play a crucial part in the facilitation as well as coordination of formal services for community care. Based on Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers, which was carried out by Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2009, it was established that there existed over 352000 primary carers for persons aged 65 and above (Jorm et al., 2010). Besides that, in 2010, Access Economics estimated that in case the informal care offered by voluntary family carers to every needy aged person, were substituted by formal care, which is paid for its services the cost might be more than $40 billion yearly (Nepal et al., 2011). Both the federal as well as state governments’ offer numerous subsidised formal aged care services, and they consist of the residential aged care, community care packages, as well as HACC program. 2.5.3 Accountability Without doubt regulation of community care packages as well as residential care facilities is both wide-ranging in range and demanding in its level of in depth recommendation. The regulation according to aged care policy limits the number of accessible bed licences for residential care as well as community care packages, and outlines the amount that care recipients’ must pay to the care providers (Jeon et al., 2010). The regulation as well includes consumer protection together with quality assurance measures, like: ACSAA; Aged Care Commissioner; prudential regulation with regard to accommodation bonds; Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS); and the Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance (OACQC) (Smith & Stevens, 2013). 3.0 Conclusion In conclusion, it can be recommended that whilst there are scores of practical setbacks related with equity in aged care funding, the government should essentially stop coercing older people with no other crucial assets to sell their home to pay for community or residential aged care. Obviously, their home is all they possess and also it is an asset they have worked hard and long to acquire it. Therefore, they should have the right to be in charge of their house ownership for as many years as they need or want to for the benefit of their dependants. Besides that, nursing homes’ accreditation as well as compliance monitoring of their performance have to concentrate on results: to be exact the health as well as wellness of residents instead of on processes like operational together with administrative systems. Furthermore, aged care services’ audits must be performed by assessors who are selected at random and the power of aged care providers to recommend an auditor must be banned. State-of-the-art information concerning charges and fees of nursing homes and concerning accommodation bonds must be publicised. Lastly, the subsidies offered to the aged care providers by the government must be acquitted against authentic spending and this information must be published publicly for all and sundry to view. 4.0 References Avkiran, N. K., & Mccrystal, A. (2014). Intertemporal analysis of organizational productivity in residential aged care networks: scenario analyses for setting policy targets. 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Does Government subsidy for costs of medical and pharmaceutical services result in higher service utilization by older widowed women in Australia? BMC Health Services Research, 12, 179-201. Read More