The deepening crisis in aged care has sparked a fierce political blame game, with local government being dragged into the fray as state and federal Labor figures attempt to deflect responsibility for a dramatic surge in older patients stranded in public hospitals.
Hospital Beds Blocked by Aged Care Delays
A national report card presented in Canberra on Friday revealed that aged care "access block" has increased by almost 30 percent over the summer months, leaving 3,048 older patients in limbo across Australian hospitals. Western Australia alone accounts for 339 of these stranded patients.
Medical professionals have sounded alarm bells about the consequences of this situation. Doctors estimate that these blocked beds represent approximately five percent of all available hospital capacity being rendered unusable for other patients.
Winter Warning from Medical Association
Australian Medical Association WA President Kyle Hoath issued a stark warning about the impending winter season. "This practice will exacerbate another ambulance ramping crisis as we head towards winter," Dr. Hoath stated emphatically.
"Entering winter with hundreds of hospital beds effectively blocked by aged care delays is a recipe for further deterioration in emergency care, longer ambulance delays, and worsening outcomes for patients," he added, painting a grim picture of what lies ahead for the healthcare system.
Political Finger-Pointing Intensifies
Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the severity of the situation, calling the new figures a "big concern." However, Federal MP Patrick Gorman, who serves as Member for Perth and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, pointed to federal funding commitments as evidence of government action.
"I'm pretty sure the Premier was there with the Prime Minister when they announced for the whole nation another $25 billion of funding through our public hospitals, locking in the next five years of funding," Mr. Gorman asserted. "And we'll keep investing in aged care, because we know there are shortages here."
Local Government Dragged Into Controversy
In a surprising turn, Mr. Gorman suggested that responsibility extends beyond state and federal governments. "Local government has a role to play as well," he declared. "One of the other challenges we have is making sure we have approvals from local government for aged care facilities."
The WA Local Government Association responded swiftly and forcefully to this accusation. "WALGA is not aware of any evidence that supports claims that Local Governments are holding up the planning process or approvals regarding aged care facilities," stated WALGA President Karen Chappel.
Ms. Chappel called on the Assistant Minister to "raise any specifics with any relevant Local Government," challenging him to provide concrete examples to support his claims.
Opposition Accuses Labor of Blame Shifting
Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam launched a scathing attack on the government's response. "For Labor Members to be blaming the local government is a complete joke," she declared.
Ms. Mettam drew parallels to previous controversies, noting: "It's almost as bad as when Roger Cook blamed older patients stuck in hospital beds for last winter's ambulance ramping crisis."
The Shadow Minister highlighted what she characterized as broken promises, stating: "Last year, the Premier, Health Minister and Aged Care Minister went to Canberra promising to secure more aged care beds and more home care packages for West Australians and six months later, the situation is worse than before they left."
Ministerial Meeting Yields Vague Commitments
A joint communique issued after State and Federal Health Ministers met in Canberra on Friday offered only brief mention of the aged care shortfall. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler and his state counterparts agreed to "work together" to address "discharge barriers and identify solutions for continuous improvement."
Earlier in the week, WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat had described the situation as an "increasingly urgent" issue, declaring simply that "patients deserve better."
Government Announces Limited Response
The Cook Government has pledged to utilize the purchase of St John of God Hospital in Mt Lawley to address part of the problem. This acquisition will add approximately 100 beds into the public system, which the government intends to use for aged care transition purposes.
However, with thousands of patients affected nationwide and hundreds stranded in Western Australian hospitals alone, this measure represents only a partial response to a systemic crisis that continues to worsen as political leaders exchange accusations rather than implementing comprehensive solutions.
