Aged care peaks take steps towards creation of unified entity

Claerwen Little will head a steering body which will oversee the design and implementation of a new unified industry association.

Aged care provider organisations have formed a steering committee to oversee, design and implement a new unified industry association in line with the recommendations of the royal commission.

Claerwen Little

UnitingCare Australia National Director Claerwen Little has been elected as Chair.

 Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Leading Age Service Australia (LASA) and other aged care representatives announced the formation of the steering committee on Tuesday.

The aged care royal commission recommended a unified aged care industry voice in its final report, which also called for more collaboration in sector representation and development.

The Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) and Aged Care Reform Network (ACRN) last year commissioned KPMG to develop options for a new model of sector representation and development.

Better services for members

The new entity will provide the sector with a stronger voice in its advocacy and strengthen the range of services provided to support members, ACSA, LASA and the AACC said in a statement.

The boards of ACSA and LASA last December endorsed in principle the concept of a single representative body and the case outlining the benefits of single association for the sector will be put to the vote for ACSA and LASA members. 

It came almost a decade after a failed merger attempt between ACSA and LASA’s predecessor, for-profit peak Aged Care Association Australia.

If members vote to approve the change, the new association is planned to be up and running by the middle of 2022.

“The opportunity to reset and transform the sector’s representation must be seized if we are to dare to dream of a vibrant, trusted and sustainable aged services sector that enhances the wellbeing of older Australians,” Ms Little said in a statement.

Consultation about the transformation process will continue over coming weeks.

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Tags: acsa, aged-care-royal-commission, claerwen-little, lasa,

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