AGED-CARE SERVICES

100 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (17 July 2012). With respect to 2012-13 Budget Paper 6, vol. 3, p. 69—

1. Is the funding to the 'National Partnership for Financial Assistance to Long Stay Older Patients' provided from the Commonwealth and how will the $30.5 million over 3 years be spent?

2. How many older patients is the State Government accommodating in hospitals, who could alternatively be in Commonwealth funded aged care beds?

3. What is the cost to the State Government of accommodating older patients who should be in Commonwealth funded aged care beds and apart from this program, what is the State Government doing to address this issue?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts): I am advised:

1. The $30.5 million allocation to South Australia as part of the 'National Partnership Agreement (NPA) for Financial Assistance to Long Stay Older Patients (LSOP)' will be spent over three years to assist the cost impact of caring for long stay older patients in public hospitals.

2. In June 2012 there were approximately 180 older patients in State funded hospital beds, spread across metropolitan and country hospitals, all of whom could alternatively be in Commonwealth funded aged care beds.

3. The average estimated cost is $800 per hospital bed day for this patient group (who receive a Nursing Home Type episode of care) compared to the approximate $250 per day cost for a Residential Aged Care bed. The estimated cost for a hospital bed is based on 2010-11 metropolitan hospital cost data (the most current data available) and applied indexation of 5 per cent per annum. Addressing the overall needs of this patient group is a priority of this government.