Health & Community Law Alert: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – joint submission

Hall & Wilcox is proud to have provided pro bono support to Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) and its members in LASA's submission on legal and regulatory issues to the Royal Commission on Aged Care Quality and Safety in response to counsel assisting’s final submissions. Submissions closed on 12 November 2020 and the final report of the Royal Commission is due 26 February 2021. LASA is the national peak body representing all providers of age services across residential care, home care and retirement living.

A copy of the submission is available here.

Alison Choy Flannigan, Partner and Leader of Hall & Wilcox's Health & Community Team states:

'Hall & Wilcox acted for a number of clients in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, including in the hearings, and has acted for aged care approved providers for a number of years, both for profit and not-for-profit.  We are proud to be able to support LASA and the sector in its submissions to enact meaningful change with stronger standards setting out high-level expectations for care. However, legislative and regulatory change should include clear procedural fairness requirements and realistic review and appeal processes for providers of aged care.

'It is important that any legislative change is carefully considered (not rushed) taking into consideration input from stakeholders, including the elderly and their families, the community, Government and approved providers. Sufficient time should be provided to approved providers to be able to prepare to comply with any new regulatory requirements and the regulatory requirements should be fair and equitable and operationally and financially achievable. Guidelines, training and tools, and any other necessary supports should be made available to providers.’