Gail Yapp Assistant Secretary Acute Care Reform The future of subacute care in view of the report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Second National Transition Care Forum Canberra, November 2009

Outline Subacute care in the health system and its benefits for patients. Australian Government commitment and the National Partnership. Challenges. NHHRC proposals. Opportunities and next steps.

Strength under challenge Increases in: –demand for health and hospital services; –costs and expenditure services; –inequities in access and outcomes. Concerns about: –safety and quality; –workforce shortages; –inefficiencies; and –fragmented responsibility.

Ageing population

Hospital use by people aged 65+ In the 10 years to : separations for people 65+ increased from 30% to 36% of all separations; and patient days for people 65+ increased from 47% to 49% of all patient days. Total separations increased 41% yet: separations, people aged 75-84, increased 98%; separations, people aged 85+, increased 109%.

Subacute care: benefits for the patient and the health system Improved patient outcomes. Restored independence. Acute and community care linked. Reduced hospital and residential aged care admissions. Cost effective care.

Outcomes are improving E.g., data from Australian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre show: –improving overall health outcomes; –decreasing lengths of stay; –increased aggregate functional improvement; and –increased efficiency.

Not only more but better Commonwealth, states and territories working for change to direct resources to the right care, at the right time in the right place.

Subacute care Public hospital admitted patient separations per 1,000 population, by state,

Subacute care Public hospital non-admitted occasions of service per 1,000 population, by state,

Subacute care Relates to patient’s functional status and quality of life. Is goal directed. Patients may have multiple diagnoses. Happens in a variety of settings Can happen without hospital admission or after a hospital stay.

The Commonwealth and subacute care Pathways Home – $250 million over four years from National Action Plan: From hospital to home: improving health outcomes for older people, Long Stay Older Patients initiative – $150 million over four years to Transition Care from

Commonwealth action now Working with the states and territories 2,000 more Transition Care places COAG $64 billion package, Nov –includes $500 million for subacute care reform, to steps toward further growth and reform.

National Partnership Agreement on Health and Hospital Workforce Reform Subacute care reform element includes $500m to states in June 2009 to: –enhance subacute care services in hospitals and in the community by 5% p.a. or 20% over four years from ; –improve the available mix of services; and –improve data collections and performance measurement.

National Partnership Agreement on Health and Hospital Workforce Reform Subacute care reform element: published subacute care implementation plans; published annual reports on performance measures and service growth targets; and collaborative work on measures, data development, reporting and benchmarks.

Challenges Expansion of services –Increasing demand, with: ageing population; and greater longevity despite chronic illness. –Geographical disparities in service availability. –Inadequate levels of public sector subacute services.

Challenges Workforce –Shortages in particular occupations and locations. –In some occupations staff availability varies greatly from state to state. –Large losses of qualified people in some occupations; growing workforce in others.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Announced 25 February 2008, by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and Ageing. To report on a long-term health reform plan to provide sustainable improvements in the performance of the health system.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission

Reform goals: tackling major access and equity issues; redesigning our health system to meet emerging challenges; and creating an agile and self-improving health system,... with governance reforms and recommendations to implement change.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Access and equity priorities Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. People with serious mental illness. People living in remote and rural areas. Timely access to quality care in public hospitals. Dental care. National access targets.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Integrating and connecting Redesign health services around people. Access to the right care in the right setting. Rethink planning and use of highly specialised services provided by hospitals. Based on: best value from our hospitals — wise use of assets and skills; more options for care in the community — specialist services to ‘bridge’ between primary health care services and hospitals.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Funding the ‘missing link’. The Commission finds urgent need for: substantial investment in subacute services; and substantial expansion of subacute services. The Commission proposes that the Commonwealth pay: 100% of efficient cost of public hospital non-admitted care (incl. subacute) with capped, activity-based budget; 40% of efficient cost of admitted public patient care and attendances at public hospital emergency departments.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Subacute care: visible and accessible Funding more directly linked to growth and delivery of services. Activity-based funding models for subacute services... plus incentive payments. Improvements in national data and definitions. Clear targets. Planning and action for the right workforce. Attention to equipment, aids, and other devices. New rehabilitation facilities, that are not hospitals, for both admitted and ambulatory care.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Palliative care: –building the capacity and competence of primary health care services for generalist palliative care,... with educational support and collaboration with specialist palliative services; –strengthened access to specialist services; –investment in specialist services for care in the home. Advance care planning funded and implemented nationally

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission The NHHRC: says more subacute care could release up to 531,000 bed days p.a. of acute care –around 80,000 people p.a. with faster access to acute care. recommends: –up to $1.5 billion in infrastructure costs; and –at least $460 million increase in annual recurrent funding.

Opportunities for change New services Improved models of care and care pathways Workforce reform

Next steps The Government is considering the NHHRC’s recommendations and consulting the community. The yourHealth website – submissions invited. Public consultation events – listening tour. Meeting of the Council of Australian Governments on health and hospitals reform in December Further COAG meeting in early 2010: Commonwealth will a reform plan to the states and territories.

Questions