Transition Care Into The Future Lesley Podesta First Assistant Secretary Ageing and Aged Care Division
2 History of the Transition Care Program Established in Aims to improve the interface between the health and aged care systems. Initial commitment was 2,000 places by
3 Transition Care – the present As at September 2009 there were: 79 transition care services 66% delivered in community 34% delivered in residential setting
4 Transition Care – total places As at September 2009 there were: 2,499 operational places Average length of stay – 7 weeks This means 18,500+ people can access transition care services each year
5 The Future of Transition Care The Transition Care Program will double from 2,000 to 4,000 places by The recurrent costs of these additional places are fully funded by Australian Government Improved access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with dementia
6 How are these places being rolled out? 1 st tranche places allocated in , all operational in nd tranche – 470 places allocated in , of these 271 operational at 14 Sept rd tranche – around 600 places to be allocated by 31 March 2010, to become operational in th tranche – around 700 places to be allocated by 31 March 2011, to become operational by
7 Where are transition care services located? In 53% in major cities 29% in inner regional 15% in outer regional 0.02% in remote areas
8 How much is the Australian Government spending on transition care? – $3.3 million – $33 million – $53 million – $76 million – $103 million – $150 million – $220 million – $224 million
9 Models of Transition Care Three Transition Care models Predominantly Community High average MBI, allied health hours Low nursing, medical hours Residential High allied health, nursing, medical hours Low average MBI Mixed Low average MBI, mainly located in Victoria
10 Results from transition care Key findings from the 2008 evaluation were: It provided additional treatment and care options that were valued by patients and their families Functional improvements occurred. There was variation in access to the program across Australia. Older people who received transition care had fewer readmissions to hospital and were less likely to move into permanent residential aged care.
11 Transition care and sub-acute care Transition care was found, in the evaluation, to work best when not used as a substitute for conventional sub-acute care or appropriate geriatric evaluation and management
12 Increase in Activity - discharges from
13 Discharge Destinations
14 Functioning – Improved & Maintained
15 Continuous Improvement - Transition Care Working Group Oversees implementation of new 2,000 places and operations of TCP Has representation from all state and territory health departments Includes two clinicians, Professor Leon Flicker (WA) and Dr Paul Varghese (QLD) Chaired by the Department
16 Transition Care Working Group Review of Transition Care Program Guidelines, including Improved access for Indigenous people Improved access for people with dementia Leave from transition care Development of long-term quality framework
17 Reform and transition care National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Ongoing role of transition care Increased focus on primary care
18 Transition care into the future The need for improving the interface between the health and aged care systems is clear Significant expansion and quality improvement of the transition care is in the pipeline