Abstract:

The aged care system critically needs more two-way communication between centralised policy development and professional practice at the grass-roots. Funding programs are the main way of bringing money down from the Commonwealth and States to service providers. What is needed is more critical information going back up to policy makers. Financial accountability is only part of the solution. Program planners need to learn from practitioners how program guidelines and funding can do better at facilitating good practice. The paper also explores the broad policy context for funding aged care and specific financing issues and concludes by examining how nursing practice relates to larger issues concerning the costs of community care.