Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care commences

The Office of the Inspector-General has commenced, following the recent passage of the Inspector-General of Aged Care Act 2023 (the Act).

Ian Yates AM has been appointed as Acting Inspector-General of Aged Care, pending the formal recruitment process for the statutory Inspector-General, which has commenced.

Yates’ appointment provides continuity for the commencement of the Office, as he has been the Interim Inspector-General since January 2023.

Yates said, “The establishment of the Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care will allow systemic issues in the aged care system to be brought to light. It will ensure transparency and accountability, and ensure that complaints are being managed in an effective, efficient and accessible way, and it will over time restore trust and confidence in a system that works for all.”

The Act gives the Office the legislative powers to provide comprehensive oversight of the aged care system to help shape delivery that better meets the diverse needs of older people.

The Act gives the Inspector-General the necessary powers to fully investigate systemic issues across the aged care system, including complaints management processes. It also provides for the Inspector-General to report annually on the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Image credit: iStockphoto.com/Andrii Yalanskyi