Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said more than $3.9 million has been allocated for 60 new residential aged care places in Tamworth as part of the Federal Government’s additional $649 million per year to create 9,911 new residential aged care places across Australia. 

Mr Joyce said the Tamworth service of RSL Lifecare would be allocated the funding to provide new aged care services or to enable them to expand their current facilities.

“With our rapidly ageing population, the Australian Government is committed to providing a sustainable aged care system that meets the needs of our older Australians,” Mr Joyce said.

 “The New England Electorate is one of many rural and remote regions across Australia that will benefit, with 27.4 per cent of all residential places allocated to non-metropolitan areas.”

The new places will comprise of 10 places for veterans, 10 places for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, 15 dementia specific places and 25 places for general access.

While operating out of Tamworth, RSL Lifecare’s services also extend to Gunnedah.

The new residential aged care places follow the announcement of 475 Short-Term Restorative Care places made available through the 2016-17 Aged Care Approvals Round in February 2017. 

These Short-Term Restorative Care places, worth an estimated total expenditure of up to $34.7 million a year, provide flexible aged care options that will help older people remain in their own homes for longer after injury or illness.

“Australians want greater choice and control over the care they receive and these changes do exactly that,” Mr Joyce said.

Information about the 2016−17 Aged Care Approvals Round outcomes, including details of the successful approved providers, is available on the https://agedcare.health.gov.au/2016-17acar/results.

 (ENDS)