Mr Kerr asked the Minister for Health and Ageing, upon notice, on 10 February 2004:

(1) What is the average waiting period for an appointment for an assessment by the Aged Care Assessment Team in Tasmania.

(2) Are there differences in the waiting periods in different parts of Tasmania; if so, what are the details.

(3) Is it the case that a person seeking an assessment by the Aged Care Assessment Team can expect to wait 10 to 12 weeks before the assessment takes place; if so, is that delay considered normal and acceptable.

(4) Does the delay before the conduct of assessments potentially lead to the hospitalisation or other inappropriate placement of some aged persons who experience changes in their health while waiting for the assessment.

(5) Is his department experiencing difficulties with the management and organisation of the Aged Care Assessment Teams in Tasmania; if so, what are the details.

(6) Will he re-establish the Home and Community Care Advisory Committees under the Home and Community Care Scheme to restore client and community input to the scheme.

Mr Abbott (Minister for Health and Ageing) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) and (2) This information is not available.

The revised national Minimum Data Set for the Aged Care Assessment Program has only recently been introduced.

State and Territory Governments, who are responsible for the management and organisation of Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs), are responsible for collecting, analysing and reporting data on ACAT activity.

(3) No. ACATs respond to referrals in a timely and efficient manner by allocating a priority category at the time of referral. The three priority categories are:

Within 48 hours refers to a person who, based on the information available at referral, requires an immediate response ie within 48 hours. This would include circumstances where a person's safety is at risk, or there is a high likelihood that the person will be hospitalised or required to leave their current residence

Between 3 and 14 days when information available at referral indicates that the person is not at immediate risk of harm. This would include progressive deterioration in the person's physical, mental or functioning status, or that the level of care currently available does not meet their needs.

More than 14 days when available information indicates that the person has sufficient support at present but that an assessment is required in anticipation of future care requirements. This could include approval for residential respite services or a recognition that a person is having increased difficulty in living independently and options for future care need to be discussed with the person and their carer or family.

(4) No. The prioritising of referrals for ACAT assessments has been put in place to prevent this.

(5) No. The Tasmanian Government is responsible for the management and organisation of ACATs in Tasmania.

(6) State and Territory Governments are responsible for the day to day operations of the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program. The Tasmanian Government has chosen not to have a HACC Advisory Committee.