Overview
- State-compiled figures show nearly 2,500 older patients ready for discharge remain in public hospitals awaiting residential aged care places.
- A report tabled at the Perth health ministers’ meeting warns the backlog is blocking acute care and leaving some patients in wards for months.
- After the meeting, ministers agreed to urgent work, led by Queensland, to better define the problem and improve national data collection.
- The federal government points to $598 million delivered to states under the Strengthening Medicare package to address delayed discharges.
- Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says more facilities are being built but not yet at the needed scale, as Queensland commits $581 million for interim care beds.