By ALESHA CAPONE
A PETITION has been submitted to State Parliament advocating against the possible privatisation or closure of an Keilor East aged-care facility.
Pascoe Vale MP Christine Campbell delivered the petition, containing more than 130 signatures, to the Legislative Assembly of Victoria.
Ms Campbell said the State Government has moved to privatise the public sector aged care sector, which puts Cyrill Jewel House in Keilor East “at risk of privatisation or closure”.
“Despite an ageing population, the Baillieu-Napthine government have closed public sector aged-care facilities in Ballarat, Castlemaine, Koroit, Kyneton, Melbourne and Williamstown and privatised one facility in Rosebud,” Ms Campbell said.
“The 2012/13 Victorian state budget update foreshadows cuts to public sector aged care of $25 million in 2014/15 and $50 million in 2015/16.”
However, a State Government spokesperson has disputed Ms Campbell’s claims and said the future of the state’s nursing homes was yet to be determined.
“No decisions have been made about individual sites or number of places,” she said.
“The government is exploring how a reallocation of public aged care places to not-for-profit and other aged care providers might support better facilities, growing places and the delivery of the right tailored level of care.
“We are establishing a panel comprising of highly-qualified and experienced potential providers that are interested in and capable of delivering high-quality residential aged care services.
“Special consideration will be given to specialist aged care services, particularly in mental health.
“Non-government providers must show that they can provide for the places they are seeking to have reallocated to them, and that they can fully care for the needs of residents.”
