[Wyong] Member for Dobell, Ms Emma McBride, said she was appalled by the revelation that more than 10,000 calls to the Federal Government’s My Aged Care call centres went unanswered in just three months.
“In the Answers to Estimates Questions on Notice, Senate Community Affairs Committee, it was revealed that from December 1, 2017, to February 28, 2018, 10,972 calls were not answered by the My Aged Care consumer line,” Ms McBride said.
“It is deeply concerning that this volume of calls went unanswered. “There is no doubt
this would have left many vulnerable older Australians and their families frustrated and
distressed over the Christmas-New Year period.
“This comes on top of revelations that there are about 105,000 older Australians waiting for home care packages, including 750 on the Central Coast, and on the Government’s poor attempts to fix Centrelink call waiting times by engaging more labour hire contractors rather than trained, experienced staff,” she continued.
“The Turnbull Government seems content to let calls for help from our most vulnerable
go unanswered, first to Centrelink and now to My Aged Care.
“This is not good enough.
“Our older Australians and their families deserve better.
“In the coming Budget the Government must increase funding for home care packages,
and properly resource Centrelink and My Aged Care call centres,” Ms McBride concluded.
Source: Media release, Apr 27 Alysson Watson, Office of Emma McBride MP