Yet again the federal budget has failed to deliver on Australia’s Silent Shame—the much overdue oral health care needs of our ageing/older Australians, claims the chair of the Older Person’s Working Group.
The concern is the most vulnerable have been neglected—elderly Australians living in residential care who are too frail to attend a dental provider and unable to look after themselves to maintain optimum oral health and oral hygiene.
Moreover, the announcement of another extension of the Federation Funding Agreement (FFA) with state and territories, fails to address the inadequacy of this short shelf life funding model which does not allow for forward planning and therefore does not provide sustainable long-term oral health solutions.
The annual nature of the agreement provides no long-term certainty to public oral health care, meaning the care provided is sporadic and episodic, and doesn’t meet the oral health needs of Australians—something which was recognised by the Grattan Institute in 2019.
Funding provided by the Commonwealth has remained the same over the last four years, meanwhile, oral health care costs are increasing and there are more people eligible for publicly funded care.
“Commonwealth funding is woefully inadequate to extend providing in facility care for the elderly,” said Dr Angelo Papageorgiou, chair, Older Person’s Working Group, and immediate past president of the ADA SA Branch.
“Both major parties have a major gap when it comes to oral health policy, and it disappointingly looks like that gap isn’t going to be filled.”
He claims it is a sad indictment that the government and relevant policy makers are not able to champion this ongoing and long overdue issue, particularly as it is the focus of the National (and South Australian) Oral Health Plan as well as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended a Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme be implemented no later than 1 January 2023 to address the oral health needs of older Australians. This Federal Government budget gives no commitment to that recommendation.
“What’s very clear is that our major parties need to step up when it comes to oral health care,” Dr Papageorgiou said.
“Everyone from provider and advocacy groups such as the ADA, other groups like COTA and some of the best public health policy minds in the country are calling for action on dental care.
“We need a substantial increase in funding support for the dental sector to provide certainty in oral health care delivery, and a commitment to implementing the Royal Commission recommendations including a Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme.”
Dr Papageorgiou stressed: “It is time to act and address the significant shortfalls in the current system of oral health care for older Australians.”
