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June 18th, 2013 
STATE-MANAGED aged care beds will be sold off in country Victoria in line with the government’s plans to privatise the sector in Melbourne, the opposition says.
Health Minister David Davis says the government is prepared to sell off around 1000 metropolitan aged care beds to private and non-profit providers.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews warned the coalition would also sell off beds in country areas.
“We have genuine fears that country Victorian aged care will be next and I think that puts directly at risk the viability and the sustainability of dozens and dozens of small country hospitals.”
He said nursing staff would be replaced with lower skilled and lower paid carers.
“If it’s for profit there has to be a profit; to do it cheaper means that you are going to have to cut corners,” he said.
“Highly trained and skilled nursing staff who currently provide care to these 6200 residents will be replaced with people who are not nurses, and are not trained to the same level.”
A spokesman for Mr Davis said the plan was confined to metropolitan areas.
When pressed on whether overall bed numbers would be slashed, Mr Davis said the Commonwealth will continue to allocate bed licences based on population.
He said the checks and balances on aged care facilities would not change.
“The fact is the regulation by the commonwealth government is the same whether it’s government, private or not for profit services,” Mr Davis said.
“The same Commonwealth regulator, the same Commonwealth support is in place.”
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