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Aged care bed numbers: electorate by electorate

AMA Victoria has released information today which details the availability of aged care beds in each Victorian electorate, compared to national benchmarks.

AMA Victoria aged care spokesperson, Dr Mark Yates, said while it was acknowledged that Victoria had an overall shortage of aged care beds, the analysis of these shortages by electorates has uncovered high levels of deficiency in certain areas.

"Electorates which are suffering from the shortfalls include: Chisholm (602), Wills (555), Corangamite (495), Holt (405), Flinders (344), Hotham (291), Maribyrnong (255), Menzies (222), Gippsland (209), and Batman (209)," Dr Yates said.

"The few electorates which have an excess of beds include: Kooyong (399), Melbourne Ports (235), Higgins (206), and Calwell (180). It should be noted that these are excesses compared to benchmarks, and not unnecessary or surplus beds. There is considerable debate about whether our benchmarks are adequate, or whether they should be raised from the current 90 beds per 1000 people aged over 70.

"Funding per bed is another key issue in this area, with aged care providers suggesting that current levels are inadequate to recruit and retain nurses and other staff.

"While AMA Victoria welcomes moves to offer choice in aged care settings, any such moves will need to be well funded and resourced to ensure carers are supported and the problem is not being shifted from one sector to another. Support for care in the community and other facilities is essential, and especially while we are waiting for more beds to become available.

"We hope that voters will use this information to make an informed decision on election day. Aged care policies for both parties will need to address bed numbers and funding per bed if we are to improve the care of older Australians," Dr Yates said.

Below is a table listing all the electorates and bed number shortages and excesses.

Federal electorate

Party

Adjusted population aged >70 years*

Adjusted approved beds at 1 June 2001*

Approved beds/1000 population

Number of beds approved compared to national benchmarks.
Aston

Liberal

7982

884

111

166
Ballarat

Liberal

12122

1154

95

63
Batman

ALP

15085

1129

75

-229
Bendigo

ALP

13314

1152

87

-46
Bruce

ALP

10873

866

80

-113
Burke

ALP

6538

452

69

-137
Calwell

ALP

6589

773

117

180
Casey

Liberal

8189

733

89

-4
Chisholm

ALP

14971

746

50

-602
Corangamite

Liberal

13723

740

54

-495
Corio

ALP

12820

1155

90

1
Deakin

Liberal

13210

1102

83

-87
Dunkley

Liberal

12604

868

69

-266
Flinders

Liberal

16047

1100

69

-344
Gellibrand

ALP

13713

1053

77

-181
Gippsland

National

13466

1003

74

-209
Goldstein

Liberal

18142

1464

81

-169
Higgins

Liberal

14641

1524

104

206
Holt

ALP

7573

277

37

-405
Hotham

Labor

14095

978

69

-291
Indi

Liberal

12546

953

76

-176
Isaacs

ALP

11900

1049

88

-24
Jagajaga

ALP

11712

1101

94

47
Kooyong

Liberal

15527

1797

116

399
Lalor

ALP

7232

561

78

-90
Latrobe

Liberal

7311

787

108

129
Mallee

National

13227

1230

93

40
Maribyrnong

ALP

9432

594

63

-255
McEwen

Liberal

8168

662

81

-74
McMillan

ALP

10835

792

73

-184
Melb Ports

ALP

12898

1396

108

235
Melbourne

ALP

11032

1006

91

13
Menzies

Liberal

9375

622

66

-222
Murray

Liberal

12644

1159

92

21
Scullin

ALP

6646

484

73

-114
Wannon

Liberal

12524

1174

94

47
Wills

ALP

16259

908

56

-555

434967

35427

Source: Department of Health & Aged Care; Australian Bureau of Statistics


*Estimated beds and eligible population in electoral division calculated using ABS 1996 Postal Area to Commonwealth Electoral Division Concordance.

Note: At 1 June 2001 about 12% of approved beds were not operational.

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