Assignment on Policy Analysis

Running head: POLICY ANALYSIS
POLICY ANALYSIS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

POLICY ANALYSIS1
Introduction
The advancement in technology and medical research has led to an increase in life
expectancy in the population, and it can be seen that most of the older population in Australia
is in good health. This leads to more years free from disability; however, there are specific
issues due to an increase in the aged population. The issues include a low supply of labour
and a low level of productivity, thus, leading to slow economic growth. With the increase in
this particular population, there is a rise in government spending on aged care, health, and
pensions, thus, leading to pressure in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to the
report, the cost of aged care is expected to increase by 2.6% more than the growth of GDP in
the next 40 years (Nari.net.au, 2016). The country has numerous legislation and policies
related to aged care to support and promote the health and well-being of older adults in the
country. The primary legislations include Aged Care Act 1997, Aged Care (Accommodation
Payment Security) Act 2006, Aged Care (Transitional Provision) Act 1997, Aged Care
(Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Act 2006, Australian Aged Care Quality Agency
(Transitional Provisions) Act 2013, Australian Aged Care Agency Act 2013 and various
policies, advice, and guides (Australian Government Department of Health, 2019).
The significant funding for the aged care services are obtained from the Commonwealth
Home and Community Care Program (HACC) and Home Care Packages Program for
community-aged care, permanent care and respite care for residential aged care. In addition
to this, there are other government funding programs for transition care, veteran’s home care,
and others (Cardona, 2018). Family members, friends, and neighbours usually offer informal
care to older people. According to Brandhorst, Baldassar and Wilding (2019), the Australian
aged care system is a comprehensive and integrated system, including legislation and
policies. It is a well-developed, fair and equitable system of care and has a clear division of

POLICY ANALYSIS2
responsibilities, especially financial responsibility. The most critical role of aged care is
informal caregivers that help in availing access to a wide range of aged care services when
required. Two important concepts influence the development of healthcare policy that include
political influence and ethical and legal issues. Greer (2018) opined that politics influence the
health affair to a large extent as it is used for determining the way policymakers and citizen
perceive and define issues of social policies and conditions that involve the establishment of
public health intervention and pose challenges in the implementation of the policy. From the
viewpoint of policymakers, the translation of health conditions into political issue occurs
when an individual identifies the personal needs and demands through public opinion. Thus,
it leads to a social movement, mobilisation of the interest group, voting that require attention
from the public officials. The action and involvement of government are dependent on the
process of identification and definition of the issue (Lee, Rethemeyer & Park, 2018). With
the increase in the older population, the need for healthcare and nursing increases the
available resources and healthcare service; thus, implying ethical dilemmas. The healthcare
professionals need to face moral difficulties in daily lives within the clinical settings. The
Australia healthcare services for aged people are well organised and transparent; however,
from time-to-time, there is the advent of ethical and legal constraints and dilemma that affects
the formulation and enactment of the health and aged care policies. Other factors have an
impact on the development and implementation of healthcare policies of aged care in relation
to residential and community care (Tønnessen, Ursin & Brinchmann, 2017). Therefore, it is
important to address all the concepts by critically understanding them for the effective
implementation of aged health care policies in the country.
One of the policies taken into consideration for this assessment is Aged Care Reforms in
Australia. The reform was created in order to establish an excellent aged care system for the
older population and offering them more options and control, thus, facilitating more

POLICY ANALYSIS3
accessible access to aged care services (Phillipson et al., 2019). The benefits offered by the
reforms to the older section of Australia include more care, support at home, recognition of
carer and cultural diversification among patients, better accessibility in the residential care
home, effective care approach for mentally ill patients, and offer more information. It began
in 2012, and the first change took place and applied on 1 July 2013. It is under the provision
of the Home Care Packages Programme that has four levels of care at home. This policy
involves a wide variety of care services and facilities for people in Australia
(Servicesaustralia.gov.au, 2019).
The thesis statement of the assessment is to explore an understanding of the processes
and considerations related to the development and implementation of healthcare policies
related to aged care policies. In the discussion, the use of the Australian Policy Cycle will be
used for framing the analysis and discussing the steps that are applicable in the policy and
mentioning other steps that are important in this case. It involves the development of an
understanding of issues that relate to the policy that is in association with the National Health
Priorities, the determinant of health, political influence, equity of healthcare service, impact
of media and evidence-based policy. These factors have an effect on the policy and its
development process; therefore, it is important to individually address each of the issues in a
critical manner supported with evidence that will help in assessing the provision of the policy
in the country and its people. In addition, it will evaluate the importance of the health of the
community and the evaluation of the policy.
Policy Analysis
Old age is a sensitive phase in life, and elderly people require care and support in
order to lead a healthy life. The lack of awareness with respect to changing patter in
behaviour may lead to abuse; thus, complicating the major psychological and physiological