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Federal Government delivers biggest round of aged care beds in seven years

on Friday, December 5, 2014

The aged care industry scored a big win today with the Government’s delivery of more than 17,500 aged care places across the country.

The allocation marks the conclusion of the Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) for 2014, a funding initiative designed to meet the demand for residential and home and community care Australia-wide.

The round was the highest number of aged care places sought through ACAR since 2007, signalling a newfound interest in the sector.

New residential places numbered at 11,196, with a further 6,653 home care places were distributed to service providers. All up the round was worth an estimated $833 million.

Big player Opal Aged Care secured the highest number of new residential aged care places with 966.

The national provider will now invest over $250 million across 11 of its homes across Queensland and New South Wales, creating over 2000 jobs in the aged care and construction industries.

Opal Aged care managing director Gary Barnier said the organisation are committed to delivering high quality residential aged care in communities where the demand for specialist care is highest.

“These new places add to Opal's existing pipeline, the largest in the industry, and reflect a strategic intent to meet the needs of Australia's ageing population by developing new beds,” Mr Barnier said.

Image: Preparations for a new home in Maitland. Opal Rutherford is expected to open in early 2016. CONTRIBUTED.

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