COTA Australia has welcomed the appointment of Treasure Jennings as Aged Care Quality and Safety Complaints Commissioner, saying it is an important step to ensuring all older Australians get the quality aged care they deserve.
Treasure Jennings will take on the new role on 1 November, coinciding with the new aged care reforms.
Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive of COTA Australia – the leading advocacy organisation for older people – said having Treasure Jennings in the important role of Complaints Commissioner will help ensure the rights of older people accessing aged care are front and centre of the system.
“Central to improving the way aged care is delivered in Australia is having a robust, independent, mechanism for hearing and dealing with complaints,” Ms Sparrow said.
“We welcome Treasure Jennings’ appointment to this crucial role.
“COTA, along with other organisations, advocated strongly for an independent Complaints Commissioner because we believe it’s essential to ensuring the rights of older people are upheld.
“Having a Complaints Commissioner is important in order to restore trust in the system. Treasure Jennings, with her very strong track record of leading consumer complaints and dispute resolution processes, is well positioned to help uphold the rights of older people in aged care.
“There’s still a way to go when it comes to ensuring we have the aged care system all Australians expect and deserve, but this is yet another positive step towards that.
Anyone can make a complaint to the Complaints Commission by calling 1800 951 822.
Media contact: Alana Mew, 0419 929 722 or Tamara Kotoyan, 0430 291 890