July 28 2009
Christian Kerr (Tha Australian)

AUSTRALIA'S ageing population will put new pressures on health services while robbing them of skilled professionals, the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission report on the state of the health system has warned.

And our unhealthy habits will also take their toll as bad behaviour catches up with us, creating problems with preventable chronic diseases caused by smoking, excessive drinking, lack of exercise and poor diet.

"Demographic changes such as population ageing will see the health cost curve rise in the years to come -- with 1.6 million Australians aged over 85 by 2047, four times as many as there are today," Kevin Rudd said.

"These changing demographics will increase demand for health services -- contributing 23per cent of the total increase in health outlays by 2033." The report recommends consolidating aged care under the commonwealth.

"Aged-care services will need to respond to population ageing by at least doubling the number of aged-care places from 223,000 places to 464,000 places by 2030," the Prime Minister said.

"Provisions will also need to be made for greater flexibility in the provision of aged-care services."

Mr Rudd described the aged-care proposals as "significant". "They include more choice for consumers by lifting the current restrictions on the number of aged-care places on offer, and providing greater scope for people to choose for themselves between community or residential care."

The report finds Australians' life expectancy has increased by five years in the past two decades.

"Increased life expectancy will delay end-of-life costs but it will increase total costs as a result of the increased number of people requiring services and treatment to help with mobility, hearing, eyesight and general frailty," it says.