00:02Audrey Staniland is 96, blind and lives alone in her Perth home.
00:08Twice the aged care algorithm has refused to give her more funding to stay at home.
00:13I think it's disgraceful. With the algorithm itself, I think the assessors have got their hands tied.
00:22There is no way that they can override it.
00:26Today, an Ombudsman report slammed the algorithm.
00:30It's a black box of a system and people can't be sure that it's fair or consistent.
00:36The Ombudsman found that the Department of Health launched the algorithm without any proper assessment,
00:42despite the obvious risks from automated decision making.
00:47So critically, we think that the legislation needs to be amended to ensure that there can be a change to
00:53an outcome
00:53if it's clinically not appropriate.
00:56Medical experts welcomed the report.
00:59Ideally, the government will take those first recommendations immediately
01:05and look at allowing clinical override.
01:10Aged Care Minister Sam Ray today admitted the algorithm has problems.
01:15We admit freely that it's not always getting it right.
01:18It's why, since it was implemented in November, we've already made a number of changes throughout the process.
01:23But the government changes aren't what the Ombudsman is recommending.
01:27He wants senior assessors to be able to override the algorithm when necessary.
01:32I just feel it's so important for the aged people of today to have, knowing they've got the right support
01:40that they need.
01:41Let's get started and then renew their
01:43You
