Catholic Health Australia – Submission on a national approach to care and support worker screening

Background

The Department of Finance (Finance) and the Treasury are looking at the feasibility of implementing a national approach to worker screening in the care and support economy (CSE) – comprising of aged care; disability support; early childhood education; healthcare and
veteran’s care. A national approach to care and support worker screening could improve labour mobility and efficiency across the sector and strengthen quality and safety for care recipients in the CSE.

The implementation of such an approach comes at a time of significant transformation in Australia’s care economy, driven by expanding service options, new models of care, and rising consumer expectations. Health and aged care services, in particular, face mounting pressures — including rising demand, workforce shortages, fiscal constraints, and increasing complexity of care needs. These challenges require a shift toward innovative, adaptive approaches to both regulation and care delivery. A nationally consistent approach to worker screening is therefore essential to guide quality improvement and ensure the system remains responsive, sustainable, and patient-centred for all care recipients.