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Background
Catholic aged care providers are focused on working with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) to ensure the sustainable provision of aged care and support services for older Australians meets community expectations of safety and quality of care.
CHA welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the Commission’s consultation process on the Draft Regulatory Strategy 2025-26. We look forward to continued dialogue with the Commission to ensure that the Regulatory Strategy (the Strategy) achieves its intended outcomes and supports a high-quality, equitable, and sustainable aged care system for all Australians, regardless of their financial means or location.
This submission outlines opportunities for improvement in the Draft Regulatory Strategy, with a focus on ensuring it is practical, equitable, and responsive to the realities of aged care service delivery. Catholic Health Australia (CHA) and its members emphasise the urgent need for clearer guidance, and regulatory flexibility – particularly for providers operating in regional, rural, and remote areas. Inconsistent regulatory advice and communications create operational challenges, increasing administrative burden and potentially impacting compliance.
Of particular importance is practical support for providers navigating complex decision-making under the new rights-based Aged Care Act, including situations where consumer autonomy may conflict with family expectations or workforce safety obligations. The submission calls for detailed guidance, case studies, and clarity around how the Commission will assess provider actions in such scenarios.
To ensure the Strategy is workable and fair, strengthening consultation and codesign processes should be a priority. The submission also refers to the respective roles and responsibilities of both the Commission and providers, and the need for clearly articulated expectations – particularly in relation to provider registration, workforce engagement, and communication protocols. CHA acknowledges the Commission’s efforts to address diverse sector perspectives and offers targeted recommendations to support the next iteration of the Strategy in the context of broader aged care reforms.
