Executive summary

The Inquiry on Aged Care Service Delivery has been established to identify the implications for older Australians, their families, carers, service providers and state and territory health systems of the Government’s decision to defer the commencement of the new Support at Home program until 1 November 2025 while also withholding the release of any additional Home Care Packages, with particular reference to:

a) the impact of the delay on older Australians waiting for support at home, including unmet care needs and the wellbeing of seniors and their carers;
b) the capacity of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme to meet increased demand for support at home prior to 1 November 2025;
c) the impacts on aged care service providers, including on their workforce;
d) the impacts on hospitals and state and territory health systems;
e) the feasibility of achieving the Government’s target to reduce waiting times for Home Care Packages to 3 months by 1 July 2027, in light of the delay;
f) the adequacy of the governance, assurance and accountability frameworks supporting the digital transformation projects required to deliver the aged care reforms on time;
g) the implementation of the single assessment system and its readiness to support people to access a timely assessment now and beyond 1 November 2025; and
h) any other related matters.

This submission responds to the Inquiry’s terms of reference while also highlighting the broader factors that should be addressed to meet the current and future care needs of older Australians. This includes measures to match resources to the needs of older Australians as
they are identified to help ensure the best outcomes for older Australians and reduce the risk of premature admission to residential aged care and unplanned hospital admissions.

As Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services, Catholic Health Australia (CHA) and its members play a leading role in the care economy and is well-positioned to provide meaningful insights to this Inquiry. CHA’s aged care members account for approximately 12 per cent of aged care facilities across Australia, in addition to around 20 per cent of care provision in the home. Catholic aged care providers have a vital interest in working with the Australian Government to ensure the sustainable provision of aged care and support services for older Australians to meet community expectations of safe and quality of care.