Catholic Health Australia – Submission on the draft Rules on Funding for other aged care programs (Release 2b)
May 6, 2025Catholic Health Australia – Rules Stage 3 Release Submission March
May 6, 2025
Executive summary
Catholic Health Australia (CHA) is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting 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 meet community expectations of safe and quality of care.
CHA appreciates the opportunity to provide input into Stage 2c Release of the Rules relating to funding and regulation of aged care services. We look forward to working with the Department of Health and Aged Care during the consultation process to ensure the Rules achieves its intended outcomes. Our goal is to ensure it fully supports a high-quality and safe aged care system for all Australians irrespective of their wealth or geography.
Overall CHA is supportive of the drafted provisions relating to the Grantee Code of Conduct, the Register of banning orders, and the method for working out recoverable amounts. This submission focuses on the opportunities for application of lessons learnt from existing mechanisms as part of the implementation of the new Act.
Key observations related to this release of the draft Rules articulated in our submission include:
- Grantee Code of Conduct: CHA and its members appreciate the broad applicability of the Grantee Code of Conduct and notes its similarity to the Aged Care Code of Conduct.
- Register of banning orders: CHA and its members note the opportunities for improving the existing register as part of the implementation of the new Act. As part of this, key considerations around incorporation of additional details, whilst balancing with privacy considerations, are also articulated in this submission.
- Recoverable amounts: CHA and its members welcome the clarity and transparent offered by the method for working out recoverable amounts.
