More than 800,000 older Australians will still get Meals on Wheels and other programs at home after Labor abandoned a plan to merge them into its under-pressure aged care system. Source: The Age.
Health Minister Mark Butler announced a reprieve on Thursday for the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), whose future had been in doubt as the government sought to fold it into its overhaul of the Support at Home program.
The Greens and Coalition were scathing of the government’s delay in backing down from the merger after a parliamentary inquiry recommended in June that the program be kept as a standalone until at least 2030.
Labor has now guaranteed funding for the program until at least mid-2029.
It is the third time Labor has made concessions to an unlikely alliance between the Greens and Coalition over its reforms to the ballooning $40 billion aged care budget, after non-government senators forced the government to provide more human oversight of the algorithmic assessments of clients’ needs and got the department to fast-track 20,000 home care packages.
Catholic Health Australia said it was a “prudent decision” to continue CHSP as a standalone program.
“CHSP delivers entry-level, preventative support that helps 830,000 older Australians stay independent, maintain their wellbeing and avoid premature entry into higher cost care,” CHA Director of Aged and Community Care Alex Lynch said.
“Retaining the program ensures continuity of a pivotal service, which is especially important for outer metropolitan and regional communities,” Mr Lynch said.
He said it made sense to keep CHSP and Support at Home separate as they serve different purposes.
“A strong CHSP actually takes pressure off the more targeted and individualised Support at Home system. The two programs work best when each is allowed to do what it does well.”
Catholic Health Australia chief executive Tim Udorovic said the decision reflected concerns CHA had raised directly with government through its formal advocacy, including its CHSP submission, its appearance at the CHSP hearing and its Support at Home submission.
“We have said clearly and repeatedly that the aged care sector is under real strain and not yet in a position to support a merger of these two vital programs,” Mr Udorovic said.
“This is a sensible outcome for older Australians and providers, including our not-for-profit Catholic member organisations, who can continue doing what they do best.”
FULL STORY
‘Embarrassing backdown’: Labor’s last-minute reprieve for 800,000 Australians (By Brittany Busch, The Age)
CHSP extension a sensible outcome for older Australians and providers (CHA)
