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Home Care Packages Data Report
October 23, 2018
The latest Home Care Packages Data Report reveals that 64,668 people in the National Prioritisation Queue are still waiting for a higher level Home Care Package, 12,427 new people were able to access a home care package over the most recent quarter, and 30,281 new people were receiving support during the period 1 July 2017 to 31 March 2018. At 31 March 2018, there were 84,971 people in a home care package.
A further 56,750 people on the queue were either not in, or assigned, a lower level home care package. Of those, it is estimated that around half were accessing CHSP services. Therefore, it is estimated that around 75% of people in the queue are accessing Government subsidised home care support to assist them to remain living in their home.
The efficiency of home care package assignment and the accuracy of the wait-time calculator are reliant on the consistency of home care assessment nationally. Improving this efficiency will include educating people on their option to leave the queue if they do not currently need additional support, noting they will not be disadvantaged if they choose to re-join the queue in future. This could reflect that they are not currently actively seeking home care services, or electing not to take up a higher package if their current package matches their current care needs. There is no disadvantage for the person if their care needs increase and they later choose to opt back in. An individual’s place on the national home care queue is based on their original approval date and priority.
It is also important to note that not everyone on the queue will enter home care. Many people have approvals for both home and residential aged care (approximately 75%), and will choose to take up a residential place instead of a home care package. However, they may prematurely enter residential aged care because their needs can no longer be met at home without the allocation of a satisfactory level Home Care Package.
Click here to read the full report.
