In a confidential session at their 25 March meeting, the Council on the NSW South Coast endorsed a proposal to transition out of providing home care, seniors respite and disability services later this year, impacting 148 clients and 75 staff.
Before the decision is finalised, the Council will confirm other providers are able to take on their clients, staff will be consulted, and a detailed plan for the transition will be drawn up. In May, Council will provide an update on their progress.
Mathew Hatcher
For now, services will continue as usual.
The decision has been made despite the Council's three decades of experience in the sector, and follows an independent review of the Council’s community care services late last year by Local Government Project Solutions with ASK Insight Pty Limited and The Human Equation Pty Limited.
Eurobodalla Mayor Mathew Hatcher said, “This decision reflects the changes that have occurred in the aged care and disability sectors, the challenges facing providers, and in particular non-specialist providers like councils.
“We’ve seen a number of New South Wales councils exiting these services of late, including our neighbours in Bega."
The home care sector is facing years of reform. The Home Care Package program will be replaced by Support at Home from 1 July 2025, with the CHSP rolled into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. With Support at Home only three months away, the sector has still not been provided with all details of the reforms.
