With home care providers still waiting for the Support at Home manual to drop, and uncertain as to when it will be released, achieving the reform rollout by 1 July 2025 is going to be difficult, according to two leaders who have spoken exclusively to The Weekly SOURCE.
Achieving the rollout at this point is "getting down to the wire", said Sarah Newman, General Manager of Not For Profit provider BaptistCare at home NSW ACT WA.
"We are still awaiting a ‘manual’ with the fine details of how the program will work, roles and responsibilities, design details, processes etc," Sarah said.
"It is difficult to commence transition processes when we don’t have the final picture, including pricing for services.
"Remembering that many of our clients are highly vulnerable and will be anxious about any changes to the care and services they receive, the transition process needs to be well-designed, well-communicated and carefully executed."
Manual "vital" for preparation
Bronwyn Perry, Executive Director of Silverchain, which delivers home care services Australia-wide, supports the Government's efforts to reach bipartisan agreement on the new Aged Care Act, which contains the Support at Home reforms, but is "concerned" about the flow-on effects of further delays in introducing the new legislation.
The Support at Home manual and other supporting documents are "vital" for providers to prepare, Bronwyn said.
Software vendors "concerned"
Software vendors are also running short on time. They will need enough detail and time to build, test and implement the digital systems needed to deliver Support at Home.
"This timing is now becoming extremely tight and I know the vendors are concerned," Sarah said.
"While some of the design elements of Support at Home will align with the current HCP model, many won’t, and significant system redesign will be required.
"And as with all software projects – these things are always considerably more complicated than they look!"
Getting it right
The most important thing is to get the reforms right, Bronwyn said.
“While the timeframe is important, the most vital thing is getting this change right, given it is a once-in-a-generation reform," she said.
