Council fears CHSP reform will end 40 years of home care

Victoria’s smallest Local Government Area is considering whether to continue delivering home care when its funding agreement ends next year.

The Borough of Queenscliffe has announced it will review its aged care service delivery, a service that has operated for more than four decades.

The Council currently delivers Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services to 127 residents and must advise the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing if it wishes to continue by 31 January 2027, six months ahead of the expiry of its current funding agreement on 30 June 2027.

The review has been triggered by the proposed transition of the CHSP into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027, according to Council minutes.

The review will assess the implications of Government reforms, market conditions, service risks, and community needs, while also considering the experience of other Victorian councils.

In the last few years, around 100 local Councils, or one-fifth of all local Councils, have exited home care, the majority in Victoria. Council-operated residential aged care has also seen doors close across the country.

The Borough of Queenscliffe now has two options: exit home care when the current funding agreement ends next year, or seek registration as a Support at Home provider when the CHSP transitions to Support at Home, date unknown.

The review findings and recommendations will be presented to Council for a decision before November 2026.

A Senate Inquiry into the transition of the CHSP into Support at Home recommended the block-funded program be retained and not transitioned to the Government's new home care program.

The report included a quote from the Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown: “Providers, workers and consumers are facing profound uncertainty about the transition of CHSP into Support at Home.”

With the uncertainty set to continue, operators are seriously considering their futures, and many are opting out now.