The Inspector-General of Aged Care's 218-page 2025 Progress Report on the Implementation of the Aged Care Royal Commission Recommendations concludes the "transformative change" called for by The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is not on track.
Aged Care Inspector-General Natalie Siegel-Brown said the reforms to date are fragmented and retrofitted, rather than delivering the generational change required, adding there are "serious questions" about whether the reforms will deliver "rights-based, person-centred, high quality care", which she says this will be key to her monitoring activities in future.
The report states the introduction of co-payments for ‘non-clinical’ services under Support at Home is not only "inconsistent" with the Royal Commission’s vision to deliver a rights-based system providing "universal entitlement" to high quality care, it could cause older people to forego "essential personal care ... potentially hastening their entry into residential aged care".
"This is inimical to a rights-based model of care and has the potential to come at a greater cost to taxpayers. Most importantly, it is contrary to the wishes of the vast majority of older Australians," the report states.
The assessment shows that over the last four years, only 31 recommendations have been finalised, and roughly equal numbers have been substantially (54) or partly (53) progressed.
The report recommends several "immediate actions" including:
- pausing the "mainstreaming" of aged care Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations and continue block funding while the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care pathway is being developed,
- restoring the previous cap on care management fees, and
- removing the 16-week maximum for care under the Support at Home End-of-Life Pathway.
The Inspector-General will work to highlight obstacles to achieving the Royal Commission's aims and to ensure there is a path to achieving the goals.
Read the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety here.
