The current wait times and decision to delay 83,000 Home Care Packages by four months amount to a “calculated denial” of aged care services, the former Acting Inspector-General has warned.

"People either get ill and die without receiving services, or their health and capacity deteriorates to a degree that exceeds the capacity of an HCP to enable them to remain at home," Ian said in his submission to the Aged Care Services Senate Inquiry published this week.

Ian's comments echo the concerns made to the office of current Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown.

ACT Senator David Pocock called for the Inquiry last month to look at the impact of the delayed release of Home Care Packages, the capacity of the Commonwealth Home Support Program to meet increased demand, and the implementation of the Single Assessment System, among other issues.

Record numbers with no HCP

In his submission, Ian said the sector is on track to have record numbers with no access to a Home Care Package compared to those who have been assessed as needing one.

The home care waiting list was at a record high as of 31 March 2019, when 129,038 people were waiting for their correct level of Home Care Package. At the time, 53,299 had a Home Care Package at a lower level than their assessed need, while 75,739 had no Home Care Package at all.

Ian estimates that as of 30 June 2025, there were nearly 94,000 waiting for their correct level of Home Care Package, with 76,000 having no access to a Home Care Package at all (see table above).

He concluded "the issues this Inquiry is examining will be repeated over time until we have a needs-based provision of services", a recommendation he has made several times.