Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown has released her second Annual Work Plan, setting five priorities and stamping her own mark on the role since starting in January.
"I am rapt to present the 2025–26 Annual Work Plan, my first as Inspector-General of Aged Care," the report begins.
Natalie's vision for aged care includes a system that is "kind" and "compassionate", that provides "high-quality care", while promoting each individual's "rights, identity and independence".
The report lists five priority areas:
- How can the high quality care be achieved? How is it done elsewhere?
- Restrictive Practices; what is needed for true reduction and elimination?
- A preventative approach to needing acute aged care (a public health/economy wide approach to aged care),
- An approach to codesigning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care (co-led with the First Nations Aged Care Commissioner), and
- What does a human rights focused, person-centred complaints system look like?
The priority areas have been selected based on feedback the Office has received since it was established in 2023, and from a series of stakeholder forums held to inform the 2025 Progress Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission. The report is expected to be tabled in Parliament on or before 4 September 2025.
In 2025-26, the office has two objectives:
- Finalise the Review of the Administration of My Aged Care, and
- Commence the Review of the Implementation of Aged Care Royal Commission Recommendations.
The Office is required by law to review implementation of the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission by 1 March 2026.
However, Parliament is currently considering delaying the deadline until 1 November 2027 through the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 because the new Aged Care Act, which has been delayed by four months until 1 November 2025, will implement 58 Royal Commission recommendations. The review may be postponed until the 2026-27 work plan.
