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Single Assessment System for Seniors

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Seniors aged 65 and over who are regularly seeking aged care services will need to be assessed to receive funding for government-funded aged care services. Currently, there are different assessment pathways. As a result, assessments are not consistent and older people are often moved between assessment organisations as their needs change.

 

The importance of aged care assessment reform

A single assessment system will simplify and improve the experience of seniors by providing a flexible system that can quickly adapt to their care needs.

The new system will provide a single assessment pathway that can quickly adapt to changing needs without the need to change your assessment provider.

 

The Single Assessment System will replace the:

• Regional Assessment Service (RAS) used for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.
• Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) – used for:

         -the Home Care Packages Program.

         -the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme.

         -the Transition Care Programme.

         -residential respite.

         -entry to residential aged care.

• independent Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessors , used for
• residential aged care funding.

 

States and territory governments will continue to have a role in delivering aged care assessments as part of a broader Single Assessment Workforce in the new system.

 

When will the new system be launched?

The single assessment system will be launched from 1 July 2024 along with the implementation of the new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT). The single assessment system will support approximately 500,000 seniors seeking aged care services each year.