One-stop Shops for Access to Aged Care Information, Assessment and Services

The Government will invest in providing greater information and assessment for aged care services through one-stop shops.

One-stop Shops for Access to Aged Care Information, Assessment and Services fact sheet (PDF 37 KB)

How will the one-stop shops work?
What has the Australian Government done so far to improve the aged care system?

The aged care system is fragmented, with divided responsibilities between Commonwealth and state governments. This makes it difficult for older people and their carers to find and access the care that best suits their needs.

The Australian Government is taking action through its National Health and Hospitals Network.

The Government will provide $36.8 million over four years to provide greater information and assessment for aged care services through one-stop shops.

They will be linked to assessment services and will help older people and their families get the services that best suit them.

How will the one-stop shops work?

One-stop shops will be linked to Local Hospital Networks.

Over four years, the Australian Government will spend $36.8 million to set up one-stop shops for aged care information and assessment.

The single entry point to the aged care system will use nationally consistent screening and assessments to direct people to the most appropriate care.

It means the one-stop shops will provide clients and their carers with:

• information on the full range of community and residential aged care services, and carer support services
• assistance in assessing options and filling out forms, such as those for income assessment
• centralised intake assessment, including eligibility assessment for basic maintenance and support services and a more detailed eligibility assessment for subsidised aged care services
• referral to basic maintenance and support services
• access to a capacity database and care coordination service to enable the public to find service providers who have the aged care services available to meet their assessed care needs.

What has the Australian Government done so far to improve the aged care system?

The Australian Government has been working with the states and territories through the Council of Australian Governments meetings to reform roles and responsibilities in aged care.

Since 2007, the Government has invested in aged care to expand services including:

• over 6,300 additional residential care places – almost half of them in high care
• over 2,800 additional community care places
• almost 700 additional transition care places.

Funding for aged care has increased by more than $1.7 billion (an increase of 20 per cent) to more than $10 billion in 2009–10.

The costs of the initiative reflect the total new program costs to the Government.

Further information on the National Health and Hospitals Network is at www.yourhealth.gov.auback to top