The Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme (CWCS) Go Live date of 1 May 2025 was impacted by the timing of the federal election. A new Go Live date is scheduled and will be announced after consultation with the Minister for Health and Aged Care.
About chronic wounds
Chronic wounds are wounds that have not progressed through normal healing stages in 30 days. They heal more slowly, often only heal partially and may recur.
About the CWCS
The CWCS will help eligible patients manage their chronic wounds. It will cover the full cost of products they need to heal, such as bandages, dressings and adhesives.
We will consult with wound care experts to develop the full list of products the scheme will cover.
Why it is important
Chronic wounds impact a person’s quality of life and require long-term care. This has a significant burden on our healthcare system.
Currently, most patients must pay the full cost of wound consumable products. These costs can put significant financial pressure on people. This can lead to patients delaying care.
The CWCS will ensure patients can get the wound care they need when they need it.
How it will work
A patient with a chronic wound will go to an eligible health professional. The health professional will assess the wound and order the required wound care products for their patient through an online portal.
The health professional will be able to choose from various wound care products listed in the online portal. We are developing the list of eligible products.
The wound care products will be delivered to a patient’s home or the health professional's office, at no cost to the patient.
Eligibility
Eligible participants
The CWCS will support people with diabetes with a chronic wound who are:
- 65 years or older
- First Nations and 50 years or older.
Patients are not eligible for this scheme if they receive wound care or funding through:
- the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- the Department of Veterans' Affairs rehabilitation and treatment programs, including Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) dressings
- Australian Government-funded residential aged care homes, Home Care Packages or the Community Home Support Program
- public or community health services run by or on behalf of state and territory governments
- public and private hospitals – including post-operative and outpatient care.
Eligible health professionals
Health professionals will be eligible if they are:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners
- medical practitioners in a primary care setting, including general practitioners
- registered nurses and nurse practitioners
- podiatrists.
Eligible health professionals will need to complete specified training to use the online portal.
Health professional training
Monash University has developed health professional training and education packages to support best practice chronic wound care management. If you are a health professional and you want to access the CWCS scheme and online ordering portal, you must enrol and complete this training.
Once you complete the training you will receive a completion certificate and a link to the Department of Services Australia PRODA site, where you will be able to register for the CWCS portal. Please note that the PRODA link will not be live until the Go Live date.
Email us with enquiries about the training program, including problems accessing the training.
Supporting activities
Extra activities, complement to this scheme, will support improved wound healing outcomes across the community.
Advanced training scholarships
We fund the Australian College of Nurses to provide a scholarship for nurses and Aboriginal health workers to complete formal training in wound care.
The grant will provide:
- at least 120 scholarships each year for advanced training short courses for nurses
- 5 scholarships for graduate certificates in wound care
- 1 scholarship for a Masters of Wound Care course.
Find out more information about the scholarships and training.
Public awareness campaign
We fund Wounds Australia to deliver a national education and awareness campaign on chronic wound prevention and treatment. The campaign will aim to improve public awareness and patient knowledge of how to care for wounds to give them the best chance to heal.
Find out more about the Wounds Australia public awareness campaign, Be Wounds Aware.
Get involved
The Approach to Market (ATM) for CWCS distribution and wound consumables have now closed.
You can register on AUSTender for notifications of business opportunities.
Who we work with
The CWCS Expert Advisory Group advises us on wound care products and our implementation of the CWCS.
It is made up of representatives from the medical, clinical nursing and allied health professions.
Contact
Chronic Wound Consumable Scheme contact
