About the Single Assessment System workforce
We established a new Single Assessment System to make it easier for older people to enter aged care and access different services as their needs change.
As of 9 December 2024, the Single Assessment System workforce brought together and replaced:
- Regional Assessment Service (RAS)
- Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs)
- independent Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessors.
Under the Single Assessment System workforce, all organisations conducting aged care needs assessments are able to do both:
- home support assessments for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
- comprehensive assessments for
- the Home Care Packages Program
- flexible aged care programs
- residential respite
- entry into residential aged care.
Some assessment organisations conduct residential aged care funding assessments to determine an older person’s AN-ACC classification after they have settled into residential aged care.
Most residential aged care funding assessment organisations also conduct aged care needs assessments to expand availability and access across Australia.
State and territory governments continue to deliver hospital-based assessments.
Why this is important
The Single Assessment System for aged care responds to Recommendation 28 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The Royal Commission found that the previous aged care assessment process was confusing for older people and their families to navigate, and people often bounced between assessment organisations.
The Single Assessment System workforce will simplify and improve an older person’s experience as they enter and progress through the aged care system by:
- providing a single assessment pathway for older people so they don’t have to change assessment providers as their needs change
- ensuring access to assessments in regional, remote and rural areas
- reducing wait times to access an aged care assessment.
About the tender
We held an open tender process in early 2024 for organisations with the capacity and capability to deliver aged care assessments for the Single Assessment System.
See a full list of assessment organisations under the Single Assessment System workforce by state and territory and region.
You can also find assessment organisations by Aged Care Planning Region on our searchable map.
Changes to the assessment process
We have introduced Triage Delegates who undertake a short triage process with an older person within 2 weeks of an organisation receiving referrals for aged care needs assessments.
Triage Delegates are clinically qualified and have the experience and expertise to assess and determine the needs of an older person.
This ensures older people with lower needs are not over-assessed and those with complex needs have access to a comprehensive assessment.
The Single Assessment System is designed to be flexible, so older people will be supported by the same organisation even if a change of needs is identified.
If an older person is having a comprehensive assessment by a clinical assessor, the assessor can recommend Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services if required.
If an older person is receiving a home support assessment by a non-clinical assessor, the assessor can call a clinical assessor (by phone or video conference) to discuss questions that require clinical judgment.
If a clinical assessor is not available right away, they will call back or arrange a follow-up assessment to ask the remaining clinical questions.
What has stayed the same
There are no changes to aged care eligibility requirements or in-hospital assessments.
The process for referrals to aged care assessments, urgent services and reassessments has stayed the same.
Aged care needs assessments continue to be done in person, at the older person’s home, or in hospital if required.
Residential aged care funding assessment continue to be done once an older person has settled into residential aged care.
Health professionals and aged care providers should visit Make a Referral on the My Aged Care website for advice on how to refer older people for an assessment.
Transition for older people
We are working closely with new, continuing and exiting assessment organisations to support a smooth transition and ensure minimal impacts for older people.
There should be no disruptions for anyone who is currently waiting for an assessment.
- If they have already engaged with My Aged Care and are waiting for an assessment organisation to contact them, they don’t need to do anything else. A local assessment organisation will call them to book an assessment within 2 weeks of accepting their referral.
- If they already have an assessment booked in, nothing will change. An assessor will come to their home to conduct the assessment at the booked time and date.
If your care recipient would like more information about the Single Assessment System and what it means to them, please direct them to our fact sheet, or My Aged Care.