Greater Geelong Council votes to retain in-home community services

The City of Greater Geelong has voted to continue providing in-home community services, completing a remarkable turnaround after an independent review recommended that it exits from the home care sector earlier in the year.

A confidential session at the end of a recent council meeting saw the Council vote yes to continue delivering critical home care services for more than 3,000 local residents. 

With the transition to Support at Home looming, the City of Greater Geelong (the City) engaged independent consultants to conduct a full review to inform and assist the Council in deciding the City’s future involvement in in-home community care services.

It determined that a combination of changes would significantly impact its current in-home community services model, and that specialist aged care service providers would be best placed to provide ‘the best quality services’.

“Our aim is to ensure our community is provided the best possible service to its ageing population, and this has always been the core priority of our community care service,” City of Greater Geelong Chief Executive Ali Wastie previously explained.

However, after listening to concerns from local community members, the Council determined that it would be best to maintain the status quo despite likely challenges. 

“This Council was voted in to listen to and advocate on behalf of the community we serve, and that’s what we’ve done,” shared Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj. 

“It’s important to note that there will be some changes to how the service operates – these will be determined by the requirements of the Commonwealth Government, but our aspiration is for it to be consistent with the service they’ve come to know and love.

“It’s been heartwarming to hear so many stories from people who have told us about how this service makes a difference in their lives every single day.

“Council will continue to work and negotiate with the Commonwealth Government in good faith, and I thank the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Member for Corangamite Libby Coker for their interest and support,” he added. 

In a statement released during the week, the City said its decision follows new government legislation which will ‘fundamentally change the way that services are delivered over a two-year period’.

This legislation is of course the new Aged Care Act and the associated changes to home care via Support at Home, which will replace Home Care Packages and Short-term Restorative Care from 1 July, 2025. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme will also align with Support at Home, but no earlier than 1 July, 2027. 

The City’s statement acknowledged that the new Statement of Rights will ensure ‘older people are treated with dignity and respect’, while there will be changes to who can access aged care services and how they are funded, alongside stronger Aged Care Quality Standards and greater oversight from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

It is preparing necessary measures to ensure compliance with the new reforms, which will require a ‘major shift’ in its service management and delivery. 

IT upgrades and an increased integration of health services into in-home aged care will be some of the changes required by the City.

“These measures require significant additional expenditure, and the City will continue to advocate to the Federal Government in good faith for additional recurrent transition funding to support the changes,” its statement read.

“The impacts on each client’s service are being worked through individually, and all clients will be contacted in due course to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.”

Ms Wastie added that the City of Greater Geelong is ready to help clients and employees understand what these changes mean.

“We will be taking this one step at a time, speaking to clients individually, and working with employees to explain exactly what’s changing for their service under these reforms,” she shared.

“Our teams are standing by to help anyone who is still unsure about what this means for them.”