The Albanese Government is reforming aged care assessments to make it easier for older people to access services as their needs change.
On 1 July 2024, we introduced the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) as the first step of implementing the new Single Assessment System for aged care.
The IAT is the new tool for assessing the eligibility of older people for government-subsidised aged care. The IAT enables assessors to collect more complete information about the older person and tailor service recommendations and referrals to their needs.
It features tools to improve the depth and clinical relevance of assessments, as well as new assessment questions and focus areas, including medical, financial, legal, social and behavioural matters.
There are no changes to aged care eligibility requirements or referrals to urgent services.
During a live trial in 2023, the IAT was tested and refined by 22 assessor organisations.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found the assessment process was confusing for older people and their families to navigate.
From late 2024, the new Single Assessment System workforce will bring together the Regional Assessment Service (RAS), Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT), and Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) assessors. Once in place, all assessment organisations will be able to do simple and complex assessments for both home and residential care.
We will introduce First Nations assessment organisations progressively from 1 July 2025 to provide a culturally safe pathway for older First Nations people to access aged care.
