Aged Care Reform is Coming November 1st: Are You Ready?

01 August, 2025 Gavin Hall

Come 1 November 2025, the Australian Aged Care sector will enter a new era. One that shifts how providers deliver services, manage compliance, and handle sensitive information.

While many headlines focus on the launch of the Support at Home program, the changes extend far deeper. A new Aged Care Act, updated fee structures, strengthened workforce standards, and tighter governance obligations will all take effect on the same day. For providers, this means the systems, processes, and protections that were “good enough” yesterday may no longer cut it under the new framework.

From our perspective, we see this moment not just as a compliance checkpoint, but a major operational turning point.

Support at Home: What Providers Need to Know

The Support at Home program will replace the Home Care Packages (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) programs from 1 November 2025. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will transition later, no earlier than 1 July 2027.

Key features of the Support at Home program include:

Automatic Transition: Existing HCP and STRC recipients will automatically move to the new model.
Funding Continuity: Clients will retain budgets equivalent to their current package levels.
Expanded Benefits: Assistive technology, home modifications, restorative care, and end-of-life services will be included.
Participant Contributions: Contributions will be based on income, assets, and prior package status.
Digital Claims and Reporting: Providers must use the Aged Care Provider Portal and monthly statement templates for transparency.

The Department of Health and Aged Care has released:

Support at Home Program Manual (Version 3): Guidance on care planning, budgeting, and service delivery.
Transition Guide: Operational readiness steps and staff training expectations.
Claims and Payments Business Rules: Requirements for financial reporting and communication with participants.

This Is Bigger Than Support at Home

Alongside this, the new Aged Care Act 2024 introduces a rights-based legal framework that puts digital documentation and data handling directly under the spotlight. Privacy, responsiveness, and accountability are no longer optional, they’re legislated.

Then there are the financial implications. New cost contribution models and caps introduce more complexity, especially when it comes to system-generated invoicing and reporting. For residential care, updated rules on Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RADs) and daily payments require financial systems that are both accurate and auditable.

And all of this is happening while providers continue to face growing pressure from regulators. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) have both made it clear that failure to meet digital governance standards won’t go unnoticed, whether through poor security or misleading practices.

New Senate Amendments Add Further Momentum

Two new amendments have recently been proposed in the Senate that could reshape how the Act is implemented:

Disability Inclusion Amendment: Proposed by Senator Jordan Steele-John, this amendment calls for the full implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendation that no person under 65 with a disability should remain in residential aged care. This would require providers to reassess their accommodation models and ensure younger people with disabilities are supported in more appropriate settings.
Parliamentary Oversight Amendment: Introduced by Senator Fatima Payman, this amendment would require Senate committee review of any new rules made under the Act shortly after they are tabled. This aims to increase transparency and ensure that regulatory changes are subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

What Does This Mean for You?

Many Aged Care organisations are already running lean. With stretched teams and evolving service expectations, it’s understandable that IT planning hasn’t always been front of mind. But the reality is: your systems are now central to your compliance and your ability to serve residents and clients effectively.

For most providers, we’re seeing three clear areas where action is needed:

Updating to Digital Infrastructure That Can Keep Up. Older systems, whether for rostering, care notes, billing or incident reporting may not support the new level of oversight and integration required. Now is the time to assess what needs modernising, consolidating, or replacing.
Cyber Security That Matches Your Risk. With personal health and financial information under your care, your cyber posture must align with what regulators expect and what your clients deserve. That means up-to-date security, endpoint protections, breach response plans, and ongoing monitoring.
Automation to Relieve Your People. With workforce shortages continuing, automation in areas like compliance workflows, documentation, care tracking, and reporting can ease the load and reduce human error.

The Window to Prepare Is Closing

This isn’t a change that can be handled reactively. The reforms may begin in November, but the groundwork to IT readiness needs to start now.

We’ve seen other sectors caught off-guard when compliance rules tightened without enough warning. Legal, Healthcare, and Financial Services have already experienced what it means to face regulators without the right systems in place. Aged Care is now moving into that same territory.

You’re Not Alone

We understand the unique constraints and responsibilities of the Aged Care sector. Our role as a Managed Services Provider isn’t just to provide technology, it’s to help you make sense of what’s changing, what’s urgent, and what you can do today to set up for long-term success. Our Business Technology Consulting team are on hand to help you provide the high standard of care your consumers deserve.

If you’re not sure where to start, let’s begin with a discussion. We can assess your current setup, identify any compliance gaps, and help you make a practical, scalable plan to move forward before the November deadline arrives.