Skip to content
  1. Back to media centre

Single Assessment System for aged care

Written by Justin Gately, Interim Chief Operating Officer with integratedliving

On Monday 9 December 2024, the Australian Government launched the Single Assessment System for aged care. This is part of the ongoing reforms to aged care and responds to Recommendation 28 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

What is the Single Assessment System?

The new System has three key parts:

  • Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) to assess eligibility for funding. This has been in use since 1 July 2024
  • Single Assessment System workforce – bringing together three different assessment workforces
  • new First Nations assessment organisations to provide culturally safe pathways for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This will be rolled out from 1 July 2025.

Why is this important?

Before being able to receive government-funded aged care services, a person needs to be assessed. An assessment determines a person’s care needs and the types of care and services they may be eligible for.

Previously, there were three different assessment pathways, meaning older people were often moving between assessment organisations as their needs changed.

The Single Assessment System will simplify the process and improve the experience for older people as they enter and progress through the aged care system by:

  • providing a single assessment pathway
  • ensuring older people only have to tell their story once
  • providing access to assessments in regional, rural and remote areas
  • reducing wait times.


Single Assessment System Workforce

As of 9 December, the Single Assessment System brought together and replaced the current aged care assessment workforces.

The system now includes Triage Delegates, who are clinically qualified. Triage Delegates will undertake a triage process with an older person within two weeks of an organisation receiving a referral.

The System is designed to be flexible, so older people can be supported by the same organisation if their needs change.


What has stayed the same

  • The aged care eligibility requirements
  • How you can apply for an assessment
  • In-hospital assessments
  • The process for referrals, urgent services and reassessments
  • Making a referral on the My Aged Care website.


How to apply for an aged care needs assessment


For older people applying for aged care assistance for the first time

The integratedliving team can advise you on receiving an assessment for aged care funding. No matter where you are in your aged care journey we can support you to take the next step. You can contact our team on 1300 782 896 (6am - 7.30pm, Mon - Sun).

For older people requiring a reassessment

If you are already receiving aged care funding but your needs have changed and you’re requiring extra assistance, integratedliving can apply for a reassessment on your behalf. Simply contact our team on 1300 782 896.


Resources

integratedliving has the following resources available for you to explore:


You can find out more about the Single Assessment System by reading this fact sheet, visiting https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/single-assessment-system/about or calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care