At its meeting on Wednesday 3 May 2023, Council resolved to undertake a Best Value Review of Council’s aged and disability services in response to the Commonwealth Government changes to aged care. The Commonwealth Government has sole policy and funding responsibility for the delivery of aged services and has announced a new national system that will be implemented from 1 July 2025.
Colac Otway Shire Council has appointed Lake Advisory consultants to undertake an independent review of Council’s aged and disability services.
The review will report on Council’s provision of services to assist older people, those recovering from acute care and people with disabilities to continue to live independently in the community. These services include those funded through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), the State Government’s Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP) and Home Care Packages.
During the review, there will be no disruption to clients, families or staff of Council’s aged and disability services, with all programs and services to operate as usual.
How to ‘Have Your Say’
As part of Council’s community engagement commitment, all clients and their families, staff and community members are invited to complete a survey and, or, make a submission regarding the current and future aged and disability services, and the barriers to living independently in the Colac Otway Shire municipality.
Survey responses (and any other submissions) to the aged and disability services review are open from Wednesday 6 September 2023 until 5.00pm Wednesday 4 October 2023.
To make a submission, please take any of the following actions:
Have Your Say – Aged and Disability Services – Focus Group
If you would like to be involved in a structured focus group meeting during October, please register your interest through the survey form.
We will contact you when details are confirmed to advise of time, date and location of the focus group event.
Have Your Say – Aged and Disability Services – Information sessions
Lake Consulting will be hosting information sessions at several sites across Colac Otway Shire during October to answer your questions about the Best Value Review, discuss the Commonwealth Government’s aged care reforms and to listen to your feedback on the current and anticipated needs of older people and people with a disability who live in Colac Otway Shire.
Information on where and when these information sessions will be held will be published on Council’s Aged and Disability Service Review webpage, included in Council’s Friday notice in the Colac Herald and our Social Media pages.
Your survey response will help inform the aged and disability services review. A review report, including all feedback collected during the consultation period, will be presented at a Colac Otway Shire Council Meeting late in 2023. The review will enable Council to make a decision on Council’s future role and provision of aged and disability services in the Colac Otway Shire.
Council is committed to conducting this review in an open and transparent way and will value the contribution everyone makes.
If you have any questions, please contact Council on (03) 5232 9400 or email inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au.