Home And Community Health Association Strongly Welcomes Ministerial Advisory Group Report On Aged Care

The Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group’s report marks
the most significant opportunity in a generation to meet the
defining challenge of an ageing population.

With
genuine cross-party backing, this report doesn’t just patch
the pieces, it turbo charges the aged care sector. It sets
out, in stark terms, the cost of doing nothing against the
opportunity that comes with reform: a genuine capability and
system upgrade, that lets in-home care take on higher needs,
keeping more people well in their homes for longer, and
freeing up the rest of the health system to focus where it’s
needed most.

HCHA Chief Executive Lisa Foster says the
report’s integrated approach is exactly what the sector has
been calling for.

“We recognise this is a big
shift, and it is uplifting to see an integrated view that
includes our kaiāwhina, care and support workers, and
carers as a key part of the aged care system. This report
widens the scope beyond siloed measures like ED numbers or
free GP visits. The main logic is simple: pull the ambulance
back to the top of the cliff, put real guardrails in place,
and you can save money while building a more resilient,
happier, healthier Aotearoa. That takes upfront investment,
bold change, and a cohesive mindset,” says
Foster.

She adds: “Home care is the most
efficient, smartest health dollar our taxpayers currently
spend. A single night in rest home care costs about the same
as a week of home care, and a single night in hospital costs
about the same as a month of home care. Fund care at home,
and you fund the beating heart of the entire healthcare
system, now and into the future. This report gives us the
blueprint and evidence so we can now build on that,” says
Foster.

HCHA is calling for a commitment to keep
the report’s recommendations on the Cabinet
agenda.

“A report like this only matters if it’s
acted on. Doing nothing leaves government carrying billions
in avoidable cost, and simply pouring more funding into the
current model is unaffordable. Structural reform is
different: the modelling shows it could reduce direct costs
to government by just over $830 million a year, by 2037/38
(in 2025 dollars), compared to funding the current model
harder, while the net cost to government to deliver the
initiatives is stated as $168 million. That’s a strong
return on investment. Obviously, there’s more detail to work
through and more modelling needed, but the direction is
clear. Now is the time for bold action and implementation,
and a genuine step towards a stronger, healthier future,”
says Foster.

Among the report’s recommendations,
HCHA particularly welcomes two areas the Association has
long called for:

• Immediate investment to
  stabilise the home and community health
  sector
• Development of a cross-sector workforce
  strategy for aged care with a clear workforce plan to
  enhance and build capability, expand the scope, improve
  career pathways, and improve respect and retention for aged
  care kaiāwhina support workers and family
  carers

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