At its meeting on 23 November, Council resolved to undertake a Best Value Review of Council’s aged and disability services.
The Best Value Review will report on Council’s delivery of home and community care services to assist older people, those recovering from acute care and people with disabilities to continue to live independently in the community, including the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and Home and Community Care for Younger People (HACCPYP).
During the Best Value Review process, 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.
The Australian Government has sole policy and funding responsibility for the delivery of aged services and has announced a new national system for the sector that will be implemented from 1 July 2023. This new system is a significant change and has the potential to impact Council’s commitment to deliver high quality services that provide the best value to the community.
Prompted by this system overhaul, Golden Plains Shire Council joins municipalities across Victoria and Australia in considering their future management of services in this sector. Noting that the provision of aged care and disability services to support people to live independently in their homes is a commitment of the Australian Government and that there are quality service providers dedicated to the sector, the Best Value Review will provide Council with the information to make a decision on Council’s future management of these services.
Council is committed to conducting the Best Value Review in an open and transparent way and all service clients, Council staff, and the Australian and Victorian Governments have been notified of the review.
As part of Council’s community engagement commitment, all clients and their families, staff and community members are invited to make a submission on the current and anticipated needs of aged and disability services, and the barriers to ageing well in Golden Plains Shire.
Submissions to the Best Value Review are open from Wednesday 24 November to 5pm, Tuesday 21 December, 2021. To make a submission:
Complete a paper form at a Council Customer Service Centre, 2 Pope Street, Bannockburn or The Well, 19 Heales Street, Smythesdale;
Visit goldenplains.vic.gov.au/consultations and complete the online form; or
Email a written submission to [email protected]
The Best Value Review will report on the current service delivery model, quality and costs standards, and an external Expression of Interest (EOI) of potential service providers.
A report on the Best Value Review, including all feedback collected during the consultation period, will be presented at the Council Meeting in March 2022 for a decision on Council’s future management of aged and disability services in Golden Plains Shire.