Domiciliary Care

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion. Why is the government no longer providing loan equipment under Domiciliary Care programs, and will equipment be available for sale to current users of that equipment?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:00): I thank the member for Morphett for his question. In the aged-care space, we are undergoing a transitional period where the commonwealth is taking over this area. What we will see is Domiciliary Care continuing in its space of the Commonwealth Home Support program, and they will continue to do that. They have about 3,000 people who they support here, and sometimes they support more people through the course of a year.

In regard to the equipment, they will continue to be able to use the equipment that is required for that home support service. As we go further on, what we will see is that people who require greater levels of support will now be assessed through the ACAT system through the My Aged Care gateway. We will be grandfathering this through, so those current clients will continue to have that support until they need a higher level, and there are four higher levels. In regard to the equipment, if they require equipment for home support but not home care, they will continue to have that equipment.