Technology & Innovation
Assessors lose power to override Support at Home algorithm
Technology & Innovation
Assessors lose power to override Support at Home algorithm
The Weekly Source · 2 min read · 21 hours ago
Original source
Summarised by Stellar
Key points5 points
- From 1 November 2025, assessors cannot override Integrated Assessment Tool classifications for ongoing Support at Home packages, despite earlier training and guidance promising clinical discretion.
- Overrides remain available for short-term aged care pathways and residential aged care, creating an inconsistent decision-making framework across programs.
- The Department acknowledged the change was a late shift in messaging and could be criticised as inconsistent with previous government statements.
- Most assessment organisations, including state and territory government bodies, have raised concerns and supplied examples where algorithm classifications did not align with client needs.
- The Department is analysing those cases to inform advice to assessors and possible future changes to the algorithm.
Summary
Freedom of Information documents show the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing told Aged Care Minister Sam Rae just three days before the new Aged Care Act commenced that assessors had no legal discretion to override Integrated Assessment Tool classifications for ongoing Support at Home packages. Assessors had been trained for months to believe they could adjust classifications up or down using clinical judgement. Overrides remain available for short-term and residential pathways. Most assessment organisations, including state and territory bodies, have since raised concerns, and the Department is reviewing cases where algorithm outcomes did not match client needs.