80577 (2024). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Associate Minister of Health

80577 (2024). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Associate Minister of Health: What steps has she taken, if any, to ensure that the aged-care funding and service models review by Te Whatu Ora considers aspects of home and community support services to improve the sustainability of services and to ensure equity, as outlined in Recommendation 16 of the Aged Care Commissioner's March 2024 report?

Hon Casey Costello: I am advised that a report completed as part of the Aged Care Review endorsed a nationally consistent restorative bulk funding Home and Community Support model of care. This approach will help improve service quality consistency and address equity across the country. Te Waipounamu will be the first region to undertake regional implementation, via a tender process, from July 2025. A bulk funding model will improve service sustainability and ensure services are targeted to meet the complex needs of the community. Service outcome measures using internationally validated interRAI Home Care measures have been agreed, and the roll-out will be supported by Health New Zealand's National Data Platform.