Warrnambool, Moyne councils to review its aged care services after federal reforms

Warrnambool City Council has revealed consultants have been appointed to evaluate the future of its aged services which includes meals on wheels and in-home care.

Earlier this year, Corangamite Shire Council decided to pull its in-home services impacting 500 clients, and Moyne Shire is also now putting its service under the microscope.

While councils have traditionally provided in-home services on behalf of the federal and state governments, proposed reforms have prompted many councils in rural and regional Victoria to withdraw from delivering help.

No decision has been made on whether Moyne and Warrnambool will eventually follow the lead of its neighbour.

While Corangamite Shire began to transition to other providers in the region on July 1, Warrnambool City Council's chief executive officer Andrew Mason said it would continue to provide services up until June 30, 2025 without any change.

He said the council was now in the process of evaluating its future in the delivery of aged care services based on the reforms proposed by the federal government.

"The proposed reforms can have governance, quality control, reporting and financial implications on council services and council needs to understand all the implications to plan ahead," Mr Mason said.

"To help inform this decision, council is appointing an expert independent consultant to undertake a review to evaluate the current levels of service, the future demand for services and council's future in delivery of those services."

Warrnambool and Colac Otway Shire Council have joined forces to appoint the external independent consultant to conduct the review which will be carried out between now and December this year.

Warrnambool council has about 2200 service agreements each year catering for about 1500 people.

Those services include home care, personal care, property maintenance/modifications, social support, respite care and meals on wheels.

Moyne Shire Council has also taken the first steps towards establishing a review of aged and disability services - including home and community care - which services 586 clients.

It hopes to soon appoint a consultant to conduct the review.

Mayor Karen Foster said following the royal commission into aged care, the federal government had made significant changes to policies which would fundamentally change the sector.

"There will have to be change in this space, we cannot continue 'as is' because the current Commonwealth programs we deliver will no longer exist," she said.

Cr Foster said there would be no interruption to services during the review.

"I want to stress that no decision has been made, we are doing this review to determine our next steps," she said.

Tenders for the consultant close July 21.

Corangamite's decision to step out of the service follows similar ones from councils such as Golden Plains, Moorabool, Mildura, Greater Shepparton, Bendigo, Ballarat, Hepburn and Campaspe.

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