A new alliance of aged care bodies is calling for the retention of the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and its redevelopment as the primary tier of Australia’s aged care system.
The CHSP Alliance has been established by 40 prominent organisations and individuals representing consumers, unions, health professionals, home support providers and researchers.
Alliance Co-Convenor, Professor Kathy Eagar AM said “We are calling on the government to restructure aged care into three tiers just like the health system.
“CHSP should be developed as the primary care tier, equivalent to going to the GP. It should be local, affordable and with no long waits. Meals on Wheels, community transport, neighbourhood centres, community nursing and allied health should all be part of primary aged care.
“The new Support at Home program should be the secondary tier, equivalent to going to a medical specialist or the local hospital. Residential nursing homes are the tertiary tier, similar to major referral hospitals. The aged care system is confusing and too hard for older people to navigate. A strong primary aged care system can help fix that”.
Alliance Co-Convenor and Chair of Meals on Wheels Australia, Paul Sadler said “We really must increase investment in prevention and in helping older people live well and be as independent as possible.
“Primary aged care focusing on prevention and a wellness approach Is good for the older person and also good for the taxpayer. Australian
taxpayers will ultimately have to pay more If we don’t invest in prevention and in services that allow older people to remain independent for longer.
“We are calling for CHSP to remain as a separate program and not get folded into the Support at Home (SAH) program. We are asking that the government makes a decision on this as a matter of urgency and announces it as part of the May 2026 budget”, Mr Sadler said.
Alliance members say they stand ready to work with the Government to co-design a revamped CHSP program that is fit for the next 20+ years.
The Alliance has one primary goal: the maintenance, funding and further development of CHSP as the primary tier of the aged care system. Our vision is a revamped CHSP that is clearly positioned as the primary tier of an integrated aged care system and that is fit for the next two decades and beyond.
The Alliance has four secondary goals:
- a formal recognition of the secondary tier role of CHSP;
- older people requiring secondary aged care being offered a genuine choice about whether it is delivered via CHSP or Support at Home (SAH);
- better integration of CHSP and primary health care, including the social prescribing of CHSP by the person’s general practitioner; and
- a new funding model that separately funds the fixed and variable costs of delivering CHSP aged care in the community.
The Alliance position statement is available at https://mealsonwheels.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CHSP-Alliance-Position-Paper_Published-March-2026-1.pdf.
