Feedback on the proposed regulation of the home and community support

Overview

The Ministry of Health is undertaking a two-phase consultation process to seek views from stakeholders on the proposed regulation of the home and community support services in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The two-phase process includes an on-line survey and face to face small group sessions. Below are questions to seek feedback as part of the first phase of the consultation process. 

Background

Home and community support services support older New Zealanders to remain in their homes as they age, to be connected with their whanau and to delay entry into aged residential care. Disabled people and those with mental health and addictions, who also need support to remain in their own homes, are also supported through home and community support services.

Unlike aged residential care, and residential disability services, including mental health, intellectual disability and physical disability, home and community support services are not regulated by the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001. Home and Community Support Services fall within the scope of the Act, but not within the specified services that have a requirement to be certified. 

Currently in New Zealand all publicly-funded home and community support service providers are required to be certified against the Home and Community Support Sector Standard (NZS 8158:2012) through their contracts with the Ministry of Health, district health boards and/or Accident Compensation Corporation.

How will regulation differ to the current certification requirements through the contracting process?

Regulation refers to rules made by a government or other authority that control the way something is done. Should home and community support services be regulated by the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001, all private and publicly funded care would be required by law to fulfil certification requirements under the Act. 

Developing the same regulatory framework for home and community support services, that exists for residential health and disability services (for older people, disabled people and people who live in mental health and addictions residential facilities), offers a range of opportunities to improve health outcomes. It would improve national oversight of these services, similar to aged residential services. It is intended to support more consistency in the quality of services people receive, more transparency in addressing complaints and increase confidence in the sector.