The second report of the implementation of the care finder program (June 2021 to December 2024) is a culmination of program data collection and analysis, and interviews with Primary Health Networks (PHNs), care finders and clients, and key stakeholders.

The program began on 1 January 2023 and forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The program is funded to establish a care finder network to provide specialist help to older Australians who need extra support to access aged care and other community supports. 

PHNs commission and manage care finder organisations (CF organisations) and are charged with integrating them into their local aged care and community support systems. 

The report identifies the program has met its short-term outcomes and is on track to meet its medium- and long-term outcomes and has strong support from care finders, PHNs, intermediaries/referrers and clients.  These findings relate to its implementation, appropriateness and effectiveness and are based on a range of quantitative and qualitative data collected over the first 2 years of the program. This data included documentation from the department, PHN reports, activity data submitted by CF organisations and consultations with clients, intermediaries, care finders and PHN representatives.

Report findings highlight some issues impacting the care finders role, resulting in care finders having to support clients for longer. The program has met its short-term outcomes and is on track to meet its medium – and long-term outcomes. It has strong support from care finders, PHNs, intermediaries and clients.

The report presents recommendations aligned to 9 ‘lessons learned’, for both for the department and PHNs. 

1. Initial and ongoing training on handling complex cases, such as clients who are experiencing homelessness or mental health issues, would help set care finders up for success.
2. CF organisations and PHNs in rural and remote areas have access to a smaller pool of qualified staff, services and IT resources, which presents a risk to continuous program delivery.
3. Communities of practice have been critical to the program’s success.
4. Mechanisms to support care finders succeed in their role are critical considering the complexity of clients and systemic barriers they face when delivering services.
5. Relying on PHNs to disseminate department communications to CF organisations by email has resulted in some CF organisations missing out on the information they need.
6. Additional and ongoing promotion to intermediaries is crucial to remind them of the program scope, its target population and appropriate referral pathways.
7. Client data and the functionalities of the My Aged Care Service and Support portal could be better utilised to allow care finders to work more effectively.
8. Care finders are often working outside program scope to support the target cohort.
9. The program is reaching its target population and making a significant difference in their lives. The extension of the program has been welcomed and supported by all stakeholders.