Gov’t fast-tracks aged care services for people with Motor Neurone Disease

Australians living with motor neurone disease (MND) will be fast‑tracked into aged care services under changes the federal government will introduce this week, giving older people with the rapidly progressing condition priority access to the Support at Home program.

The government will amend the Aged Care Rules to formally recognise MND as a discrete condition requiring urgent support, aligning aged‑care access with the priority pathway already available to people with MND entering the NDIS.

The change will apply retrospectively, meaning older Australians who have already been assessed and are waiting for a Support at Home package will be moved to the front of the queue.

Motor neurone disease is a rare, incurable and fatal neurological condition marked by rapid loss of physical function.

“Motor neurone disease is a cruel and fast‑moving condition, and our care systems need to respond with the urgency it demands,” Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said.

“Whether it's aged care or the NDIS, our job is to get the right support to people when they need it – not after. These changes do that, and they reflect a government willing to listen and adjust where the evidence tells us to.”

The government has also ordered a rapid review of the Support at Home prioritisation mechanism, which uses the Integrated Assessment Tool to determine how urgently older Australians receive in‑home care.

The government reports that the tool has significantly reduced wait times – from a peak of around 10 months to consistently under one month – but health ministers say it must continue to evolve.

Assistant Minister for Disability and Carers Justine McAllister said the MND priority pathway in the NDIS had demonstrated the importance of designing systems around the speed at which a person’s condition can deteriorate.

“We're taking what we've learned in the NDIS and applying it to aged care,” she said.

She added that the government is considering how best to support people with degenerative conditions as it designs new NDIS access assessments, ensuring “certainty sooner” for those with rapidly progressing illnesses.

Aged Care Minister for Seniors Sam Rae said families had been calling for clearer recognition of MND in aged‑care prioritisation.

“Older people and their families have told us that they want to see greater consideration given to those with MND when it comes to the urgency of care they receive,” he said.

“We have listened, and Labor is getting on with the job of building an aged care system that can deliver better care to those who need it.

“We know there’s much more to do to refine and improve the system. We’re committed to refining the system wherever possible to ensure we can get the best outcomes for older Australians.”