Ombudsman Criticises Automated Aged Care Assessments
The Commonwealth Ombudsman says Australia's algorithm-based aged care classification system lacks fairness and human oversight.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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The Commonwealth Ombudsman has criticised the automated classification system within the Single Assessment System, introduced on 1 November 2025, for lacking fairness and human oversight. The Federal Government has announced an independent review of the aged care classification and prioritisation assessment mechanisms.
Why it matters
Under current law, the automated decisions cannot be overridden, even where they are clinically inappropriate, affecting who receives aged care support and at what funding level. The Ombudsman's report makes 10 recommendations to government, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing does not accept several of its propositions.
The Ombudsman's investigation produced 10 recommendations, and the tool's three possible determinations are made without a human decisionmaker. The report did not test whether the algorithm is clinically appropriate, and the independent review's findings remain to be seen.
The players
Commonwealth Ombudsman
An independent office that investigates complaints about Australian Government agencies and administrative actions.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
The Australian Government department responsible for health, disability and ageing policy, including aged care assessment, which does not accept several of the Ombudsman's propositions.
The details
The Integrated Assessment Tool, part of the Single Assessment System, uses algorithms after assessors enter information to decide whether a person is eligible for the Commonwealth Home Support Program, eligible for Support at Home with a funding level and priority category, or ineligible for either. The Ombudsman's investigation was launched after a range of concerns were raised about the system. The Federal Government has announced a new escalated pathway providing an additional review process for certain assessment decisions.
Timeline
1 November 2025: The Single Assessment System is introduced.
11 November 2026: The Ombudsman releases its final report criticising the system.
The Tech Race
The Single Assessment System, introduced on 1 November 2025, replaces earlier manual assessment processes with an algorithm that determines aged care eligibility and funding. The Ombudsman's findings place Australia's use of automated decisions in government services under scrutiny at the same time the Government reviews the mechanisms.
Older Australians seeking aged care support may have their eligibility and funding level set by an algorithm that cannot currently be overridden, even when clinically inappropriate. The new escalated review pathway offers a route to contest certain assessment decisions.
The takeaway
Anyone going through an aged care assessment should ask how the outcome was reached and whether the escalated review pathway applies to their decision. Automated tools can shape access to care, so checking results against your clinical needs matters.
What happens next
The Federal Government's independent review of the aged care classification and prioritisation assessment mechanisms is scheduled to proceed, with its timing not specified in the source.
Further reading
For broader context on how automated decision-making is shaping government services, explore Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Racgp.
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