Arrival and Registration  

Welcome and Introductions 

In late 2025, negotiations between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments over Australia’s next five-year public hospital funding agreement reached a critical impasse. State and territory health ministers rejected the federal government’s revised proposal—valued at over $20 billion and including targeted measures to address hospital bed block—arguing it fell short of prior commitments and would not meet escalating system demand.

At the centre of this funding deadlock is a growing hospital discharge challenge.

Thousands of Australians, particularly older people and individuals with disability, remain in public hospital beds despite being medically ready for discharge. Limited access to residential aged care, supported accommodation, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), and NDIS-funded supports has intensified pressure on acute services and highlighted structural weaknesses in cross-sector coordination.

This session will examine how funding impasses expose systemic gaps in discharge planning and integration between hospitals, aged care, disability, and housing services.

Delegates will gain insight into policy, economic, and operational implications, and explore practical approaches to strengthen coordination, create integrated discharge models, and support safe, person-centred transitions from hospital to home.

Victoria’s hospitals are facing unprecedented strain, with emergency departments reaching critical overcrowding and over 3,000 patients experiencing stays of more than 24 hours. A key driver of this pressure is acute “bed block”—medically ready patients remaining in hospital due to delays in accessing post-acute care, including aged care, NDIS-supported housing, and community services.

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This session examines the complex interplay of funding constraints, workforce shortages, and regional and remote access challenges that amplify hospital congestion. With 90% of health services citing financial pressures—driven by inflation, rising debt, and stricter funding frameworks—hospitals are often forced to consider earlier discharges, potentially compromising patient safety. Workforce gaps, particularly in nursing, allied health, and community care roles, further hinder timely patient transitions, while patients in regional and remote areas face additional barriers, including limited availability of aged care placements, specialist supports, and transport options.

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Delegates will explore:

• The operational and financial impact of prolonged hospital stays on health services, budgets, and emergency department efficiency.

• How staffing shortages and workforce burnout affect discharge planning and patient flow.

• Regional and remote barriers to post-acute care, including limited housing, community services, and specialist support availability.

• Evidence-based strategies and collaborative approaches to reduce bed block, improve emergency department throughput, and optimise hospital-to-home transitions for both metropolitan and regional populations.

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Attendees will leave with practical insights to strengthen cross-sector collaboration, support workforce sustainability, and enhance patient-centred hospital-to-home pathways—ensuring that hospital capacity is preserved for those who truly require acute care, no matter where they live.

Hospital discharge is a critical point in healthcare delivery, influencing patient safety, continuity of care, and resource utilisation. Drawing on qualitative research from Australian medical wards-including patient, caregiver, and staff interviews—this session identifies communication gaps, system pressures, and challenges in continuing care.

Delegates will explore how inconsistent information sharing and operational pressures contribute to premature discharge or unplanned readmissions. The session will provide practical strategies to optimise discharge processes, strengthen communication, and enhance post-discharge follow-up, supporting safer, more coordinated transitions for patients.

Break  

In 2026, Victorian hospitals face unprecedented pressures, with hundreds of older Australians remaining in acute care beds despite being medically ready for discharge.

These delays are not primarily clinical but stem from structural gaps in community supports, aged care services, home modifications, and allied health integration. Prolonged hospital stays can compromise patient independence, increase risk of complications, and place additional strain on workforce and hospital capacity.

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This session will examine how the Support at Home 2026 reforms, including flexible in-home supports, restorative care pathways, and integrated allied health services, are transforming hospital-to-home transitions.

Delegates will explore practical strategies for enabling safe, timely discharges for older Australians, including:

• Coordinated care planning across hospital, aged care, allied health, and community services.

• Streamlined access to home care packages, short-term restorative care, and post-discharge monitoring.

• Adaptive housing and environmental modifications to support recovery at home.

• Workforce and service models that strengthen continuity of care and reduce avoidable readmissions.

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Through case studies and emerging Victorian innovations, participants will gain actionable insights into creating an integrated, person-centred hospital-to-home ecosystem, ensuring older Australians can recover safely in their communities while hospitals regain capacity.

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Delegates will leave equipped to:

• Understand the systemic drivers of delayed discharge for older Australians.

• Implement integrated, cross-sector solutions that improve patient outcomes and flow.

• Advocate for and coordinate services that bridge hospital and home, including allied health, aged care, and community support providers.

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This session is essential for hospital leaders, discharge planners, allied health professionals, aged care and community service providers, and policy makers committed to improving outcomes for older Australians.

As Australians with disability reach 65, many face the complex transition from NDIS-funded supports to the aged care system. This shift is a critical point in care continuity, particularly for older adults leaving hospital or requiring ongoing home-based support.

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The Support at Home program, implemented under the Aged Care Act 2024, replaces prior Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care, introducing a new framework for in-home support, participant contributions, and provider obligations. Understanding this program — and its intersection with NDIS supports — is essential for ensuring that transitions are safe, timely, and person-centred.

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This session will explore:

• Key rules for transitioning from NDIS to aged care home support, including maintaining service continuity and avoiding duplication.

• How Support at Home can provide effective post-discharge support, reducing the risk of delayed discharge or readmissions.

• Practical strategies for clinicians, discharge planners, allied health professionals, and aged care providers to navigate planning, funding, and service coordination.

• Opportunities to strengthen integration between hospital teams, NDIS providers, and aged care services for improved patient outcomes.

Delegates will leave equipped to support seamless transitions, maintain independence and dignity for older Australians, and enhance the efficiency of hospital-to-home pathways.

Lunch 

Hospital readmissions are a serious concern for older Australians living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

Cognitive decline, memory challenges, and difficulty following care instructions make this population particularly vulnerable to complications, falls, and repeat hospital visits.

This session provides a practical, step-by-step approach for families, clinicians, and care providers to reduce preventable readmissions. Delegates will explore strategies including pre-discharge planning, safe home environments, medication management, early warning detection, in-home support, and caregiver assistance.

Through actionable insights and real-world examples, participants will learn how to improve patient outcomes, maintain independence, and support families in providing safe, effective care at home.

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Delegates will gain practical insights into designing and implementing comprehensive discharge and transitional care plans that prioritise continuity of care, patient safety, and functional recovery.

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This session is essential for hospital managers, discharge planners, allied health professionals, community care providers, and policy advisors working to improve hospital‑to‑home outcomes for older Australians.

Prolonged hospital stays for people experiencing mental health crises remain a major challenge across Australia.

Many patients occupy hospital beds longer than necessary due to limited access to suitable accommodation, community supports, and coordinated care, placing pressure on acute services and compromising patient outcomes.

This session will showcase national and Victorian initiatives that are improving hospital-to-home pathways. Examples include the Pathways to Community Living Initiative (NSW), Mental Health-Housing In Reach Service (MH-HIRS), HASI and HASI Plus programs, and Victoria’s peer-led Lived Experience Residential Service in Moolap. Delegates will explore how integrated, recovery-oriented approaches reduce hospital admissions, support independence, and enhance continuity of care.

The discussion will examine strategies for hospitals, housing providers, NDIS planners, and mental health services to collaborate effectively, leverage transitional and short-term accommodation, and implement centralised discharge pathways. Participants will gain practical insights to reduce bed block, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen community-based care.

Hospital-to-home transitions for patients with complex or socially vulnerable needs-including bariatric patients, individuals experiencing mental health challenges, NDIS participants, SDA residents, older adults, and people supported by Impact Housing-face significant barriers.

Many patients are medically ready for discharge but cannot safely return to standard housing due to physical, clinical, environmental, or social vulnerabilities.

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Narrow doorways, inaccessible bathrooms, insufficient space for mobility or medical equipment, and lack of supportive infrastructure contribute to prolonged hospital stays, delayed discharges, and avoidable readmissions.

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This session explores how purpose-built, adaptive, and supported housing-including SDA, SIL, short-term, transitional accommodation, and Community Housing can bridge the gap between hospital care and home.

Delegates will examine design innovation, investment strategies, and cross-sector collaboration to create safe, dignified, and therapeutic living environments for diverse, high-need populations.

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Through Victorian and national case studies, participants will gain insights into:

• Multi-disciplinary planning, coordinating hospitals, allied health, NDIS providers, housing stakeholders, aged care services, and social housing agencies.

• Adaptive housing design, including bariatric-accessible layouts, mental health-friendly environments, and modifications for clinical, mobility, and social support needs.

• Integrated support models, ensuring continuity of care, reducing prolonged stays and readmissions, and improving patient safety and wellbeing.

• Housing system readiness, evaluating existing stock and addressing gaps for complex and socially vulnerable populations.

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Delegates will leave equipped to:

• Enable safe, person-centred transitions for patients with overlapping clinical, disability, aged care, and social vulnerability needs.

• Reduce hospital bed block, enhance flow, and prevent unnecessary readmissions.

• Strengthen cross-sector collaboration between hospitals, housing providers, NDIS/SDA coordinators, aged care services, and social housing agencies.

• Implement sustainable, tailored solutions that maintain independence, dignity, and recovery in community settings.

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This session demonstrates that inclusive, purpose-built, and socially responsive housing is essential for restoring hospital flow and supporting complex and vulnerable populations safely and sustainably from hospital to home.

Delays, interruptions, or changes in SDA and related NDIS housing and support funding contribute to a growing cycle of hospital readmissions and prolonged stays

 When patients are medically ready for discharge but cannot access appropriate supports, they often remain in hospital or are readmitted shortly after discharge.
This session will explore how SDA funding pathways, plan reviews, and transitional support arrangements intersect with hospital discharge planning and post-discharge stability. Delegates will gain insights into the systemic impact of delayed approvals, challenges in accommodating complex support needs, and downstream effects on hospital flow.
Topics include early identification of patients requiring SDA or supported living, streamlined transition frameworks, housing predelivery planning, and integrated care pathways that support sustained outcomes. Delegates will leave equipped to reduce readmissions, enhance hospital flow, and support safe, sustainable community living.

Panel Session :  Q & A  

Closing Discussion & Q&A: Integrated Solutions for Hospital-to-Home Transitions

Workshop: Navigating SDA and NDIS Funding Pathways for Allied Health Professionals

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Overview:
This interactive workshop is designed for allied health professionals working with individuals requiring Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).

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Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of SDA funding pathways, plan reviews, and transitional support arrangements that directly influence hospital discharge, community integration, and sustainable independent living.

The session combines expert insights, practical tools, and real-world case studies to equip delegates with actionable strategies for improving patient flow and outcomes.

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What you will learn:

• A clear understanding of SDA eligibility, NDIS funding structures, and plan review processes.

• How funding delays and housing constraints impact hospital discharge, readmissions, and continuity of care.

• Strategies for advocating and coordinating supports across healthcare, disability, and housing sectors.

• Practical tools to streamline discharge planning and facilitate safe, person-centred transitions from hospital to community-based or SDA living.

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Networking and depart