Final Report on RREF 2001 - Department of Health

Part A: Background and Scope of the RREF Review
The weighting was given in recognition of higher costs of service delivery in rural areas rather
than higher need, but this recognition of higher costs was over-ridden with the introduction of
unit pricing and the same unit prices have applied across the state since then.
The contribution of the three components to the current RREF base population for the state is:
87.7% Moderately, severely and profoundly handicapped, age weighted
population
5.5% Population aged 85+ in addition to handicapped 85+
6.8% Rural weighting
This outcome demonstrates very clearly that as well as the level of the rural weighting, the size
and age structure of the LGA population to which the weighting is applied, is a major factor in
determining the outcomes of any formula. Given the criticisms that the current RREF makes an
inadequate adjustment for the frail aged and neglects factors affecting need for HACC services
other than rurality, one basis for assessing alternative formulas is the extent of change in the
contribution that each of these three components makes to the overall outcome.
PROFILE OF CURRENT USERS OF HACC SERVICES
Only a very basic profile of current users of HACC can be presented using data from the latest
HACC User Characteristics Survey, conducted by DHS in 1998. Implementation of the HACC
Minimum Data Set will provide a much fuller account of clients receiving services and enable
the actual client population to be compared to the eligible target population.
Age Groups
Rates of activity restrictions that give rise to the need for HACC services increase rapidly with
advancing age, and the majority of HACC clients are in the frail aged segment of the target
population. Almost 80% of HACC clients are aged 65 and over, and more than 40 % are aged
80 and over. With the exception of the very youngest age group, the majority of HACC clients
are female.
Ethnicity
Access to HACC services on the part of clients of different cultural and linguistic background is
indicated by data collected in the 1998 HACC User Characteristics Survey on country of birth,
categorised on the basis of language spoken in country of birth. The proportions of clients born
in the three major categories are:
75% born in Australia
8% born in English speaking countries
17% born in non-English speaking countries.
<strong>Final</strong> <strong>Report</strong> July 2001 12