People who require powered medical equipment at home are some of the most vulnerable in our community, particularly when their energy supply is threatened. The AEMC’s proposed improvements to life support register processes will help people access the energy they need for their health and safety, but there’s more room to make the process easier.
That’s why our joint response to the AEMC’s Improving Life Support Processes draft determination, focusses on removing existing barriers and focussing on better outcomes for those with life support equipment needs, with recommendations including:
- Allowing appropriately qualified health professionals – like registered nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals – to complete medical confirmation forms, enabling better access, particularly for those in remote and regional areas;
- Additional measures to ensure that switching retailers does not create safety risks or administrative barriers for life support households, to ensure people stay registered if they switch;
- Retailers being obliged to complete an annual light- touch check-ins to help maintain accurate registration information, provide reminders on concessions and supports, confirm ongoing needs and follow up on back-up planning, and;
- Limiting de-registration to circumstances where the registered person has explicitly confirmed they don’t need life support equipment any longer.
What’s next?
A final decision on this rule change is expected to be delivered by the AEMC in June 2026. We will stay engaged to build on these reforms through other processes at the NSW level, to ensure protections for people with medical needs keep them healthy and safe.
