August 13th, 2025Your say…

I write in response to your recent articles on Home Care Packages, which unfairly characterised Central Highlands Rural Health (CHRH) and the care provided by our staff.
In your first article (July 14, 2025), our service was labelled as “the ugly.” This characterisation is deeply unfair to the dedicated staff who provided exemplary care to the individual mentioned in the article, who had a home care package with CHRH. The staff who delivered this care were hurt by the way their work was portrayed, despite their dedication and compassion.
Our team often went above and beyond to support the client and their family, who in turn expressed their gratitude through heartfelt thank-you cards and gifts.
To associate such committed care with the term “ugly” disregards the efforts of our staff and the high standards of care consistently delivered by CHRH.
In your second article (July 28, 2025), it was implied that CHRH charges high fees. This is simply not true. A review of publicly available data on other Home Care Package providers in our region shows that CHRH fees are comparable and, in some cases, lower. Your article should have included these comparable figures for context, which would have provided a more balanced and accurate picture for readers.
CHRH is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organisation committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care under strict regulatory oversight.
We are fully transparent with our finances – our financial information is publicly available and published in our annual reports, which can be viewed on our website.
It is also important to note that CHRH is the only true local provider of Home Care Packages in this area. Our staff live and work in these communities, whereas other providers are based regionally, in Melbourne, and sometimes interstate.
Finally, the last thing we want is for people in our community who need a Home Care Package to hesitate in seeking support because they have read articles suggesting these services are inadequate. Inflammatory reporting risks discouraging vulnerable people from accessing the care they need and deserve. The coverage presented in your recent articles failed to fairly represent the care, commitment, and integrity of our services and staff.
We ask that future reporting acknowledges all the facts and reflects the full context of the care we provide to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

• Maree Cuddihy
  Chief Executive Officer, Central Highlands Rural Health