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What standard of care and services should I expect?

Information sheet for people receiving care and services through Community Aged Care packages, Extended Aged Care at Home packages, Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages and the National Respite for Carers Program.

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You can expect to receive quality care and services as set out in standards developed by the Australian Government. Your service provider must meet these standards when providing you with care or services.

If you would like a copy of the standards which apply to your services please ask your service provider.

What do the Australian Government standards cover?

The standards help ensure that:

• you and your service provider work together to decide what care and services will best meet your needs
• you and your service provider work together to develop your care and service plans
• your service provider gives you information so you can make choices about the services you need
• your service provider respects your privacy and dignity
• your concerns and/or complaints are handled fairly and confidentially
• you have a choice of advocate (someone to speak for you).

Your rights and responsibilities

These are set out in the Charter of Rights and Responsibilities for Community Care. The Charter of Rights and Responsibilities information sheet gives you a quick summary of the charter.

How do I know if my service provider is providing me with quality care?

The Australian Government evaluates the quality of a service provider’s work through its Quality Reporting Program. Each service provider submits a report to the Department of Health and Ageing on how they are meeting care standards. These reports are used to check the quality of care being provided and whether standards are being met.

Your service provider also receives a visit from officers working for the Department of Health and Ageing to check that quality care is being delivered. During this visit, officers check the work of service providers in different ways.

Officers working for the Department of Health and Ageing observe activities, check that processes are being followed, talk to management and staff, and, where possible, talk to people like yourself who are receiving care or services. If the officers are concerned about the quality of care being delivered they will ask the service provider to address these concerns.

How do I know what services I should be receiving?

Your service provider will work with you to decide what services best meet your needs. Then your service provider will write this up in a care plan. This plan is part of the agreement between you and your service provider. It describes:

• the care and services you are receiving
• who will deliver the services to you
• when you will receive services.

You may ask others to help with developing your care plan, such as members of your family, your carer, your advocate (someone you decide can speak for you) your doctor, or members of the Aged Care Assessment Team. With your permission, these people can also speak to your service provider about your needs. Your service provider must give you a copy of your care plan.

Remember!

You and your service provider should look at your care plan regularly and change it as needed.

What support will be available to ensure I receive quality services?

Your care coordinator can support you and give you advice on your care and service requirements. You should have been given the contact details for your care coordinator when you started to receive services.

This information sheet is for people receiving care and services through Community Aged Care packages, Extended Aged Care at Home packages, Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages and the National Respite for Carers Program.

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