The information in this notice is redundant and is provided for reference only. Current requirements for documenting consent are in the 2023 Schedule of Service Items and Fees.
Maintenance document updates
We have made updates to 2 documents:
- maintenance agreement template
- maintenance services fact sheet.
The updated maintenance agreement template will become effective from 1 July 2022. In order to provide time to service providers to update their systems, there will be a transition period until 31 December 2022 where providers may continue to use the current template.
The maintenance services fact sheet has been updated to provide additional clarification to providers on a number of aspects of maintenance and maintenance agreements. There is information on what is covered under the agreement, the timing of maintenance agreements, 777 Service Items and client signatures.
Consent and agreement
The program has reviewed the acceptable methods for documenting consent and agreement for program forms, documents and agreements. A documenting consent and agreement fact sheet has been created. This fact sheet outlines which methods of agreement and consent can be applied to each program form from 1 July 2022.
Depending on the form or agreement used, we accept that if a client is required to ‘sign and date’ a form, the following methods may be used:
- physical signature
- digital
- digital signature
- digitised signature
- electronic signature
- esignature
- text message
- verbal – via recorded conversation.
The update in signature policy is consistent with the Electronic Transactions Act 1999.
Please note that the temporary change to service requirements, allowing providers to obtain verbal agreement for maintenance agreements, provided written agreement is obtained within 3 months, will end on 30 June 2022. If verbal agreement is obtained before 1 July 2022, written agreement will still be required within 3 months. Read more detail.
Any enquiries regarding these changes can be directed to the Hearing Services Program.