Short-Term Restorative Care Programme

Responsibilities of Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) providers

If you provide government-funded STRC services, you must meet certain responsibilities. You must do things like meet quality standards, provide multidisciplinary care, maintain certain plans and agreements and notify of any changes to your services.

Wage increase for workers

We are funding the Fair Work Commission’s decision on the Aged Care Work Value case. This means a 15% award wage increase for aged care workers on the:

  • Aged Care Award 2010
  • Nurses Award 2020
  • Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS) 2010.

The STRC subsidy rate will increase from 1 July 2023 for STRC employees covered by these awards.

Find out more about the wage increase or email STRC@health.gov.au for more information.

Aged care provider responsibilities

All approved providers must understand and carry out their responsibilities as an aged care provider. These are set out in law.

They include things like:

  • meeting quality standards
  • using funds properly
  • being transparent about the fees you charge.

STRC Programme management

STRC providers manage the day-to-day care coordination and delivery of care under the STRC Programme. This includes:

  • accepting clients to STRC
  • working with clients to develop flexible care agreements
  • providing services in accordance with the flexible care agreement and care plan
  • having the right processes in place to receive, record and resolve complaints, and handle them fairly, promptly, confidentially and without retribution
  • keeping service level information on My Aged Care up to date.

Services you can provide

Through the STRC Programme you can provide a range of services to clients. There are also some services you cannot provide.

There are 3 possible settings in which you can provide STRC services:

  • residential
  • home
  • a combination of both

Read more about delivering services under the STRC Programme.

Responsibilities to clients

When delivering STRC Programme services, you must:

  • provide clients with a care plan that forms part of the flexible care agreement
  • use a multidisciplinary care approach via multidisciplinary teams (MDT)
  • only provide services allowed
  • provide services that meet your clients’ needs
  • encourage your clients to make the most of their own abilities
  • encourage clients to get support from carers, families, community groups and others to help with their independence
  • help your clients achieve the highest level of independence they can.

You must also make sure your STRC clients have timely access to therapy, care and equipment the MDT recommends.

Multidisciplinary teams

STRC providers coordinate MDTs. The MDTs deliver STRC Programme services using a multidisciplinary care approach.

This happens in both the care planning phase and the service delivery phase.

In STRC, multidisciplinary care is when 3 or more specialist providers, from different areas, work together to determine the full range of care and services for the client.

Quality

All approved providers must meet quality standards.

STRC providers must also meet the Flexible Care Quality Standards.

The Short-Term Restorative Care Programme Manual has more information about quality in STRC.

Agreements and plans

As an STRC provider you must enter into a flexible care agreement with your client or their representative.

You should develop the agreement with the client and their carer or family member, if needed.

You must offer future STRC clients a flexible care agreement that includes:

  • an agreed date that STRC services will start
  • a care plan outlining the client’s needs.

Reviews

Approved providers must participate in any monitoring and evaluation activities we carry out.

STRC providers must also participate in:

  • programme reviews
  • assessments
  • evaluations
  • surveys
  • census taking
  • ongoing delivery of client and service data.

We will work with you to develop strategies for any reviews, assessments or evaluation of the STRC Programme.

As an STRC provider you must, if required, also carry out the following reviews with your clients:

  • care plan reviews
  • case conferencing with members of the client’s MDT.

Funding

STRC subsidy is only paid for days when care is delivered.

You must spend STRC funding primarily on delivery of care services to meet client goals.

You must not use STRC funding to pay for activities that do not meet the aims of the program (for example, hairdressing or entertainment).

Fees and charges

Approved providers may be able to charge client fees for STRC services.

The fees that a care recipient pays have to be agreed on in the flexible care agreement.

You must not refuse to provide STRC services to a person if they are not able to pay fees.

Reporting requirements

All approved providers must:

Laws that apply

Approved STRC providers work within the legislative framework for the aged care system.

The Aged Care Act 1997 and the Quality of Care Principles 2014 are both integral to STRC, providing the legal framework for STRC Programme administration and delivery.

Other legislation and principles that apply are:

Contact

Short-Term Restorative Care Programme contact

Email us to find out more or if you have questions about the STRC Programme.
STRC@health.gov.au
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