About reviews
The aim of a Support Plan Review is to ensure the older person receives a smooth, consistent experience in a timely manner and avoids unnecessary assessment.
The Support Plan Review may be completed over the phone with the client or their representative.
When reviews occur
An aged care needs assessor (assessor) may set a review date on the support plan at the time of the assessment or initiate the review on an ad-hoc basis.
Unplanned/ad hoc reviews may be requested by the service provider or through My Aged Care.
When to request a review
Service providers can request a review when:
- there is a change to the client’s needs or goals
- additional services or an extension to services is needed
- informal care arrangements have changed or ceased
- services are required to be set up before a client moves to a new location.
What to include in the request
When making a Support Plan Review request, the service provider should include the following information:
- the primary reason for the Support Plan Review, outlining the circumstances that have changed for the client
- the services the client is currently receiving, and how the change has affected the client’s need for services
- contact details of the staff making the request
- an attachment to support the request (optional).
If a review is required urgently, the service provider must include a reason to support this request and clearly specify that the Support Plan Review request is critical.
Potential outcomes
After conducting the Support Plan Review, the assessor may:
- determine that no changes to the support plan are required (as it meets the client's needs)
- update the current plan, or
- conduct a new assessment if the older person’s circumstances have changed significantly.
The assessor can record the outcome to ‘complete’ the Support Plan Review and ‘finalise’ it when it has been completed.
If the review outcome is a new assessment, then the assessor will be prompted to issue a new assessment referral.
The Support Plan Review referral will appear above the assessment summary information in the client’s support plan.
Resources
See more information about the Support Plan Review process in section 5.13 of the My Aged Care Assessment Manual.