home-caring-group-policy-manual-service-delivery-version-3_february-2020

Home Caring Group Policy Manual Service Delivery Version 3_February 2020

Section 3.1 Service Operation

Section 3.2 Service Safety

Section 3.3 Service delivery

Section 3.4 Brand management

ADVOCACY POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that all people, whether with disability or ageing are empowered to exercise their rights as citizens.  Home Caring Group recognises that advocacy is not mediation, complaints investigation or conciliation but a means of offering information about people’s rights and responsibilities and assisting them to uphold their rights.

PROCEDURE:

  1. All clients are made aware that they may use an advocate of their choice to negotiate on their behalf via the client Handbook. This may be a family member, friend or advocacy service.
    1. Advocates may be used during assessments, reviews, and complaints or for any other communication between the client and the organisation
    2. Details of Advocates are documented in the clients file.
    3. Home Caring Group will inform clients of the advocacy services available to them if required.
    4. Managers will make sure clients are aware of their right to use an advocate and will regularly remind clients of this option.
      1. This information is available in the Service Agreement and will be explained at formal assessments and reviews and through informal discussion and from time to time.
      2. Where it has not been possible to recruit an independent advocate, the Home Caring Group may act as an advocate for the client in interactions with other services, if requested and as an advocate of last resort.
  • The Manager will ensure that the client wishing to appoint/change an advocate details are updated in client records.
  1. Managers monitor clients through informal feedback and during assessment, to identify those who may appear to have a need for an advocate and advise them of their right to appoint an advocate.
    1. The Manager will provide clients wishing to use an advocate or wishing to change an advocate with the relevant details and conversations.
  2. Home Caring recognises the different approaches to advocacy and holds a directory of advocacy services for managers and their teams to access.
    1. Citizen advocacy: matches people with disability with volunteers.
    2. Family advocacy: helps parents and family members advocate on behalf of the person with disability for any issue.
    3. Individual advocacy: upholds the rights of individual people with disability by working on discrimination, abuse and neglect.
    4. Legal advocacy: upholds the rights and interests of individual people with disability by addressing the legal aspects of discrimination, abuse and neglect.
    5. Self-advocacy: supports people with disability to advocate for themselves, or as a group.
    6. Systemic advocacy: seeks to remove barriers and address discrimination to ensure the rights of people with disability.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Human Rights and equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986
  • Privacy Act 1988
  • Disability discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
  • Disability Services Act 1991
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • Ombudsman Act 1974
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Protecting older persons policy
  • Safeguarding people with disabilities policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

BUILDING A POSITIVE CARE ENVIRONMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to providing high quality, responsive, client focussed care to all people, including children, in its services with a focus on care, quality, innovation and excellence.  Home Caring group will provide an environment for its clients, including children and young people that is free of violence and exploitation and will provide services that foster their health, developmental needs, spirituality self-respect and dignity.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The case manager will:
    1. Assess the environment against the child or young person’s needs prior to placement to ensure an appropriate placement and regularly reviewed
    2. Complete an assessment of the child or young person’s needs at enrolment and regularly through their placement.
    3. Adjust the environment based on each individual child and young person’s needs and ensure that the environment is regularly reviewed to be meeting their needs.
    4. Ensure consistent staffing and rostering to support as stable an environment as possible.
    5. Ensure that a child or young person’s personal belongings are incorporated in the space. Where these aren’t available, the house coordinator will support the child or young person to access some items of high interest to them to place in the environment.
    6. Support the child or young person to personalise the space when they enter the program.
    7. Be responsive to the ever-changing needs and interests of the children and young people in its care, ensuring that environments are altered as required.
    8. Ensure that the environment is equipped with a range of age appropriate activities that the child or young person is supported to use.
    9. Use the weekly planner with the child or young person (at their developmental capacity) to include age appropriate activities and experiences across the week.
    10. Use positive behaviour support strategies to guide children and young people’s behaviour.
    11. Follow the mandated guidelines, legislation and policies when requesting and exchanging information.
    12. Document the social and medical history of a child or young person (and his or her family)
    13. Attend relevant training in attachment theory and trauma informed practices and supported to implement when working with children and young people.
    14. Complete regular hazard checks in line with the Work Health & Safety Policies
    15. Work collaboratively with all relevant agencies involved in the child or young person’s life.
    16. Work in an integrated way with all other services and departments to ensure consistency of care and best practice.
    17. Ensure that all incidents, injuries and illnesses are reported in line with the Work Health & Safety Policies.
    18. Ensure that documentation from planning and goal setting reflects the views of the child or young person.
    19. Include the child or young person in decision making based on their developmental capacity

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 (NSW)
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Children’s rights policy
  • Child protection policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that all children and young people have rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which has been ratified by Australia. The Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care in NSW provides the framework for the NSW Standards for Statutory Out-of-Home Care. Home Caring Group is committed to upholding the rights of all children and young people in their care and advocating for these rights.

 

PROCEDURE:

  1. Children and young people will be provided with an environment that is free of violence and exploitation and with services that foster their health, developmental needs, spirituality, self-respect and dignity.
  2. The manager and/or delegate will conduct initial assessments and consider the following factors, but not limited to:
    1. Giving children and young people an opportunity to express views on all matters concerning their safety, welfare and wellbeing, considering their developmental capacity.
    2. Have their culture, disability, language, religion and sexuality considered and respected.
    3. Have their name and identity protected (where required) ensuring language, cultural and religious ties are as far as possible preserved.
    4. Provided the child or young person with a safe, nurturing, stable and secure environment, recognising the child or young person’s circumstances when matching the right care worker.
    5. Provide access to adequate information, in a manner and language that they can understand, concerning the decisions to be made, the reasons for the Department’s intervention (if applicable), the ways in which they can participate in decision-making and any relevant complaint mechanisms.
    6. Giving information as to how their views will be recorded and considered.
    7. Giving information about the outcome of any decision concerning them including a full explanation of the reasons for the decision.
    8. Provide an opportunity to respond to decisions made concerning them.
    9. Be given information about their rights to access personal information and will be supported to access their personal information file.
    10. Be supported to have continuing contact with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family, community and culture if part of the plan by the Minister.
  3. Children and Young people will be informed about their rights upon entry into Home Caring Group services and at regular intervals throughout their care.
  4. All staff will uphold the rights conferred by the Charter of Rights for Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care in NSW and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
    1. Staff who work directly with children will receive training on these principles

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Act 1988 NSW
  • Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 SNW
  • Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CONSENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises the importance of gaining informed consent, particularly in relation to medical procedures, the use of medication, making financial decisions, negotiating relationships or during the design and implementation of individual plans. Obtaining informed consent is a vital component to delivering quality services.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Informed Consent is obtained through various points of the service experience with Home Caring Group which includes, but not limited to:
    1. Assessment and reviews
    2. Home visiting
    3. Service agreement and care plan/budget development
    4. Referrals to other agencies
    5. Recording of images
    6. Health and medical related decisions
    7. Day to day service delivery tasks
  2. The person who is giving consent must have the intellectual capacity and maturity to understand the situation they are consenting to, the choices that are available and the consequences of their decision (ie the likely risks and benefits). This applies to all people, regardless of age and if they have a disability.
  3. For a person to provide informed consent, the person must be given sufficient accurate information about the matter or procedure and that information must be presented in such a way that the person can fully understand it
    1. Home Caring Group provides information in the following formats:
      1. Translated material
      2. Use of Interpreters
  • Easy English
  1. Any consent must be freely given and must not be obtained by force, threat, deception or undue influence.
    1. Clients may indicate consent non-verbally (for example by presenting their arm for a dressing to be changed), orally, in writing, through augmented communication or through their legal guardian.
  2. Clients who have given consent are entitled to change their minds and withdraw their consent at any point during their relationship with Home Caring Group.
    1. Withdrawal of major consent is negotiated as per terms of the Service Agreement and/or Care Plan review.
    2. Withdraw of ‘day to day’ consent for activities or behaviours displayed through observations are documented in client notes and relevant manager notified who will review the situation and make relevant changes to service delivery.
  3. A person may be able to make decisions and give valid consent in some areas of their life but not in others depending on their skills and experience, such as medical and dental consent. Where there is a disagreement about a person’s capacity the Manager should:
    1. seek advice from NSW Public Guardian publicguardian.justice.nsw.gov.au and document notes in the client’s record OR
    2. refer the matter back to the referring organisation and document notes in the client’s file.

Person Responsible

  1. In the specific instance of medical and dental treatment, a ‘person responsible’ can give consent to certain procedures or treatments where the client lacks the capacity to do so.
  2. Written consent for medical treatment must be obtained from the client (or their ‘person responsible’) who will receive the proposed medical treatment or intervention, unless the treatment is urgent or minor.
  3. Consent is generally not required where the treatment is urgent (e.g. necessary to save a person’s life) or minor (e.g. nonintrusive examination, first aid, administering non-prescription drugs).
  4. A ‘person responsible’ is not necessarily the patient’s ‘next of kin’. A person responsible, in order of priority, is:
    1. an appointed guardian (including an enduring guardian) who has been given the right to consent to medical and dental treatments or, if there is no guardian
    2. the most recent spouse or de facto spouse (including same-sex partner) when the spouse or de facto has a close and continuing relationship with the person or, if there is no spouse or de facto spouse
    3. the unpaid carer or the carer at the time the person entered residential care (note: recipients of a government carer benefit are not considered to be paid) or, if there is no carer
    4. a relative or friend who has a close personal relationship with the person.
  5. If the person responsible can’t or won’t make a treatment decision, he or she must decline in writing. The next person in the list will then become the person responsible. A practitioner or other qualified person can remove the person responsible from their role by certifying, in writing, that the person responsible is not capable of carrying out the role.
  6. If there is no person responsible there are other ways consent to treatment can be obtained. This can be through the practitioner or the Guardianship Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
  7. The Manager should always enable the ‘person responsible’ to provide informed judgment about consent and actively involve and encourage the ‘person responsible’ to participate in the process.
  8. Further detail can be found on http://www.publicguardian.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/FS2_Person_Responsible__2016.pdf
  9. When deciding if a client has the capacity to consent, staff must consider the knowledge and skills (decision making, communication etc) of the client (assessed through direct experience, file notes and other documentation) and the complexity of the issue in question.
    1. Staff must check that there are no external pressures influencing the person which may affect the person’s decision.
    2. In complex situations where there is doubt about if a person is able to consent, staff must refer the matter to Manager.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • National Disability Insurance Act 2013
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Referrals and Reassessment policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Decision making and choice policy
  • Information provision policy
  • Supporting families and carers policy
  • Valued status policy
  • Independence policy
  • Dignity of Risk policy
  • Person Centred care policy
  • Human rights policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

DECISION MAKING AND CHOICE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group ensure that all clients can participate as fully as possible in making decisions about their daily lives and the services that they need, want and receive. We are committed to ensuring that all clients of the agency retain maximum control over their own lives by having primary involvement in, and influence over, decisions that affect them.

PROCEDURE:

  1. All current and prospective clients will be provided with information about our service, the information will be provided in the following manner, but not limited to:
    1. Verbally by the manager
    2. Consumer handbook
    3. Service agreement
    4. Information brochure
  2. All information’s will be provided to in the appropriate accessible format eg. Multilingual, Auslan, easy to read
  3. The Manager will ensure that they assist the client and their family to identify their needs and goals on an individual basis using person centred planning tools that include, but not limited to:
    1. Standard care planning template
    2. Use of interpreters, advocates
    3. Planning tools (Helen Sanderson)
      1. Communication chart me to you
      2. Decision making agreement
  • Four plus one
  1. Good Day Bad Day
  2. Important to and Important For
  3. My Perfect Week
  • Relationship Circle
  • What working, what’s not?
  1. Written individual services plans are countersigned by the client, family members and/or advocates.
  2. Home Caring Group’s Managers will commit to exploring other service delivery options within the constraints of available resources.
  3. Home Caring Group will make every effort, within available resources, to accommodate the client’s service preferences and choices in the individual service plan.
  4. Individual services plans are jointly reviewed at least annually, or more frequently if requested by the client, family members or advocates.
  5. Clients, families or advocates are invited to participate in Home Caring Group’s Continuous improvement activities such as Annual client satisfaction survey

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • National Disability Insurance Act 2013
  • Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Referrals and Reassessment
  • Information provision policy
  • Supporting families and carers policy
  • Valued status policy
  • Independence policy
  • Advocacy policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

DIGNITY OF RISK POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group believes that people we support will not be restricted from taking reasonable risks or be prevented from attempting activities for fear of failure, in the pursuit of personal preferences, self-determination, independence, and learning.

We understand that the degree of risk is dependent on the person’s knowledge and skills, on the circumstances of the situation or activity and on their personal perspective and experiences. People with a disability learn from participating and undertaking activities.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Where clients choose activities that have an element of reasonable risk, then a risk assessment will be undertaken before commencement to assist in managing the risk. This may be in conflict with what staff, families, and others see as the person’s ‘best interests’ and their own Duty of Care to the person they support.
  2. Staff will weigh up the best interest of the person and the reasonableness of the risk of learning the new skill or participating in the activity by considering the following factors in a risk assessment:
    1. The person’s preference(s);
    2. The advantages and benefits for the person;
    3. The age appropriateness of the task or activity;
    4. The person’s existing knowledge, skill, and experience;
    5. The person’s knowledge, skill, and experience in handling problems they may encounter;
    6. The person’s understanding of the risk and consequences;
    7. The seriousness and/or likelihood of negative consequences;
    8. The person’s preparation and/or precautions taken to deal with the situation;
    9. The resources available to the person to support the activity.
  3. Clients may be asked to sign a Risk Acknowledgement Form
  4. All changes will be documented in the clients care plan.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • National Disability Insurance Act 2013
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Duty of Care policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Consent policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

DUTY OF CARE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group understands that duty of care relates to the legal duty to take reasonable care to avoid others being harmed.  All people owe a duty of care and in work situations, employees will be generally protected as long as they follow policies and instructions.  Home Caring Group understands that all employees, in their work must take steps to identify risks and the reasonable likely harmful effects of any action or inaction. And secondly take reasonable care in response, which is often balanced against competing responsibilities such as safety of others, privacy and confidentiality and the needs of the clients.

Home Caring Group believes that all people with a disability have the same rights as other members of society and shall assist the client to enjoy the broadest range of life opportunities and experiences, in an environment of care, support, information and education.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The following key terms related to Duty of Care include:
    1. Challenging Behaviours – Care workers have a legal duty to take action to address challenging behaviours that are harmful to the person themselves or to others. However, a person’s duty of care does not require them to do anything unlawful.
    2. Dignity of Risk is the belief that each person with a disability is entitled to experience and learn from life situations even if these, on occasions, may involve some risk to their wellbeing. Each person with a disability experiencing a risk, of which they have been informed, is to receive support in the situation.
    3. Negligence is not providing the standard of care required by a staff member’s position, qualifications and experience, and resulting in injury to the person with a disability in a staff member’s care. This can result in a civil action against the staff member and/or the employer.
      1. To establish negligence, it must be shown that:
        1. (a) a duty of care exists;
        2. (b) there was a breach of duty, meaning the accident could have reasonably been foreseen, and the person failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the accident from occurring;
        3. (c) harm was suffered; and,
        4. (d) the harm was a result of the breach of the duty of care (i.e. there was a relationship between the breach of care and the harm suffered).
      2. Assault is any harmful or offensive or unwanted touching of another person; any non-trivial touching of another person; any act intended to arouse fear of touching is also an assault. Accidental touching is not an assault. Wrongful imprisonment is deliberately confining a person to a place.
    4. In supporting the fulfilment of personal goals, individuals shall not be prevented from taking reasonable risks and making mistakes while gaining independence and learning how to make decisions.
      1. The case manager will provide the appropriate level of support depending on the persons skill and experiences and where appropriate a risk assessment will be conducted.
      2. If it were reasonably foreseeable that a client would cause harm to another person or property and reasonable action was not taken to avoid or minimise the risk, and harm resulted, a breach of duty of care would have occurred.
    5. The Case manager should consider the following factors related to duty of care:
      1. Assess the Likelihood and extent of foreseeable harm.
      2. Assess the likelihood and extent of foreseeable benefit.
      3. Look for ways that the risk of harm can be minimised without sacrificing the benefit.
      4. Balance the foreseeable harm against the benefit.
    6. The Case Manager will provide information to the client, their family/guardian and staff members about considerations involved in evaluating the issues.
      1. This is to include information that identifies duty of care obligations and the client’s right to experience and learn from risk taking
    7. The case manager must consider, during the development of an Individual Service Plan that all alternatives to the client’s behaviour that will maintain a positive outcome whilst reducing risk/s. Where appropriate a risk assessment will be conducted.
    8. The case manager will provide education to clients about risks associated with actions and implement risk minimisation strategies and any decision-making processes and the implementation of each stage of this process are to be documented in the client’s file.
    9. If, at the end of this process, the client is unable to obtain the necessary skills to carry out the activities then the duty of care of staff members outweighs the dignity of risk. Therefore, the activity cannot proceed, and this must be explained to the client.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • National Disability Service Standards
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Children & Young Persons (Care & Protection) Act

Related policies

  • Dignity of Risk policy
  • Decision making and choice policy
  • Case management framework policy
  • Protecting older persons policy
  • Protecting children and young people policy
  • WHS & General Safety policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group will seek to ensure each person receives a service that promotes and respects their legal and human rights and enables them to exercise control like everyone else in the community.  Services will be provided in an environment that ensures people are free from discrimination, abuse, neglect and exploitation and Home Caring has processes in place to manage these issues if they arise.

Home Caring management and staff promote ethical, respectful and safe service delivery which meets, if not exceeds, legislative requirements and achieves positive outcomes for clients.

We recognise, support and respect people’s inherent right to freedom of expression and the right to make decisions about and exercise control over their lives.  We recognise the vital role of families, friends, advocates and carers in assisting to safeguard and uphold the rights of our clients.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Recruitment and selecting procedures will make specific reference to our values and our expectations of staff to uphold the rights of clients.
  2. All Board members, staff, students and contractors will be required to produce current Police Clearance and Working with Children Check (where relevant) before commencing work with Home Caring.
  3. Program plans/care plans will specifically include consideration of issues related to human and legal right of clients.
  4. Our orientation program for new Board members, staff, students, volunteers will contain information about Human Right and the person’s role and responsibility in applying the principles of fairness and human rights to the people they support.
  5. Clients are informed of their rights on entry to Home Caring around their rights and how Home Caring upholds these rights including  opportunities to provide feedback or make a complaint.
  6. Staff will provide support and encouragement to all clients to devise self-protective strategies and behaviours hat consider their individual and cultural needs.

Responding to a concern

  1. Where a staff member has concerns or makes an allegation about the infringement of the human rights of clients, or of abuse, neglect or exploitation the following procedures will apply:
    1. The staff member must discuss their concern or allegation with the manager at the earliest opportunity, in person or by telephone and no later than 24 hours after the event that has caused their concern
    2. Until the contact is made, the staff member is responsible for ensuring the immediate short-term safety of the client
    3. If the staff member is unsure how to do this and the manager is not available, the staff member should contact the Brand Manager
    4. The Care worker should take immediate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the client while the concern or allegation is investigated
    5. The Care Worker should complete an Incident Form, using the information from the concerned party and confirm to them they have acted appropriately in making their concern known
    6. All actions taken will be documented by the person who takes the action. Documentation will be factual and free form personal comment or judgement
  2. If the concern or allegation involves a member of staff, the Manager will advise the staff member of the allegations and their rights and determine if they should be suspended from duty or moved to another position pending the investigation
  3. The CEO will advise the Chairperson of the Board of any matters reported to authorities or that are referred to another external organisation for investigation
  4. The Manager will undertake a debriefing after the investigation regardless of the outcome. This will include feedback to the staff member who made the allegation

Cultural Diversity

  1. Staff are to ensure that services are provided with sensitivity to and an awareness of the cultural beliefs and practices of clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This includes an awareness of the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities.
  2. Communication about this policy should be done in a way that suits everyone about their cultural background e.g. if required, the use of interpreter, or easy English documents.
  3. Home Caring will develop connections with culturally appropriate organisations and groups to influence the meaningful participation of people with disability.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwth)
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cwth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Community understanding engagement policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Building a positive care environment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

INDEPENDENCE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group believes that all clients have the right to express choice and decisions in their lives as a demonstration of their independence. Clients are encouraged to maintain friendships and participate in the life of the community.

PROCEDURE:

  1. To support a client’s independence, Managers are to ensure the following is adhered to:
    1. Information for clients at entry, review, exit and as requested by the client
    2. Clients are provided with essential information such as Charter of Service User’ Rights and Responsibilities and consumer handbook.
    3. A list of contacts with the communities is available if required.
    4. Information of individual client’s needs, preferences, and desires is recorded at assessment and at least annually.
    5. Documented on consumer directed care plans and relevant assessments undertaken if further needs arise.
    6. Where clients are unable to manage care decision, Managers will work with carers and families and Guardianship Tribunal if required.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cwth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948

Related policies

  • Community understanding engagement policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Building a positive care environment policy
  • Valued status policy
  • Information provision policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

INFORMATION PROVISION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Each client, or prospective client, is provided with information (initially and on an ongoing basis) in a format appropriate to their needs to assist them to make service choices and gain an understanding of the services available to them and their rights and responsibilities.

 

Home Caring Group believes the provision of relevant and timely information will help people have a right to make choices. We will regularly give service users appropriate, honest, straightforward and knowledgeable information about support, options and what Home Caring Group can and will do on their behalf.

 

PROCEDURE:

  1. All client’s will be provided with an information folder which will contain the information such as, a copy of their service agreement, support plan and other relevant information.
  2. The Case Manager will also discuss the information with clients at subsequent reviews.
  3. If client’s do not speak English, a professional interpreter will be engaged to assist the person to understand the information contained in the handbook, particularly information about rights and advocacy services.
    1. If we cannot find someone to interpret, we will use the Telephone Interpreter Service.
  4. If a client has any other barriers to understanding the information that we provide, we will endeavour to accommodate their communication needs.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cwth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948

Related policies

  • Community understanding engagement policy
  • Decision making and choice policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Building a positive care environment policy
  • Valued status policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Integration means that the person is part of a community and is involved with other community members. It refers to the social processes that offer a person with a disability the same chances and choices as other people to participate in activities and become a member of communities. Community integration happens when people are seen in ordinary places, join everyday activities, share experiences, interact and become interdependent.

Home Caring Group will provide support services to people with disabilities to enable them to make decisions about participating in activities of everyday life and be recognised as part of the community. We have a commitment to support individuals to participate and integrate in the community, which is both meaningful and similar to that enjoyed by other members of the community.

Home Caring will assist each person with a disability to develop meaningful social networks and maintain involvement in the local community.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The Case manager will consult with client and identified interests, likes and hobbies of each person with a disability will be addressed through the provision of detailed information relating to resources and services available to them in the local community.
  2. The Case manager will assist each person with a disability to develop meaningful social networks and maintain involvement in the local community.
  3. Case Managers will promote participation and integration through the following activities:
    1. accessing recreational pursuits of their own choice in the community
    2. participating in the development of an Individual Plan with provision for choice and decision-making in community access opportunities;
    3. identifying age appropriate activities of their own choice that meets their needs;
    4. developing social networks with members of the community that will maintain and facilitate community participation and integration
  4. Case Managers will assist and facilitate individuals to access the community by promoting participation and integration of people with a disability in the life of the local community and staff will provide detailed available information that will assist people with a disability to expand social networks and meaningful relationships in the community.
  5. Relevant community information shall be collected by:
    1. Regular networking with other services.
    2. Clients and staff service brochures and pamphlets.
    3. Encouraging clients, family / guardian / advocate and staff to share their information and experiences.
  6. The Case manager will ensure Individual choices are facilitated by providing information in client friendly formats wherever possible during, but not limited to:
    1. Individual planning process
    2. Client committee meetings.
    3. Updated displays on notice boards and through newsletters.
    4. Informal discussion processes.
    5. Presentations from people involved in community activities.
  7. Community Access outings are to provide real and adequate support for clients to access and participate meaningfully in the community.
    1. Activities should be chosen as far as possible by the clients and are to be client focused. At all times the safety and support of the clients is paramount.
    2. Outings are proposed for a client or a small group of clients, according to the preferences and choice of the client/s.
    3. If an accident or injury occurs whilst on the outing, the designated staff member will make necessary arrangements for treatment (if required) and notify the Manager of the extent of the injury/accident, actions taken and other information required to be given to the guardian/person responsible for the client. An Incident Report will be completed by the designated staff member on return from the outing if an injury/accident occurs.
    4. Staff will collect any relevant brochures, pictures, posters etc. from the outings which can be used for client discussion groups and for the Service’s community access file.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cwth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Community understanding engagement policy
  • Decision making and choice policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Building a positive care environment policy
  • Valued status policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

SERVICE USERS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group may provide services to people involved in or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system in some way or other including being questioned by Police, victims of crime or having spent time in goal. Home Caring recognises these experiences may have been extremely challenging for the person and/or their family and cares. This may have an implication on the way services are provided.  Home Caring applies the following procedures to address these challenges.

PROCEDURE:

  1. A risk profile is undertaken on all client’s as part of their initial assessment of needs and at annual reviews.
    1. The risk profile assesses and summarises risks in relation to the individual and others and identifies strategies to assist staff to reduce minimise or eliminate the risks.
    2. Brand managers will conduct case conferencing as required, and clearly document support plan and agreed outcomes
    3. Assessments should consider, but not limited to:
      1. Court support
      2. Police support
  • Referrals to specialist organisations
  1. All staff working directly with clients will be trained in criminal justice system for people with disability and their families and the potential needs that may emerge from their experiences with the criminal justice system.
  2. Where appropriate, managers will actively advocate for clients involved in the criminal justice system to ensure their civil and human rights are respected.
    1. This may include liaising with criminal justice and case management organisations to enable the person to access timely advice and support around their involvement in the criminal justice system. Including, but not limited to:
      1. Law and Justice Foundation of NSW (www.lawfoundation.net.au)
      2. Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network (www.justicehealth.nsw.gov.au)

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Advocacy policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Individual needs policy
  • Case Management framework policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

SPECIALIST SUPPORT COORDINATION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Specialist Support Coordination is a higher level of support coordination. It is an option for people whose situations are more complex and who need specialist help to coordinate their supports and services. Specialist Support Coordination is funded to accommodate the additional high or complex needs and includes a qualified and experienced practitioner such as an Occupational Therapist, Psychologist or Social Worker.

When a Participants NDIS plan is approved, Home Caring’s Specialist Support Coordinator (SSC) will help the put the plan into action. The Specialist Support Coordinator connects the Participant with the specialised supports on the NDIS plan to achieve their goals.

PROCEDURE:

SSC can:

  • help participants reduce complexity in their support environment, so they can connect with funded supports as well as broader supports
  • negotiate support solutions with multiple stakeholders to achieve well-coordinated plan implementation
  • help manage crisis points for participants, ensuring participants have access to relevant supports during a crisis.

The SSC will assist the Participant to manage challenges in the support environment and ensuring consistent delivery of service to build on the skills needed to understand, implement and use the plan; which may include health, education, or justice services. Specialist support coordination aims to reduce barriers to implementing or using the NDIS plan.

Home Caring’s SSC will work with a Participant to ensure that the supports are used to increase their capacity to maintain relationships, manage service delivery tasks, live more independently and be included in their community.  The SSC will focus on supporting a Participant to build skills and direct their life as well as connect them to providers.

The SSC will assist to negotiate with providers about what they will offer and how much it will cost out of the plan. SSC will ensure service agreements and service bookings are completed. They will help build the Participants ability to exercise choice and control, to coordinate supports and access their local community.

Home Caring’s SSC will assist to ‘optimise’ the NDIS plan ensuring that Participants are getting the most out of their funded supports and they can also assist in planning ahead to prepare for a NDIS plan review.

Home Caring SSC will ensure:

  • adherence to the NDIS Code of Conduct Rules 2018
  • they will conduct themselves with integrity, honesty and transparency to develop a trust-based relationship between people with disability, NDIS providers and workers that is required for high-quality service delivery
  • clients are informed consumers and are provided with accurate information about their service providers, the services they receive, and any real or perceived conflicts of interest of the people working with them; and be able to make decisions in their best interest, free from inducements or pressure
  • People with disability have accurate, accessible and timely information about the cost and efficacy of supports and services. This may include a clear quote for a service or support; easily understood breakdown of costs for different service options; information supporting the effectiveness of supports; the experience of other people with the service or support, and the risks and benefits of service options
  • recommendations, supports and services that are appropriate to the needs of the participant

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related Policies

  • Conflict of Interest
  • Client Referral
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND CARERS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to engaging with families and carers of clients to ensure that services meet the NDIS Quality & Safeguards requirements and support the intention of the Stronger Together Strategy in regard to carers and family members.  Home Caring Group recognises, respects, values and supports the importance of family and carers to the wellbeing of people with disability. The organisation acknowledges the importance of maintaining connection between people with disability and their family and carers across life, particularly at points of transition.

PROCEDURE:

  1. During the assessment process the Case manager asks all clients who we can share their information with and if they agree to workers talking with family members and/or carers.
    1. Where a carer is nominated the information is recorded on a consent form, which is then signed by the client and uploaded to the client management system.
    2. Where clients do not nominate family members or carers they are asked what information the organisation can tell their family members/carers.
    3. Staff will revisit this discussion about contacting family members/carers in the lead up to and during any formal review of individual plans or as appropriate.
    4. Regardless of whether client’s have given consent to share information, the organisation listens to family ember/carers concerns.
  2. Where a carer and /or family member requires support arrangements, the Case Manager will make appropriate arrangements for carers from other cultures including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for cares who are children or aged. Carers’ religious beliefs, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical and intellectual disability and socioeconomic status will be considered in providing appropriate support.
  3. The Case Manager will support carers by providing as much information as possible about its services and other supports available in the community.
    1. Where consent is given for family and carer contact, support staff will make contact on a regular basis and invite family members and carers to participate in assessment, review and other key meetings as per client instructions.
  4. Clients and carers and/or family are encouraged and supported to actively participate in all aspects of service development and review. This includes formal and informal evaluations of the program, individual care plan reviews, completion of annual stakeholder surveys and consultation around the review of key organisational policies and processes

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
  • Carer Recognition Act 2010
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 1948
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

VALUED STATUS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that all clients of the Company will have the opportunity to develop and maintain skills and the opportunity to participate in activities that enable them to achieve valued roles in the community.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Home Caring Group will deliver services, programs and activities that are culturally sensitive and in an age appropriate manner
  2. Home Caring Group promotes the valued status of the client through:
    1. Involving clients and their carers in the governance, management, planning and evaluation of the Company where possible and appropriate
    2. Regularly consulting clients about decisions about them
    3. Using appropriate language when talking about people with disabilities or aged to other staff, services and members of the general community.
  3. The case manager must ensure that every client has a current, written plan that builds on existing competencies and increases the prospect of fulfilling valued roles in the community. The plan should include, but not limited to:
    1. the client, family members and/or advocates and their views
    2. available resources to accommodate the client’s skills development preferences
    3. developing connections and networks in the community which will support the valued status of the person
    4. a strength based and reablement approach
    5. careful selection of appropriately trained staff

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Attendant Care Industry Standards 2013 – (ACIS 2013)
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • National Standards for Disability Services (2014)
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Human Rights policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Person Centred Care policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

ABUSE AND NEGLECT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group holds a responsibility to provide an environment free of any type of abuse. Abuse may encompass one or more of the following: sexual assault, physical, emotional, financial and systemic abuse, domestic violence, constraints and restrictive practices, and neglect.

Home Caring Group recognises that each person with a disability has the same legal and human rights as the rest of the community. Each client is entitled to privacy, dignity, and confidentiality in all aspects of his or her life.  Clients have a right to feel safe, and to live in an environment where they are protected from assault, neglect, exploitation or any other form of abuse.

Home Caring Group implements prevention strategies such as employment of skilled staff who respects the rights of clients, who are aware of current policies and legislation pertaining to abuse, and who will support clients and their families or guardians to access complaint mechanisms and raise any concerns they have about services.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Home Caring Group shall respond immediately to allegations of abuse and co-ordinate an appropriate response that may include, but not limited to:
    1. offer first aid and/or contact emergency services
    2. legal and other types of assistance as required.
  2. Home Caring Group shall actively encourage and support clients to participate in the investigation by ensuring they receive the support and information plus opportunity to access the due process through the criminal justice system.
  3. A report of abuse may be received from:
    1. A person with a disability
    2. Another client, member of staff or any other person who witness the abuse
    3. A member of staff who suspects abuse
  4. Staff members that are present at the time of an assault should take appropriate measures to maintain their own safety, and that of other clients and staff.
  5. Staff at the scene must ensure that the client (the victim) is protected from any further harm or contact with the person who is the source of abuse (the offender).
  6. Staff at the scene must notify the doctor or ambulance if the client or any other person is injured.
  7. Staff at the scene must immediately advise their line manager of the incident.
  8. Staff to contact necessary external agencies as required:
    1. Police
    2. Sexual Assault Service
  9. If the client refuses to report the assault to the police, staff members who know of or have witnessed a sexual assault or a physical assault where the assault constitutes a serious offence have a responsibility under the Crimes Act 1900 S.316 to report the matter to the police and must do so.
    1. The Manager and Chief Executive Officer must also be informed.
  10. The client should be notified by the staff member that a report of an assault will mean that under the Crimes Act, the staff member has a responsibility to inform the police.
    1. The person-in-charge is responsible for ensuring that documentation of the incident is completed and reports are forwarded to the appropriate levels of management.
  11. If it is witnessed or suspected that a member of staff has abused a client or clients, the line manager must be informed immediately.
    1. Where management reasonably believes that a member of staff is the source of abuse of a client the matter must be referred to the Police.
  12. All reported instances or allegations of sexual assault, physical assault, abuse or neglect must be notified to:
    1. Persons under the Age of 18 years (“Children and Young People”) Notification to: Department of Community Services Helpline: 13 26 27.
      1. Where an allegation involves a child, it is mandatory under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 to notify the matter to the Department of Community Services.
      2. This includes allegations involving:
        1. all alleged assaults (physical, sexual); and/or
        2. issues of abuse or neglect; and/or iii. lack of care or supervision which places the child at risk.
      3. Persons under the Age of 18 years – Notification of the NSW Ombudsman:
        1. “The Ombudsman Act (Ombudsman Amendment Child Protection and Community Services Act 1998) requires any allegation of child abuse
        2. The Office of the NSW Ombudsman will need to be contacted for a Child Protection Notification Form to be provided on request: Telephone No: 1800 451 524
      4. All NDIS Participants – NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission
        1. Reporting Officer to complete incident report to the Commission within 24 hours as per Incident Management policy. Contact number: 1800 035 544
      5. Any allegations of abuse by a member of staff towards a client will be the subject of internal investigations by Home Caring Group, by the Police and to be reported to NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission.
        1. If it is found that a member of staff has abused a client, the matter may warrant dismissal of the staff member by Home Caring, as well as any action taken by the Police.
      6. Any staff member failing to report or cover up incidents of potential abuse will be subject to disciplinary action and/or reported to the Police and subject to any action that may be taken by the Police.
      7. Any threat of retribution by staff for disclosure of any potential or actual abusive or neglectful practice or situation will be subject to disciplinary action and/or reported to the Police and subject to any action that may be taken by the Police.
      8. If a staff member accompanies the offender who is another staff member to the police station to provide support, the staff member must not give an opinion about the offender or the alleged incident or give the offender legal advice.
        1. The staff member should be replaced by an independent support person or a legal adviser as soon as possible.
      9. No Home Caring staff member will carry out any investigation of his/her own (such as interviewing the alleged offender, or interviewing the client other than to obtain brief details of the incident/s and arrange for the client’s safety and ascertain his/her wishes about attending a Sexual Assault Service).
        1. Investigation is not the role of the Service Provider, and if carried out, can seriously jeopardise any legal proceedings that may take place at a later stage.
      10. Responses to an alleged allegation of abuse will ensure:
        1. protection of the victim from further danger;
        2. notification of senior staff responsible for acting;
        3. completion of a written incident report (incident reports are kept in the Staff Office of each service location);
        4. notification of reportable incident to NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission within 24 hours;
        5. separation of those involved in an assault;
        6. support to service users to seek immediate medical attention and access to legal advice and counselling services; and
        7. development of a plan to manage the issues arising from the assault.

Abuse by another client

  1. When one client is the suspected or known source of abuse towards another client, staff must ensure that the rights of both clients are observed during the response and reporting processes.
  2. Any decisions made in relation to managing the incident must be fully documented for future reference, along with the reason for the decision and the name and contact details of the person making the decision.
  3. The Manager must ensure that the wishes of the victim and the offender are followed in relation to advising family, guardian or other support person about the incident, where they can make this known.
    1. When the victim and/or the offender are not capable then the person-in-charge will notify the appropriate person of the incident as soon as possible and within 12 hours of the report being made.
  4. The manager will facilitate access to appropriate support, where practical, for both clients, their families and staff, and ensure they have information about available services
  5. If a manager reasonably believes that an incident between two clients is abuse or assault the matter must be referred to the Police; if NDIS participant, must be reported to the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission within 24 hours.
  6. If a staff member accompanies the offender who is a client to the police station to provide support, the staff member must not give an opinion about the offender or the alleged incident, give the offender legal advice, question the offender on behalf of the police or interpret the offender’s answers.
    1. The staff member should be replaced by an independent support person or a legal adviser as soon as possible.

Financial Abuse

  1. Where clients are vulnerable, and unable to manage their personal finances, this may be done informally by the family, guardian or other support person.
    1. In the absence of a suitable informal financial manager, application is made to the Guardianship Tribunal to appoint a formal financial manager.
  2. When there is an allegation of financial abuse, the manager must notify the client, family or guardian, and/or the administrator of the client’s finances.
    1. The matter may be reported to the Police (Refer to Section above).

Other Issues of Abuse

  1. Staff members will take immediate Action to address the following incidents:
    1. unsafe equipment, practices or situations;
    2. accidents and near accidents;
    3. minor injuries;
    4. neglect;
    5. retribution for reporting an incident; and
    6. any systemic problems.

Past incidents of abuse

  1. If the abuse has happened in the past, and the client is not in immediate danger, the Manager must be notified as soon as possible.
  2. If the Manager reasonably believes that abuse has occurred, or is in any doubt, the matter must be referred to the Police for further investigation.

Supporting and Communicating

  1. The Manager should appoint a contact person to communicate with the victim and family, guardian or other support person to ensure that information relating to the incident is provided through one coordinated source.
    1. Information being relayed to the victim must be provided in a form that is understandable, and this includes ensuring that a support person is available who knows the victim’s communication requirements.
  2. When the victim is unable to make decisions about any aspect of the incident, a family member or guardian must be present to make decisions on the victim’s behalf.
    1. Where this relates to medical treatment or forensic examination consent must be provided by a person responsible in accordance with the Guardianship Act.

Support for clients

  1. The victim and family, guardian or other support person should be assisted to access any debriefing, counselling, legal or other support services if that is their wish.
    1. Clients who are victims of abuse and their families or guardians should be referred to Victims Services NSW on 1800 633 063 to be advised of their rights, and the support services that are available to them.
    2. Managers will facilitate access to an advocacy service if the client wishes.
    3. Clients can contact Ageing and Disability Helpline on 1800 628 221
    4. Managers will facilitate access for victims of violent crimes and their families who may be eligible to apply for counselling with the Approved Counselling Service provided by Victims Services NSW.
    5. Staff must ensure that clients, both victim and offender, are adequately supported by an independent person, who could be a relative, friend, advocacy service or legal practitioner.
    6. The victim, family, guardian or other support person will have the choice of pursuing the matter through the legal system and must be supported to access the services and advice they require
    7. Information provided to a client, guardian or other support person about legal rights, options and support services, must be provided in a format that suits their individual communication needs.
    8. Managers will have a clear understanding of the role and function of relevant mainstream or specialist service providers and ensures that appropriate referral protocols are established with them.

Support for staff

  1. Staff should be offered a debriefing session within 24 hours of the incident occurring.
  2. Each person provided with a service by Home Caring will be given the same level of privacy, dignity and confidentiality as expected by other members of the community.
    1. All information about a person [medical, personal, financial or otherwise] who is provided with a service by Home Caring is to be treated in the strictest confidence.
    2. All staff members who are in contact with the victim or the offender will maintain confidentiality of information between the individuals who are directly involved in responding to the incident.
    3. Confidentiality must be maintained when making a report to external agencies. Failure to do so may prejudice any subsequent investigation and cause unnecessary hurt or embarrassment to individuals.
    4. If a staff member breaches confidentiality, the staff member may be subject to disciplinary action.

 Record keeping

  1. It is important that comprehensive and accurate records are maintained in the interests of all parties, and to ensure accountability and transparency in decision-making.
    1. A detailed written report should be completed within 24 hours to ensure it is an accurate record of the incident.
    2. The report should include:
      1. the nature and extent of the incident;
      2. a description of the incident completed as soon after the event as possible and being an exact record of the events;
  • additional reports written by other witnesses or persons present at the time the incident occurred;
  1. the name and contact details of all those involved, particularly in relation to decisions that are made because of the incident;
  2. the response provided to the person making the allegation;
  3. the date and signature of the person making the report;
  • ongoing actions required to resolve the matter; and
  • the outcome, although, depending on the nature of the incident an outcome may be delayed.
  1. Records must be stored securely and only accessed by persons with a legitimate reason for viewing any documents.

Managing Risk 

  1. The CEO and Manager must assess the risk of further incidents and update any risk management plans pertaining to the event and the clients involved.
    1. The Client Risk Profile of any clients involved in the incident are to be reviewed to assess and manage the risk of further incidents of abuse.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Crimes Act 1900 S.316
  • The Ombudsman Act (Ombudsman Amendment Child Protection and Community Services Act 1998
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Protecting Children and Young People policy
  • Protecting older persons policy
  • Incident management policy
  • Reportable conduct policy
  • Consent policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT & SUPPORT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group takes a positive approach to behaviour management to be at the forefront of client care. Behaviours of concern can represent considerable challenges for all stakeholders and significant focus is placed upon the identification, monitoring and ongoing management of clients displaying behaviours of concern.

Home Caring Group adopts management strategies designed to work in the reduction of behaviours and the prevention of aggression and supports the duty of care it owes to the clients, employees, visitors and visiting Health Professionals, to protect their health, safety and welfare.

Behaviours of concern may include, but not limited to:

  • Self-injury and self-mutilation to the head, face or body which leads to physical trauma and/or disfigurement requiring medical attention.
  • Violent or dangerous behaviour which has the potential to cause physical injury or emotional trauma to others.
  • Persistent refusal to follow necessary treatment procedures for medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or other conditions that, if not treated, will further endanger the person’s health.
  • Constant refusal to participate in agreed activities such as employment, recreation, social events or household routines.
  • Property Damage
  • Obsessive behaviours that are likely to cause harm eg. Constant consumption of food
  • Absconding from the home and/or creating a nuisance in public including wandering the streets, begging, harassing, soliciting or engaging in criminal activities.
  • Extreme manipulative behaviour including mischievous accusations against others, inappropriately engaging emergency support services or persistently over-using medical and other professional services.
  • Offensive behaviour including extracting, eating or smearing faeces or other body products, engaging in sexual activities in public places, or generally behaving in a manner likely to elicit negative community reactions

PROCEDURE:

  1. The effective management of behaviours of concern includes but not limited to:
    1. The adoption of guidelines outlined in the Work Health & Safety (WH&S) legislation, and to provide training and development for all employees for a safe working environment;
    2. Holistic and individual assessment of each client and their environmental impacts on admission, and their risk towards aggressive and coping behaviours;
    3. The application of holistic, individual assessment and case management principles, where required, to support and establish strategies for clients demonstrating challenging and/or aggressive behaviours;
    4. Learning and development for care workers to enable the correct management of behaviours of concern;
    5. Regular review of Behaviour Plans and auditing of work practices;
    6. The documentation, recording and review of behaviours through teamwork;
    7. Assessment and review of the environment where the client lives and employees are working; and
    8. Taking a non-pharmacological approach utilising a multidisciplinary team.

Immediate response

  1. The case manager is to immediately investigate reports of behaviours of concern from other clients, employees, volunteers, family members or the public.
  2. The case manager is to make a written record of the reported incident including a description of the behaviour of concern, the time and place, and the antecedents (the events leading up to the behaviour which may have been possible triggers) and the consequences (the impact of the behaviour on the client and others).
    1. Involve the client, staff members, key family members (where appropriate) and behavioural consultants (where required) in the development of an individual support plan aimed at ameliorating the challenging behaviour, including a thorough analysis of the problem situation, an agreed model for intervening and measurable behavioural goals for the client.
    2. Fully document the updates to the care plan and provide a copy to all parties involved in its development.
    3. If there is no documented Behaviour Support Plan, appoint an appropriate staff member or external consultant, if the necessary expertise is not available within Home Caring, to co-ordinate the implementation of the Interim Behaviour Support Plan and record the future occurrences of the behaviour or other challenging behaviours.
      1. Interim Support Plans will be treated in the same way as endorsed support plans, including collaboration with appropriate external professionals, staff training and education and documentation
    4. The Case manager is to allocate sufficient and appropriate resources to the individual support plan, which may include: specific skills training for the staff, environmental restructuring, higher staffing levels during the intervention period, or support from external professionals.
    5. The case manager to undertake a formal review of the individual support plan and include all the parties who were involved in the construction of the initial plan.
    6. The Manager is to advise the funding body if Home Caring considers it lacks the resources or expertise to manage the behaviours or if behaviours of concern persist in a way that compromises the agency’s duty of care obligations to its clients, its staff and the public.

Intervention

  1. Home Caring Group recognise that effective management of challenging behaviours rests on developing a thorough understanding of the person and his or her past and present experiences.
  2. Common factors which can contribute to the occurrence of behaviours of concern include: a history characterised by coercion or over-control, an unstable or insecure lifestyle, medical or psychiatric conditions, a history of rejection or abuse, lack of independent living skills, lack of group social skills, lack of meaningful personal relationships and lack of communication skills.
  3. Intervention strategies need to recognise the role of the person’s past and present experiences and the person’s environment in the formation and maintenance of behaviours of concern.
  4. Intervention strategies are: carefully planned and documented, involve key stakeholders, designed around the individual’s circumstances, needs and preferences, focus on positive and measurable outcomes, properly resourced, and carefully monitored.
  5. Families and carers are involved throughout the development of behaviour support strategies. All those involved in caring for the person are trained in how to implement the strategies successfully and consistently.
  6. The case manager will seek informed consent of the client, their guardian, their person responsible, parent or the person with parental responsibility as appropriate to individual circumstances for implementing the behaviour plan.
  7. The case manager will make the relevant referrals required as part of the behaviour intervention plan.
  8. Behaviour management plans will be endorsed by a registered Behaviour Support Practitioner.

Continuous improvement processes

  1. All new employees and volunteers have been provided with a copy of the agency’s Policy on Behaviour Management
  2. Care workers must maintain accurate, quantitative written records of the incident(s) and maintained and in accordance with Home Caring Policy on Incident Management.
  3. The case manager provides a thorough analysis of the challenging behaviour which has been undertaken by an appropriately qualified person and sufficient resources have been allocated to implement the individual support plan.
  4. The case manager to provide progress regularly monitored against the behavioural goals described and quantified in the individual support plan.
  5. The Manager will advise the funding body if it feels that, in attempting to manage the challenging behaviour, it lacks the resources or professional expertise to properly meet its duty of care responsibilities whilst the challenging behaviour persists.

Restrictive practices

  1. Where support strategies are used with the intention of influencing or changing behaviour they must be sanctioned by means of a documented Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) and qualified professional.
  2. Home Caring staff will always work to provide services aimed at reducing or eliminating restrictive practices.
  3. The use of a Restricted Practice must be informed by strict guidelines which provide clear conditions and limitations on their use. The following are considered a list of restrictive and prohibited practice:
    1. Exclusionary Time Out
    2. Physical restraint
    3. Withhold positively valued items and/or activities
    4. Chemical Restraint
    5. Mechanical Restraint
    6. Environmental restraint – Restricted access
    7. Seclusion
  4. Authorisation of Restrictive Practices shall be gained through the relevant state authority – FACS (NSW); QCAT (QLD) through the Restrictive Practices Authorisation. Home Caring will convene a panel to authorise Restrictive Practices.
  5. Any unauthorised use of Restrictive Practice shall be reported through the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission by the appointed reporting officer within 24 hours.
  6. If a client has unauthorised use of Restrictive Practice used, they may be referred to an appropriate medical practitioner for review.
  7. Home Caring Group has appointed a reporting officer to report all instances of restrictive practice used on a monthly basis to the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission.

Psychotropic Medication on a regular or PRN basis

  1. The use of Psychotropic Medication is considered a Restricted Practice where it is prescribed for administration on a regular or PRN basis.

Consent

  1. Where a client does not have the capacity to consent to the use of a Restricted Practice as a component of an overall behaviour support strategy, and where there is no person/s with appropriate legal authority to consent on their behalf, a legally appointed Guardian may be required. In such cases specific authority to consent to the use of Restrictive Practices may be granted to a Guardian by the Guardianship Tribunal.
  2. Only a legally appointed guardian with a Restrictive Practices function can give consent to the use of a Restricted Practice as a component of behaviour support of an adult or young person (aged 16 years or over). If there is no legal guardian with that function, information should be sought immediately from:
    1. The Guardianship Tribunal 2a Rowntree Street, Balmain NSW 2041 Telephone: (02) 9556 7600 Fax: (02) 9555 9049 Tollfree: (02) 1800 463 928 email: gt@gt.nsw.gov.au Website: www.gt.nsw.gov.au
  3. Consent of the guardian to the use of a Restricted Practice is legal only for the time specified by the guardian.
  4. If the legality of a practice or strategy is unclear, a guardian should have power to consent.
    1. If there is no legal guardian with that function, information should be sought immediately from the Guardianship Tribunal.

Prohibited Practices

  1. Prohibited Practices include those that are abusive, those that constitute assault and those that constitute wrongful imprisonment. Such practices are prohibited and not permissible. All are criminal offences and civil wrongs and may lead to legal action. Prohibited Practices also include those that may not be unlawful but are unethical.
  2. Prohibited Practices include those that:
    1. Cause physical pain or serious discomfort;
    2. Restrict access to basic needs or supports;
    3. Are degrading or demeaning to the client;
    4. May reasonably be perceived by the client as harassment or vilification;
    5. Are aversive;
    6. Are unethical;
    7. Any punishment that takes the form of immobilisation, force-feeding or depriving of food;
    8. Over correction

Documentation

  1. Client incidents related to behaviours must be documented through client management system and reported within 24 hours as per Incident Management policy.

Staff Assessment and Training

  1. Care Workers are to attend an information session on induction where they receive a Home Caring Group Staff Handbook.
  2. Staff will then attend a compulsory training session on Behaviour Management within the first 12 months of employment.
  3. The Manager will monitor which staff have completed training and follow up with staff who haven’t.
  4. This will be documented electronically on rostering program.
  5. If a staff member fails to meet the competence standard, they will be required to undergo further training and be retested.
  6. Achieving competency in behaviour is an annual requirement for staff.
  7. All behaviour training and competency assessments must be completed in the first twelve months of employment and then annually thereafter.
  8. Staff will receive further training specific to the participant they are working with, delivered by the registered practitioner.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • The Guardianship Act 1987
  • A Positive Approach to Challenging Behaviours
  • Delirium Care Pathways
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • FACS Restricted Practice

Related policies

  • Incident reporting policy
  • Medication management policy
  • Clinical governance and management framework policy
  • Health management policy
  • Decision and Choice policy
  • Independence policy
  • Infection control and Universal precautions policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOURS & AGGRESSION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group works towards the elimination or reduction of the incidence of aggression demonstrated in the workplace ie either by a client to a staff member, staff member to client or staff member to staff member, or family members and visitors to the client and/or staff member.

Aggression may be identified as, but not limited to:

  • Verbal eg offensive or foul language;
  • Emotional /Psychological eg an employee who feels manipulated or made to do or say something that does not feel right or made to feel guilty or being blamed for something they have or have not done. Being humiliated or made to feel valueless, anxious and overly stressed;
  • Racial eg made to feel bad because of their own racial background;
  • Sexual eg being touched inappropriately, being subject to offensive sexual suggestions or being made to feel uncomfortable because of someone’s sexual behaviour; and or
  • Physical e.g. hitting, kicking, punching, spitting etc.

Causes of aggression can include, but not limited to:

  • The limitations of a client’s home or facility and how that may cause the client frustration ie a client receiving social visits in a confined space in a nursing home.
  • How the client reacts to their environment eg to noise levels due to small children within the family or house renovations.
  • The client’s mental or physical predisposition.
  • The differences culturally, religiously and other that lie between the client and the staff member ie the staff member may be from a different faith background than the client but part of the role is to accompany the client to their religious centre.
  • Work practises which include the staff member’s responsibility to facilitate the client’s program eg there may be physio equipment that needs to be kept out of the way of family members.
  • Client level of communication.
  • Client specific known triggers.

CEDURE:

  1. If staff are under attack they must remove themselves immediately from further harm.
    1. If there is a safe room on the premises staff should lock themselves in if they cannot exit the building
    2. Staff are to contact the appropriate emergency service ie. Police and/or ambulance if staff member is unable to contact emergency services the service coordinator or after hours will call on their behalf.
  2. Staff must report the incident immediately to the Case Manager or After-Hours Operator who will contact the Chief Executive Officer
  3. Staff must follow procedures as outlined in Incident Management Policy within 24 hours.

Procedure General

  1. Ensure staff are not at any risk of harm or danger.
  2. If staff feel vulnerable or threatened they must contact the case manager or After-Hours Operator to arrange for a replacement.
    1. If a replacement is unavailable and there is a primary carer in the household the staff member is permitted to leave.
  3. Staff must avoid approaching a client who is displaying aggressive behaviour.
    1. Staff must also avoid too much conversation and give the client some personal space eg clearly advise the client that you will be in the kitchen, backyard etc until they calm down.
    2. Staff must give the client the time of return and stick to it. Make sure you listen out for the client and keep them within view whilst allowing them some time out. Unless you have any concerns wait for up to 5 minutes before returning. You may need to repeat this step a couple of times, increasing up to 10 minutes before returning to the shared space with the client.
  4. If the client fails to calm down after repeating this step or his/her behaviour escalates staff must contact the Case manager or After-Hours Operator immediately and refer to emergency response above
  5. Staff must complete an Accident / Incident / Hazard report and send it to the case manager within 24 hours of the incident.
  6. Staff will need to document the incident in the appropriate file eg client progress notes
  7. The case manager will contact staff or staff may contact the case manager if they require follow up or a debriefing session.
  8. The Case manager will report the matter to the Chief Executive Officer

Preventative Strategies

  1. Case manager are advised to follow the below outlined guidelines:
    1. Be very aware of the client’s likes and dislikes and/or triggers – using Person Centred tools like Good Day & Bad Day chart.
    2. Wherever possible aim to roster experienced staff with new clients. This may assist the client to more easily settle into the care routine.
    3. Roster staff who will best meet the needs of the client eg same gender, age, religious practises or staff who prove to be flexible and adaptable to different client needs.
    4. Wherever possible encourage staff and roster consistency as much as possible.
    5. When approved by the Manager you may roster two workers with one client where designated.
  2. If constant conflict between staff and client exists Home Caring Group may need to roster other staff members who have a different rapport or calming effect on the client.
  3. Care Staff are advised to follow the guidelines outlined below. Ways to avoid escalation in client behaviour can include, but are not limited to:
    1. Follow client care plan.
    2. Offer the client choice, remember many of the client’s everyday choices have been severely diminished because of his/her condition.
    3. Avoid awakening clients suddenly or abruptly.
    4. Allow and prompt the client to take adequate rest periods.
    5. Explain your tasks clearly to the client prior to undertaking tasks or activities
    6. Avoid rushing the client.
    7. Be aware that some clients become confused later in the day or when awoken.
    8. Encourage family involvement with the client where appropriate.
    9. Be very aware of the client’s likes and dislikes and/or triggers.
    10. Use suitable music and other diversions as recommended by Case manager
    11. Use simple language with small sentences to make your point obvious.

Documentation

  1. Client incidents related to behaviours must be documented in client management system, as per Incident Management Policy within 24 hours.

Staff Assessment and Training

  1. Care Workers are to attend an information session on induction where they receive a Home Caring Group Staff Handbook.
  2. Staff will then attend a compulsory training session on Behaviour Management within the first 12 months of employment. A self-directed learning package will be provided on the extranet.
  3. Once completed, the Manager will be notified electronically.
  4. The Manager will monitor which staff have completed training and follow up with staff who haven’t.
  5. This will be documented electronically on rostering program.
  6. If a staff member fails to meet the competence standard, they will be required to undergo further training and be retested.
  7. Achieving competency in behaviour is an annual requirement for staff.
  8. All behaviour training and competency assessments must be completed in the first twelve months of employment and then annually thereafter.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • The Guardianship Act 1987
  • A Positive Approach to Challenging Behaviours
  • Delirium Care Pathways
  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Incident reporting policy
  • Medication management policy
  • Clinical governance and management framework policy
  • Health management policy
  • Decision and Choice policy
  • Infection control and Universal precautions policy
  • Professional Learning and Development policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to establishing and maintaining industry leading principles of clinical governance for consumers and employees, and strives to ensure that all aspects of clinical care and management are ethical, streamlined, and efficient and follow industry best practice models

PROCEDURE:

  1. With specific regard for clinical governance, Home Caring Group will:
    1. The Executive team will conduct a schedule of clinical auditing that identifies gaps in practice, and the potential for clinical risk to support quality continuous improvement within the service;
    2. Where required, the Executive team will establish appropriate stakeholder committees such as Medication Advisory, Clinical Management and WHS, for reviewing unresolved outcomes of audits, complaints and suggestions for improvement;
    3. The Manager ensure that all members of the Care Team are accountable for undertaking activities associated with clinical risk management to minimise loss and harm and maximise health outcomes;
    4. The Manager ensure that the clinical assessment processes and tools used will be representative of best practice and follow the quality continuous improvement processes;
    5. The case manager and care workers must acknowledge its duty of care in ensuring that the client (and the person responsible) will be sufficiently informed and aware of the risks involved in any proposed care activity or treatment;
    6. The case manager can provide information on complementary & alternative medicine therapies, considering it does not impede on the rights and safety of others and that consumers have the right to choose complementary & alternative medicine therapies to be used in their own home;
    7. The case manager will recognise that mobility, nutrition and hydration are essential components of care for vulnerable and frail older people and the promotion of the wellbeing of individuals is the responsibility of management and employees;
    8. The manager will ensure that clinical employees are well educated and practiced in clinical care management, care review and the adoption of evidence based health care, particularly in implementing Advanced Health Care Directives.
    9. The Case Manager will deliver palliative care in a manner appropriate to the needs of the consumer, friends and family, as well as significant others in their lives.
      1. The case manager strives to support the consumer’s spiritual, cultural, social and psychological needs throughout the dying process and their end of life choices.
      2. The Manager acknowledges the needs of employees and carers during this palliative process

Documentation

  1. Clinical notes shall be written (or entered) to account for the following key elements:
    1. Each client shall have a unique CRN and file established at time of admission/commencement;
    2. All entries in a client’s care/service record will indicate the time and dates the entry was made, and enable the reader to identify the name and designation of the writer. Entries shall be sequentially date orientated and not entered until after the event or treatment is completed;
    3. Entries shall be accurate statements of fact or statement of clinical judgement relating to care and contain comprehensive statements of all aspects of care;
    4. Entries shall be made on clinical records at the time of (or immediately following) the consultation or treatment;
    5. All care employees engaged by Home Caring Group who provide a client with care, management and/or professional advice shall be responsible for personally documenting the activity in the client’s file;
    6. Care employees are not permitted to document on someone else’s behalf or to share this information with anyone not directly involved in the client’s care;
    7. Notes shall be made utilising the approved forms and tools only;
    8. Notes must be clearly entered and legible;
    9. Notes on physical documents shall be signed with name and position/title. Electronic entries shall be made using the logon and password profile of the care professional responsible for the entry;
    10. Entries shall be made utilising the specified format encompassing the required specific detail relevant to the entry;
    11. Home Caring group acknowledges the value of exception and progress report writing and the need for sufficient evidence in the documentation for it to be used in accreditation, validation or other investigative reasons. For these reasons, minimum file entry provisions may apply;
    12. All entries shall be written in blue or black pen so that they will not fade or be erased over time. All entries are to be made in English.
    13. Entries made in error will have a single line drawn through them with acknowledgement initials. No liquid correction fluid/tape shall be utilised;
    14. Written records will be stored, accessed, utilised and destroyed in accordance with the Privacy & Confidentiality Procedure. Electronic data shall be routinely backed up.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards 2011

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Falls management policy
  • Health management policy
  • Medication administration policy
  • Psychotropic medication policy
  • Nutrition and swallowing policy
  • Palliative care policy
  • Wound management policy
  • Assessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

COMPLEX HEALTH PROCEDURES – BOWEL CARE

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to providing safe and competent care to those who may need support in complex procedures. Complex procedures include, but are not limited to: bowel care, enteral feeding and management, tracheostomy management, urinary catheter management, ventilator management, subcutaneous injection and complex wound care. Registered Nurses are to review the care plans of clients receiving complex care quarterly.

Home Caring Group understands the intensely personal nature of this type of care. Support Workers are given training to understand this and are assessed annually to be competent to provide this type of care. Home Caring Group will only engage in this care when directed by a Care Plan facilitated by a Registered Health Practitioner (GP or Specialist).

The Care Plan will state:

  • Reason for support required
  • Frequency of support required
  • Desired effect of support
  • Adverse reactions and actions required

PRN (as required) bowel care support must be directed by a Health Practitioner only. If no care workers competent and client requires support immediately, this may be carried out by an appropriately trained Registered Nurse.

Education Plan

All care workers providing Bowel Care support will be provided with the following education:

  • Presentation on bowel care, including the following: anatomy of the bowel, what constitutes a normal bowel movement, correct language in reporting and documentation, monitoring and reporting bowel movements, procedure of bowel care.
  • Competency signed off by Registered Nurse on annual basis

PROCEDURE:

Evacuant Enema

Evacuant

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by a Registered Nurse

  1. Read instructions on packaging
  2. Ensure privacy, communicate procedure to client
  3. Place client in left lateral position with knees flexed
  4. Warm the enema in container of warm tap water
  5. Wash hands and put gloves on
  6. Remove enema cap and lubricate enema nozzle
  7. Expel air from nozzle and gently insert into rectum 6-8cm
  8. Expel contents of enema slowly in to rectum
  9. Withdraw nozzle and encourage client to hold solution in place
  10. Remove gloves and wash hands
  11. Assist to take client to toilet/ bedpan/ commode (as appropriate)
  12. Dispose of equipment
  13. Document – record date, time, dose, outcome in progress notes.

Rectal Suppositories

Rectal Suppositories

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by a Registered Nurse

  1. Ensure Privacy, communicate procedure to client
  2. If necessary, assist client to empty bladder
  3. Assist client to lie on their left lateral side with knees flexed
  4. Remove suppository from packaging
  5. Put gloves on. Lubricate gloved finger with water
  6. Introduce the suppository gently and smoothly well in to the rectum (5-6cm).
  7. Remove gloves and wash hands
  8. Assist client to toilet/ commode/ bed pan and allow time for suppository to stimulate defecation (30-60 min)
  9. Continue to check on client every 5-10 minutes
  10. Dispose of equipment
  11. Document – record date, time, dose, outcome in progress notes.

Related Policies/ documents

  • Privacy & Dignity
  • Bristol Stool Chart
  • Clinical Governance Framework
  • Medication Management
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands ☐Only Care ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring ☐Premier Care ☐Brokerage services

V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

COMPLEX HEALTH PROCEDURES – ENTERAL FEEDING & MANAGEMENT

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to providing safe and competent care to those who may need support in complex procedures. Complex procedures include, but are not limited to: bowel care, enteral feeding and management, tracheostomy management, urinary catheter management, ventilator management, subcutaneous injection and complex wound care. Registered Nurses are to review the care plans of clients receiving complex care quarterly.

Support Workers are given training to understand their responsibility in this area and are assessed annually to be competent to provide this type of care. Home Caring Group will only engage in this care when directed by a Care Plan or directive facilitated by a Registered Health Practitioner (GP or Specialist). The decision for which type of enteral feed a participant should receive should be made in consultation with the dietician, medical team, nursing staff and family, taking into account the nutritional needs, clinical status and tolerance of feeds.

If no care workers competent and client requires support immediately, this may be carried out by an appropriately trained Registered Nurse.

The Care Plan will state:

  • Reason for support required
  • Frequency of support required
  • Desired effect of support
  • Adverse reactions and actions required

Education Plan

All care workers providing enteral feeding and management support will be provided with the following education, provided by authorised trainer:

  • Presentation on Nasogastric Tubes and gastrostomy, understanding requirements, PEG care, ability to recognise and respond to adverse reactions
  • Competency signed off by an approved trainer on an annual basis

PROCEDURE:

Enteral Feeding

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by authorised trainer

  1. Check documentation and Care Plan for enteral feeding requirements
  2. Communicates with client, ensure they are in upright position.
  3. Wash hands. Put gloves on.
  4. Check PEG site for redness, swelling or adverse reaction.
  5. Attach feeding tube to low-profile button
  6. Clamp off PEG before opening port
  7. Open port and connect syringe/ pump tubing
  8. Commence enteral feed as per guidelines; check settings on pump to ensure correct flow rate
  9. Ensure client is comfortable and observe for signs of discomfort or pain
  10. Ensure supervision of feed and equipment throughout procedure
  11. Secure and check PEG site once feeding complete
  12. Wash equipment
  13. Remove gloves, wash hands
  14. Document

Medication via PEG tube

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by authorised trainer

  1. Check documentation and care plan for medication requirements
  2. Communicate with client that medication procedure will commence
  3. Identify current medical and physical condition
  4. Check medication is in date, undamaged and PEG is the correct route for administration
  5. Check prescription is current, timing and dosage is correct
  6. Wash hands
  7. Ensure client in upright position
  8. Flush tube before each drug administration (15-30mls of water, or otherwise directed)
  9. Check PEG site for redness, swelling or adverse reaction.
  10. Attach tube to low-profile button
  11. Clamp off PEG before opening port
  12. Open port and connect syringe/ pump tubing
  13. Commence enteral medication administration as per guidelines; check settings on pump to ensure correct flow rate
  14. Ensure client is comfortable and observe for signs of discomfort or pain
  15. Ensure supervision of medication administration and equipment throughout procedure
  16. Secure and check PEG site once complete
  17. Flush tube after each drug administration (15-30mls of water, or otherwise directed)

Related Policies

  • Medication administration
  • Privacy & Dignity
  • Nutrition & Hydration
  • Clinical Governance Framework
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

COMPLEX HEALTH PROCEDURES – CATHETER CARE

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to providing safe and competent care to those who may need support in complex procedures. Complex procedures include, but are not limited to: bowel care, enteral feeding and management, tracheostomy management, urinary catheter management, ventilator management, subcutaneous injection and complex wound care. Registered Nurses are to review the care plans of clients receiving complex care quarterly.

Support Workers are given training to understand their responsibility in this area and are assessed annually to be competent to provide this type of care. Home Caring Group will only engage in this care when directed by a Care Plan or directive facilitated by a Registered Health Practitioner (GP or Specialist).

If no care workers competent and client requires support immediately, this may be carried out by an appropriately trained Registered Nurse.

The Care Plan will state:

  • Reason for support required
  • Frequency of support required
  • Desired effect of support
  • Adverse reactions and actions required

Education Plan

All care workers providing Catheter care will be provided with the following education, provided by authorised trainer:

  • Presentation on catheter care, anatomy, recognising and responding to adverse events related to catheter care
  • Competency signed off by an approved trainer on annual basis

PROCEDURE:

Drainage

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by authorised trainer. Note; we do not provide catheter change or insertion. This will be done by a Registered Health Practitioner if required.

  1. Communicate procedure to client, ensuring privacy and dignity maintained
  2. Collect equipment required
  3. Wash hands
  4. Put on gloves
  5. Ensure collecting bag is secured below the level of bladder at all times. Do not leave resting on floor. Place cover over bag to maintain dignity
  6. Use dedicated urine collection device. Avoid splashing and prevent contact of drainage spigot with non-sterile collecting container when emptying drainage bag
  7. Dispose of waste appropriately
  8. Remove gloves, wash hands
  9. Observe and document urine colour and output

Related Policies:

  • Medication Management
  • Nutrition & Hydration
  • Privacy & Dignity
  • Clinical Governance Framework
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

COMPLEX HEALTH PROCEDURES – SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to providing safe and competent care to those who may need support in complex procedures. Complex procedures include, but are not limited to: bowel care, enteral feeding and management, tracheostomy management, urinary catheter management, ventilator management, subcutaneous injection and complex wound care. Registered Nurses are to review the care plans of clients receiving complex care quarterly.

Support Workers are given training to understand their responsibility in this area and are assessed annually to be competent to provide this type of care. Home Caring Group will only engage in this care when directed by a Care Plan or directive facilitated by a Registered Health Practitioner (GP or Specialist).

If no care workers competent and client requires support immediately, this may be carried out by an appropriately trained Registered Nurse.

The Care Plan will state:

  • Reason for support required
  • Frequency of support required
  • Desired effect of support
  • Adverse reactions and actions required

Education Plan

All care workers providing Subcutaneous Injections will be provided with the following education, provided by a Registered Nurse

  • Presentation on subcutaneous injection (why, how and where), anatomy, risk management, recognising signs of skin trauma/ infection
  • Competency signed off by Registered Nurse

PROCEDURE:

To be undertaken by a Support Worker who is deemed competent by Registered Health Practitioner

  1. Check care plan, medication order, correct dose and route
  2. Communicate procedure to client, gain consent
  3. Prepare environment and equipment
  4. Wash hands
  5. Put on gloves
  6. Select appropriate site for injection, considering mobility, skin condition, access
  7. Prepares medication in an aseptic manner, ensuring the barrel remains sterile during the drawing up
  8. Draw up required amount, verify with second staff (or client if they have capacity)
  9. Swab injection site.
  10. Pinch fold of skin and insert needle at correct angle (45 or 90 degree to skin surface) into client tissue
  11. Inject medication, providing reassurance to client
  12. Observes client for discomfort or pain
  13. Remove gloves, wash hands
  14. Document clearly on medication chart and obtain counter-signature

Related Policies

  • Medication Management
  • Privacy & Dignity
  • Clinical Governance Framework
  • South West Sydney Local Health District Policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

FALLS MANAGEMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

At Home Caring Group, falls management is a key element of care across the health care continuum. The organisation recognises that some falls may have serious consequences and that the elderly and those with disabilities may be at high risk of falling due to many factors that are associated with the environment, age, diagnosis and treatment whilst in care.

Home Caring Group acknowledges that a systematic and proactive risk identification and management process is required to reduce risk of falling for consumers receiving our health care services.

PROCEDURE:

  1. In general, clients over the age of 65 or younger people with chronic health conditions should be routinely asked about any falls in the last 12 months by the case manager.
    1. The pre-screening question should indicate further investigation or referrals to nurses or allied health professionals if required. Client consent should be obtained and documented.
    2. Case manager should investigate potential reasons for falls risks eg. Medications, incontinence, inadequate nutrition with appropriate follow up actions
    3. The nurse can conduct a best practice screening tool such as the FRAT (Falls Risk Assessment Tool) document outcome of assessment, making any required adjustments to the clients care plan.
    4. All changes to delivery of care should be communicated to the allocated care worker and training as required.
  2. All staff who support clients in the home should take standard care actions that include, but not limited to:
    1. Remove clutter and obstacles from areas in the home
    2. Ensure clients wear appropriate footwear when ambulating
    3. Ensure clients are using appropriate personal aids such as glasses, walking aids
    4. Ensure these items are within easy reach
    5. Educate client, carers and family about the risk of falling and safety issues
  3. Any incidents of falls should be documented on the Client incident report and discussed at case conferences with the Manager.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People
  • Best Practice Guidelines for Australian Hospitals
  • Residential Aged Care and Community Care Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2009
  • Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls (Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care 2011)

Related policies

  • Health management policy
  • Clinical governance and management framework policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Referrals and reassessments policy
  • Maintaining a safe living environment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

HEALTH MANAGEMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that some of the clients that we work with may be highly vulnerable and whose health and wellbeing are being poor managed.  Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that all clients are supported to maintain their physical, mental and developmental health so that they may live as independently as possible.

PROCEDURE:

  1. All clients will be supported to receive timely access to health services as they require by, but not limited to:
    1. Staff being respectful of cultural views
    2. Provision of information in accessible format
  2. Where a case manager identifies health issues at assessment level, they will:
    1. Make relevant referrals where the client and/or legal Guardian has consented
    2. Work with health professionals involved in the persons health care
    3. Document all decisions and outcomes in the Care Plan
    4. Coordinate the relevant supports that the person requires to ensure health needs are met and monitored
  3. Health assessments will be undertaken annually, however where the child or young person has ongoing health needs the assessment can be carried out more frequently, as required.
    1. For children under the age of 8years old the assessment must be undertaken every six months or as prescribed by the health professional
    2. Assessment should be completed by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner(s) e.g. General Practitioner, Paediatrician, Geriatrician, Dentist (dependent on the domain to be assessed)
    3. Case managers will liaise with the medical practitioner(s) undertaking the assessment to ensure the following domains are addressed:
      1. Physical Health – elements to consider include:
        1. Physical health history
        2. Physical examination and assessment
        3. Health literacy
      2. Developmental Health – elements to consider include:
        1. Developmental history
        2. Speech, language and communication
        3. Motor development
        4. Cognitive development
        5. Sensory
  • Psychosocial and Mental Health – elements to consider include:
    1. History
    2. Trauma
    3. Behavioural
    4. Emotional development
    5. Social competence
  1. Development of identity (including cultural and spiritual identity, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people).
    1. Legacy issues
  2. Oral Health (Dental)
    1. Oral health assessment
  3. Specialist needs as required (e.g. speech) based on the outcome of the above domains
  1. Home Caring will provide the medical practitioner with the necessary information to support the health assessment.
    1. This can include health data and records collected by the organisation or verbal updates during the assessment consultation.
  2. The following health charts can be collected, but not limited to:
    1. Body Mass Index charts
    2. Medication charts
    3. Continence charts
    4. Behaviour charts
  3. Where a worker notices change in the persons health status, they are to notify the Case Manager.
    1. The Case manager is to then follow up and investigate the changes
    2. The case manager is to discuss health changes to the client and amend services accordingly

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 (NSW)
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Consent policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

MEDICATION MANAGEMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that all medication is dispensed to the right person, with the right dose, using the right method on the right date and time. Intrinsic to the success of this policy is Home Caring’s diligence in informing and educating its staff in the process to reduce or eliminate any risk of error while administering medication. The term medicine includes prescription and non-prescription medicines including complementary health care products.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Whilst managing and/or administering client medication staff are required to abide by the following principles:
    1. hygiene practices
    2. an acute attention to detail
    3. the maintenance of accurate records
    4. up to date professional development knowledge of administering techniques
    5. first aid qualifications
    6. recommended advice and practices from a medical source
    7. open communication with families, client and practitioners.
  2. When it has been deemed necessary for clients to be assisted in taking their medication during service hours a strict procedure is followed to minimize the risk of an error during administration of medicine.
  3. Home Caring Group staff have a duty of care to clients who self-administer medication. Staff are to ensure that clients do not compromise their safety while managing their own medication and are provided with the relevant information, training and support to do the task.
    1. Before a client can self-administer, the case manager should conduct a Risk Management Checklist to ensure the client has the knowledge to manage their medication competently in the safest possible manner.
    2. This process is to be documented in client’s file.

Guidelines for Self-Medicating

  1. When a client self-medicates, the responsibility for taking the correct medication as ordered remains with the client.
    1. Daily recording of medication administration is not required.
    2. It is the case manager’s responsibility to work with the client and Clinical Team to determine whether the client will require more active supervision of their medication, for a temporary period.
    3. In this instance, staff should administer medication and sign for administering the medication on a medication chart.

Storage of Medications

  1. Clients are encouraged to store medicine in a manner that maintains the quality of the medicine and is safe for the client, their family and visitors to their home.
  2. Medicines should be stored in a blister pack or in the original packaging in a cool, dry and secure place
    1. Medications that are stored in the fridge should be away from food and stored safely (a sealed, labelled container might be necessary).
  3. If clients need to take their medication on outings, seek advice from the Clinical Team or Registered Nurse regarding transport options.

Packaging and Dispensing of Medications

  1. Regular medications administered by Home Caring Group staff must be dispensed by a pharmacy into a sealed blister pack,(e.g. Webster Pack), with the client’s name, pharmacy instructions, prescribing doctor’s name and contact details, and expiry date clearly printed.
  2. When the medication cannot be packed, (e.g. creams), the medication is to remain in its original packaging, labelled with client’s name, doctor prescribing and contact details, dosage, instructions for use and expiry date.
  3. The client is responsible for organising repeat prescription and pharmacy delivery or pick-up by a nominated person.
    1. An exception to this rule is in the Out of Home Care/ Group Home program where repeat prescriptions and pick-up will be carried out by care staff.
  4. For clients requiring medication to be administered on an outing, the entire blister pack, or medication in original packaging, must accompany them.
  5. If possible, regular, short-term medications are included in the blister pack.  Note: antibiotics are considered regular medication.
  6. Staff must check all medications dispensed by the pharmacy to ensure that the medications are what the doctor has prescribed.  The back of blister packs should contain a description of each medication and possibly a photo or image.
  7. Any blister pack or medication in original packaging that has been changed, damaged or labelled incorrectly is not to be administered.

As Required Medication (PRN)

  1. Any client requiring prescription medication on an as needed basis, must have an As Required Medication Chart signed by their doctor with clear guidelines as to when the medication should be administered, how often the medication should be administered, and a limit to the number of times it may be administered within a 24-hour period.
  2. As Required Medication Charts must be reviewed at least every 12 months by the General Practitioner (GP).
  3. Before administering any ‘as required’ medication staff must check that the daily dosage prescribed by the GP has not been exceeded.

Over the Counter (OTC) Medications

  1. Over the counter medications (e.g. suppositories) are to be treated in the same manner as prescription medication.
  2. OTC medication must be charted by a doctor, either on the Regular Medication Chart or on the As Required Chart.
  3. If possible, OTC medication taken regularly is packed into a blister pack by the pharmacy.

The Administration of Schedule 8 (S8) and Restricted Schedule 4d (S4d) Medications

  1. All S8 and S4d medications must be packed into a blister pack by a pharmacist.
  2. All clients requiring IV medication must provide a current medication chart plus an up-to-date letter from his/her doctor.  The letter must include:
    1. Client name
    2. Current date
    3. Medication name
    4. Dosage
    5. Reasons for the medication
    6. The doctor’s signature

Assisting clients to take medication

  1. Oral medication may be administered by a Registered Nurse (RN) an enrolled, medicine endorsed nurse, or Support Worker deemed competent by Registered Nurse. However, only a RN may administer IV medication.
  2. At the time the medication is due, the support worker will remind the client to take the medication.
  3. Before the medication is taken the support worker will double check the following:
    1. the name on the medication
    2. the due time
    3. the dosage
  4. Where possible, clients are encouraged to self-administer under the supervision of the staff member
  5. It is essential that all administered medication must come from original dispensed pack with the client’s name, address and dosage to confirm medical prescription.
  6. Staff procedure for Supporting the Administration of Medications
    1. Wash hands and apply gloves (if necessary)
    2. Collect medication chart, blister pack, pen, cup of water, spoons etc. required and assemble with client.
    3. Ensure client is in a good position (sitting upright)
    4. Follow the 6 rights of medication administration.  Check and double check:
  • Right client
  • Right medication
  • Right time
  • Right dose
  • Right route
  • Right documentation
    1. Check medication chart for:
  • Client’s full name and allergies.
  • Medication name, strength, route, dose, time due (for each medication to be administered).
  • Doctor’s signature and date
  • That the medication has not been already been taken.
    1. Check blister pack for:
  • Client’s full name on front or back
  • Medication name, dose and time in table on top back of pack, with description and expiry date of medications.
  • Check day and time.
    1. Check original packaging for:
  • Client’s name.
  • Medication name, strength, dose, route and time.
  • Expiry date.
  • Pharmacy label with instructions (if available).
  • Follow the doctor’s instructions for administration and do not exceed the recommended dosage.
    1. Assist the client to self-administer the medication ensuring the 6 rights:
  • Right client
  • Right medication
  • Right time
  • Right dose
  • Right route
  • Right medication.
    1. Ensure the client has swallowed the medication
    2. Sign the medication chart
    3. Return equipment/medications etc
    4. Wash hands and monitor client
  1. If a client refuses to take their medication, the staff is to contact a carer or family member as soon as practical.
    1. Staff do not force or hide medication in food, unless directed by medical practitioner and noted on a Behaviour Support Plan.
    2. If a client is unsafe without their medication the staff will assist in contacting a family member.
  2. Medication Incident Reporting and Management

Medication incidents are defined as any deviation from the correct procedures that places the client or staff at risk.  Medication incidents include, but are not limited to:

  • Medication dose not given
  • Wrong medication administered.
  • Client refusal to take medication.
  • Wrong medication popped from blister pack.
  • Wrong medication dispensed by pharmacist.
  • Client administered two doses of medication.
  • Medication not administered at the correct time.
  • Reactions to medications.
  • Lost, broken or misplaced S8 medication

Staff are required to complete an Incident Report Form prior to completing their shift. The incident form will include:

  • Full name of client.
  • Nature of the incident.
  • Explanation as to how the incident occurred, if known.
  • Who was notified?
  • What immediate action was taken?
  • Signatures from all observing staff.
  1. The Manager is to ensure that the Medication Incident Report Form is reviewed within 24 hours of the incident occurring, actioning any follow up that may be required.
  2. The Case Manager is to document all medication incidents in the client’s file.
  3. If at any time, a client is observed exhibiting different behaviours to usual and it is possible that a medication error has occurred, immediately notify the Manager.
    1. The manager will assess the situation and seek medical advice as required and / or phone the Poisons Information Centre

Special Circumstances

  1. Adverse Reaction to Medication

If a client appears to suffer an adverse reaction after taking their medication, or if staff are concerned about a client’s medical condition, appearance, or unusual behaviour following the taking of medication, then, depending on the severity of the situation, the following options should be considered:

    1. Consult the Manager who may contact the client’s person responsible, if appropriate.
    2. Consult the poisons information centre 13 11 26.
    3. Consult with client’s GP (if known).
    4. The Case manager is to document any instructions received from the above and place the notes with the client’s record.
    5. Dial 000 immediately and follow the emergency procedures.
    6. Administer first aid if appropriate and staff member is trained in first aid procedures.

Other Situations Requiring Exercise of Judgement by Staff

  1. Staff are not to deviate from directions on medication packages and should advise clients to seek medical advice if they have any concerns, e.g. prescription for stronger pain relief.
  2. If staff are concerned about whether to administer medication, the Case manager or person responsible should be consulted.
    1. Examples are:
  1. Intoxication of alcohol or drugs.
  2. Post epileptic seizures.
  • Sudden illness.
  1. Abnormal sleepiness.
  1. Staff will be required to exercise judgement in situations where clients appear to be affected by alcohol or recreational drugs.
    1. If a client appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, staff must consult the GPs written instructions on the use of medication with alcohol and other drugs.
    2. If unsure or instructions are absent, contact either the Poisons Information Centre or local GP to determine the appropriate course of action. The case manager should be consulted once medical advice has been obtained.
  1. Staff must Not Administer Any Medication in The Following Circumstances:
    1. If a medication chart is illegible or unclear.
    2. In the absence of a medication chart or the medication to be administered is not written on the chart.
    3. In the absence of a blister pack or original packaging (and regular medication is repackaged).
    4. In the absence of a Doctors signature on the medication chart.
    5. In the absence of the essential components of medication administration (Medication, time, dose, route).
    6. If the medication in the blister pack does not match the medication chart.
    7. If the blister pack is tampered with.
    8. If you feel doubtful or uncomfortable about any aspect of the procedure.
  2. Disposal of Surplus Medication
    1. All medication that is no longer required by the client or is out of date is to be returned to the dispensing pharmacist for disposal.
  3. Medication Reference
    1. Case managers are to refer to the online reference centre of consumer medical information: www.mydr.com.au and then go to the Medicines page on the top bar for information relating to medications, including common side effects.
    2. Note this is a consumer site only and should be used as a guide, not in place of expert advice.  If you need further information or clarification, contact the Clinical/Manager.
  4. Documentation
    1. Client must provide a Current Medication List if it is related to the service being received, in case of emergency, whether staff administer medication or not. The medication list is updated every 12 months, or more frequently if changes occur.
    2. All medications given must be documented on the Medication Chart.
  1. All entries must be made in black or blue pen; errors must be crossed through with a single line and initialled. Liquid paper must not be used.
  2. All medication records must be stored in a secure place.
    1. Any changes including client refusal, dose not given or any medication incident, are documented on the chart and in the client files and an Incident Form is completed.
  1. Staff Assessment and Training
    1. Care Workers are to attend an information session on induction where they receive a Home Caring Group Staff Handbook.
    2. Relevant staff will then attend a compulsory training session on Medication Administration within the first 12 months of employment.
    3. Once completed, the Manager will document in training register.
    4. The Manager will monitor which staff have completed training and follow up with staff who haven’t.
      1. This will be documented electronically on rostering program.
      2. After competency is gained, a practical assessment is scheduled with the Clinical Nurse Educator/Registered Nurse.
  • If a staff member fails to meet the competence standard, they will be required to undergo further training and be retested.
  1. Achieving competency in medication administration is an annual requirement for staff.
  2. All Medication training and competency assessments must be completed in the first twelve months of employment and then annually thereafter.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • The Guardianship Act 1987
  • Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966
  • Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2002
  • National Competency standards for the Registered Nurse
  • National Competency standards for the Enrolled Nurse
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Psychotropic medication policy
  • Palliative care policy
  • Clinical governance and management framework policy
  • Health management policy
  • Decision and Choice policy
  • Independence policy
  • Complex Health Procedures policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

At Home Caring Group,nutrition and hydration are important components of care and essential for personal health and quality of life. Nutrition and hydration refer to the intake of food and fluid to meet the dietary and biological needs of the person. Adequate food and drink can help people recover from illness and to remain independent.

PROCEDURE:

  1. In general, clients over the age of 65 or younger people with chronic health conditions are routinely asked about their nutrition and hydration during care planning and reviews.
    1. The case manager understands that under nutrition may occur when a person is not consuming enough nutrients to meet their energy requirements, causing weight loss, health problems and related issues.
    2. The case manager understands that malnutrition may occur when a person is not consuming enough nutrients to maintain body function, causing weight loss, health problems and related issues.
    3. The case manager understands that over nutrition may occur when a person eats more food than their body needs, leading to obesity, diabetes and cardio vascular disease
    4. The case manager understands that dehydration may occur when a person is not having enough fluids each day for health and function, which may lead to delirium, urinary tract infections, constipation.
  2. Care workers are to inform the case manager if they identify any of the issues listed above.
  3. Issues that are identified are documented in the care plan and relevant referrals are made by the case manager to address the issues identified if the client has consented.
  4. All staff who support clients in the home should take standard care actions that include, but not limited to:
    1. The adoption of work practices that maximise a healthy eating environment, such as providing a range of choices in food preferences and quality preparation and presentation;
    2. Identifying that food is linked to personal enjoyment and quality of life for all human beings;
    3. Effective management of medications
    4. Providing adequate encouragement and support, including meals assistance according to the individual plan
    5. Providing a safe and secure environment for clients to live that allows freedom of choice and control over their:
      1. Fluid intake
      2. Types and styles of food
  • Cultural and ethnical diversity
  1. Specific feeding programs

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • NSW Food Authority
  • The Australian Dietary Guidelines
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Health management policy
  • Nutrition and swallowing policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Referrals and reassessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

NUTRITION AND SWALLOWING POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognizes that proper nutritional health is a basic human right and an important factor to maintaining health. We have a responsibility to ensure all client have access to a choice of healthy and nutritious foods while attending our activities; whilst respecting the choices made by client regarding their nutrition.  Home Caring Group will ensure as much as practically possible ensure that all food and food preparation meets the applicable storage and hygiene regulations, preserves nutritional value and conforms to the Australian Guide of Healthy Eating.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Managers will ensure all clients have access to a variety of nutritious food and drink while attending our services.
    1. This includes having access to a range of food that is not a hazard to their medical condition(s), diet and/or special needs, e.g. diabetes, feeding tube.
  2. Client have the right to make informed decisions about their food and drink choices and are involved as much as possible in the decisions that affect their nutritional health, including Nutrition Planning.
    1. Client will also be assisted to select food and/or prepare food in a manner that is consistent with their cultural or religious beliefs.
    2. Client will have access to seek professional advice from a dietician/nutritionist as part of their decisions about their nutritional health (at additional cost for most programs).
  3. Upon service entry, all client will have completed the Nutrition & Swallowing Risk Assessment (as required). The assessment includes the following:
    1. The Client’s personal information
    2. The Client’s height and weight information and height/weight chart
    3. A comprehensive validated Nutrition and Swallowing Risk Assessment checklist
  4. Once in effect, the client’s Nutrition & Swallowing Risk Assessment will be reviewed:
    1. Annually (six monthly for Client with swallowing difficulties or tube feeding)
    2. Every time the Client’s circumstances change that would affect his/her nutrition and/or swallowing habits
    3. The Nutrition and Swallowing Risk Register will be used to keep track of each client’s Nutrition and Swallowing Risk Assessment and Trigger Checklist – when they were completed and when they are due for review.
    4. The Register will additionally be used to determine whether a Nutrition Plan and/or referral to a clinician are required and if they require review (if applicable).
    5. The outcome of the established/reviewed Nutrition & Swallowing Risk Assessment and Register will be entered into the service user’s Individual Plan and Risk Profile and Risk Management Plan as needed.
  5. Client will require a Nutrition Plan completed if:
    1. The need for a Nutrition Plan is identified in their Nutrition and Swallowing Risk Assessment
    2. They are accommodated, as it is a compulsory part of their Health Planning
    3. The Nutrition Plan will account the client’s eating and drinking details, including type of food and/or drink to be consumed, texture/consistency, positioning during eating, assistance and/or equipment to be provided, food/drink preferences and dislikes and a suggested daily meal outline.
  6. The Nutrition Plan may additionally include any of the following as agreed to by the client:
    1. Information about food groups and how to eat healthy, diets, etc
    2. Any culturally and/or religiously significant (or disallowed) meals that may apply to the person
    3. Food allergies (if any, these MUST be present in the person’s Nutrition Risk & Swallowing Checklist)
    4. Information about exercise types/sports (these are to be written into the person’s ISP)
    5. Weight/Body Mass Index (BMI) charts to help monitor healthy weight (which requires periodical weighting)
    6. Blood Sugar Level (BSL) charts for people with diabetes if required
    7. Contact details for health professionals that a person may be seeing
  7. Once in effect, the service user’s Nutrition Plan will be reviewed:
    1. Annually (six monthly for client with swallowing difficulties or tube feeding)
    2. Every time the client’s circumstances change that would affect his/her nutrition and/or swallowing habits.
    3. The review may involve professional advice if required, i.e. dietician for tube fed individuals, speech pathologist for people with swallowing difficulties or other.
  8. The outcome of the established/reviewed Nutrition Plan will be entered into the client’s Individual Plan and Risk Profile and Risk Management Plan.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • NSW Disability Services Act 1993
  • NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Assessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PALLIATIVE CARE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group believes that palliative care is care provided for people of all ages who have a life limiting or terminal illness, with little or no prospect of cure, and for whom the primary treatment goal is quality of life.  Home Caring Group maintains that palliative care is to be delivered in a manner appropriate to the needs of the client, friends and family, as well as significant others in their lives, and aims to achieve the following.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Home Caring Group strives to support the client’s spiritual, cultural, social and psychological needs throughout the dying process and their end of life choices.
  2. Managers must consider the needs of employees and carers during this palliative process and aligns this statement to the National Standards of palliative care for all Australians, in that:
    1. Care, decision-making and care planning are each based on a respect for the uniqueness of the client, their caregiver/s and family.
    2. The client, their caregiver’s and family’s needs and wishes are acknowledged and guide decision-making and care planning.
    3. The holistic needs of the client, their caregiver/s and family are acknowledged in the assessment and care planning processes, and strategies are developed to address those needs in line with their wishes.
    4. Ongoing and comprehensive assessment and care planning are undertaken to meet the needs and wishes of the client, their caregiver/s and family.
    5. Care is coordinated to minimise the burden on the client, their caregiver/s and family.
    6. The primary caregiver/s is provided with information, support and guidance about their role according to their needs and wishes.
    7. The unique needs of dying clients are considered, their comfort maximised and their dignity preserved.
    8. The organisation has an appropriate philosophy, values, culture, structure and environment for the provision of competent and compassionate palliative care.
    9. Formal mechanisms are in place to ensure that the client, their caregiver/s and family have access to bereavement care, information and support services.
    10. Community capacity to respond to the needs of people who have a life limiting illness, their caregiver/s and family is built through effective collaboration and partnerships.
    11. Access to palliative care is available for all people based on a clinical need and is independent of diagnosis, age, cultural background or geography.
    12. The organisation is committed to quality improvement and research in clinical and management practices.
    13. Employees and volunteers are appropriately qualified for the level of service offered and demonstrate ongoing participation in continuing professional development.
    14. Employees and volunteers reflect on practice and initiate and maintain effective self-care strategies.
  3. Strategies of support as per table below:
Provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms Offers a support system to help clients live as actively as possible until death
Affirms life and regards dying as a normal process Offers a support system to help the family cope during the client’s illness and in bereavement
Intends neither to hasten or postpone death Uses a team approach to address the needs of clients and their families, including bereavement counselling, if indicated
Integrates psychological and spiritual aspects of client care Will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness
Is applicable early during illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.

 

  1. Home Caring Group will convene a Clinical Committee to guide the organisations approach in palliative care (if required) that should consist of the following representatives:
    1. A nurse representative
    2. A carer representative
    3. A client representative
    4. A family representative
    5. A management representative

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Disability Services act 1993 and standards
  • National Palliative Care Standards
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Referrals and Reassessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PROTECTING CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to the safety, wellbeing and welfare of children and young people. Home Caring maintains a prevention and early intervention approach to child abuse and neglect and supporting children and young people and their families.

PROCEDURE:

Prevention and early intervention

  1. Strategies for best protection include, but not limited to:
    1. All clients are supported to understand their right to safety and to protection
    2. All employees and volunteers will be screened with reference checks and will undergo Working with Children Checks and National Police checks, renewed every three years
    3. Structured interview processes are used to explore applicants’ attitudes towards abuse and neglect of children, aged and people with disability
    4. Staff act immediately upon an allegation or suspicion of abuse implementing the procedures outlined in this policy
    5. Staff’s performance is monitored

Identifying abuse and neglect

  1. Each case of abuse and neglect is unique and that the determination of intervention should consider the nature and context of the situation, the relationships and capacity to consent.
  2. Indicators of abuse are not always obvious and can vary, but the relationship between front line staff and clients means they are best placed to recognise behavioural changes that may be a sign that the service user is being abused. Forms of abuse can include, but not limited to:
    1. domestic violence,
    2. neglect,
    3. physical abuse,
    4. sexual assault,
    5. emotional abuse,
    6. financial abuse
    7. and systems abuse
  3. More than one abuse type can coexist and the presence of one or more indicators does not mean that abuse has occurred, but does require staff to be observant and hold knowledge about abuse types, signs and indicators.

Responding to Abuse, assault or neglect

  1. A report of abuse may be received from:
    1. Another client, member of staff or any other person who may have witnessed abuse of a client and make a report, or
    2. A member of staff on observing one of more indicators of abuse suspects that a client or clients have been or are being abused
    3. Any person who makes a report of abuse can be confident of doing so without fear of retaliation and in a supportive environment.
  2. Reports should be made promptly to the Case Manager, or if unavailable the Manager/CEO.
    1. The response should also include appropriate reporting to the Police, Child Protection Helpline and/or the provision of medical care, including transfer to hospital and referral to a Sexual Assault Service if the assault is of a sexual nature.
    2. A detailed written report should be completed as soon as possible (at least before the close of business).
  1. This should include the nature and extent of concerns, name and contact details of all involved, follow up actions and date and signature of the person making the report.
    1. Where the concern relates to children/young people under 16 years:
  1. Staff should document concerns on the Child Protection Concerns Form
  2. Follow the steps under the Mandatory Reporting section below to determine whether a Mandatory Report needs to be made
  1. Regardless of whether a report is made or not, wherever practical clients will be supported to gain maximum control over the process or reporting, medical intervention and investigation via the provision of information about each stage of all procedures being undertaken, by supporting service user choices and via utilising independent advocates/support persons where possible for people with disability and other vulnerabilities.
  2. Staff should manage any allegations or suspicion of abuse according to the following procedures:
    1. Offer the client (and carer if appropriate) physical and emotional support
    2. Provide the service user with information to make decisions whether to access medical supports such as a local health service or sexual assault service
    3. Protect evidence by encouraging the service user not to change their clothes or bathe/shower.
    4.  Avoid questioning the client further
    5. Determine with their supervisor whether it’s safe to make the family aware of the safety and wellbeing concerns. Wherever possible working with the family to address issues in an open way is preferred. In making decision regard will be given to:
  1. Issues relating to domestic violence or potential criminal proceedings
  2. Impacts on the child/young person, their siblings and other children/young people
  • The safety and support of all workers involved
    1. Develop with their supervisor an Action Plan on how to support the child/young person and their family (this may depend to some extent on decisions of Community Services and/or the Police. It may also involve making referrals to other services and additional supports
    2. Continue involvement with the child/young person and family in accordance with your ordinary role and implement the action plan to address safety and wellbeing concerns
    3. Review concerns within a timeframe agreed with the Manager
  1. Where the family withdraws from service because of being made aware of safety and wellbeing concerns, consider in the context of the issues raised whether further action, if any should be taken. This may include making a report to the Child Protection Helpline.

Reporting abuse to Police

  1. Where a crime has been committed (e.g. physical or sexual assault) staff are not to contact or confront the person subject to the allegation as this could jeopardise any criminal proceedings.
  2. The Manager will advise the police or sexual assault service immediately. The agency will fully cooperate with the Police who have primary responsibility for investigating the allegations.
  3. The Manager seeks advice from Police in relation to management of the issue. Advice received from the Police is documented and reported to the Manager/CEO before going home that day.
  4. If the matter relates to a child under 16 years the Mandatory Reporting Guidelines below also apply.

Protecting evidence for Police

  1. Staff at the scene must use their best end eavours to ensure that any evidence the Police may require in their investigation is not disturbed.
    1. Evidence may be lost if a victim of sexual assault bathes soon after the assault. Try to delay bathing until the Police arrives if the victim is not distressed by the delay.
    2. If possible, preserve the victim’s clothing as evidence following an assault of any type. Also, if possible isolate the area where the incident occurred and do not allow anyone to enter the area until the Police arrive.
    3. Apart from ascertaining their physical condition and state of mind, avoid questioning clients about the incident to reduce contamination of their recall and confusion about the events.

Reporting abuse to the Child Protection Helpline

  1. Employees delivering health care welfare, children’s services and residential services are required by Section 27 of the Children and Young People (Care and Protection) Act to report child abuse and neglect.
    1. This includes employees who hold management positions that involve responsibility for, or supervision of those services.
    2. Mandatory reporting is attached to any child or young person up to the age of 16 years who an employee comes into contact within in the course of their work (whether or not the employee is working directly with the child or young person e.g. siblings).
  2. Staff are to raise their safety and wellbeing concerns with their supervisor immediately upon an allegation or suspicion of abuse of a child/young person under the age of 16 years of age.
    1. If they are unable to contact their immediate supervisor, staff are encouraged to approach the Manager/CEO.
  3.  Staff are only required to have reasonable grounds for concern that there is significant risk of harm – it is not their responsibility to prove the abuse.
  4. The staff member should complete the Child Protection Concerns Form as this pulls together the information needed to decide regarding reporting.
    1. The supervisor and staff member will then use the Mandatory Reporters Guide (MRG) to check whether the concerns reach the threshold for Risk of Significant Harm and therefore warrant a report being made.
    2. A copy of the MRG is available online at www.keepthemsafe.nsw.gov.au.

Making a report to the Child Protection Helpline

  1. Reports to the Child Protection Helpline can be made by phoning on 132 111 (TTY 1800 212 936) for the cost of a local call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  2. Staff should make sure they have as much information as possible when making reports.
  3. The Helpline staff should provide a reference number.
    1. If they have not provided this number before the end of the call staff are to ask for it. The number is recorded on the documentation to be kept on file.
  4. The Helpline will assess and determine whether the report has met the threshold. Where this does not occur, the following procedures apply:
    1. If and when new information becomes available, the staff member and supervisor will check the MRG again
    2. Consider whether making referrals or other strategies would be helpful and improve safety and wellbeing. This may include considering how to talk with the family about the concerns or how to promote their consideration of referral options
    3.  The staff member will talk with other staff from Home Caring Group and any other organisations who know the family members (particularly the child/young person) to ensure information about the family is accurate and explore whether there are other strategies that could support the child and family
    4. Where the Helpline’s decision is ‘Document and continue relationship’ Home Caring Group is only required to continue contact if it is part of their ongoing role.

Support for clients

  1. The victim, family, guardian or other support person should be assisted to access any debriefing, counselling, legal or other support services if that is their wish.
  2. Clients who are victims of abuse and their families or guardians should be referred to Victims Services NSW on 1800 633 063 to be advised of their rights, and the support services that are available to them.
  3.  Supervisors will facilitate access for victims of violent crimes and their families who may be eligible to apply for counselling with the Approved Counselling Service provided by Victims Services NSW.
  4. Staff must ensure that clients, both victim and offender, are adequately supported by an independent person, who could be a relative, friend, advocacy service or legal practitioner.
  5.  The victim, family, guardian or other support person will have the choice of pursuing the matter through the legal system and must be supported to access the services and advice they require.
  6. Information provided to a client, guardian or other support person about legal rights, options and support services, must be provided in a format that suits their individual communication needs.

Privacy and confidentiality

  1. All staff members who are in contact with the victim or the offender will maintain confidentiality of information between the individuals who are directly involved in responding to the incident.
    1. Confidentiality must be maintained when making a report to external agencies. Failure to do so may prejudice any subsequent investigation and cause unnecessary hurt or embarrassment to individuals.

Documentation

  1. It is imperative that comprehensive and accurate documentation is maintained in the interests of all parties and to ensure accountability and transparency in decision-making.
  2. Records are likely to include:
    1. Outcome generated by the MRG
    2. Detailed report of concerns
    3. Notes from discussions with supervisor and staff
    4. Any feedback or correspondence with Police and/or Child Protection Helpline
    5. Notes of conversations with client and family members
    6.  Minutes of case conferences and any other documentation identifying the action plan to be followed and the roles of interagency partners
    7. The Helpline reference number

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Act 1988 NSW
  • Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 SNW
  • Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012
  • Ombudsman Act 1974
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • National Police Check and Working with Children Check policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PROTECTING OLDER PERSONS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group considers elder abuse as an any act which causes harm to an older person and occurs within an informal relationship of trust, such as family or friends.  Abuse can take many forms, including financial or material abuse, neglect, emotional or psychological abuse (including social isolation), physical abuse, or sexual abuse. Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring all staff in preventing and responding appropriately to the abuse of older people in line with legislation.

PROCEDURE:

  1. At initial assessment all clients are provided with a advocacy information and client rights in their client handbook.
  2. Staff may encounter potential, suspected and alleged abuse situations involving older people and sometimes carers
  3. Indicators of abuse are not always obvious and can vary, but the relationship between frontline staff and the older person means they are best placed to recognise behavioural changes that may be a sign that a client is being abused
  4. Indicators of abuse may include, but not limited to:
    1. Financial abuse: Unexplained or sudden inability to pay bills, significant bank withdrawals, and significant changes to wills, unexplained disappearance of possessions, for sale sign on the street, lack of funds for food or clothing, disparity between living conditions and money, recent addition of a signature on a bank account, stockpiling of unpaid bills, carer making excuses for not providing receipts from an ATM.
    2. Neglect: Dehydration, poor skin integrity, malnutrition, inappropriate clothing, poor hygiene, unkempt appearance, under/over medication, unattended medical or dental needs, exposure to danger or lack of supervision, absence of required aids, exposure to unsafe, unhealthy, unsanitary conditions, an overly attentive carer in the company of others.
    3. Psychological: Depression, demoralisation, feelings of helplessness, disrupted appetite or sleeping patterns, tearfulness, excessive fear, confusion, agitation, resignation, unexplained paranoia, cancelling of services by a live-in carer.
    4. Physical: Internal and external injuries such as bruises on different areas of the body, lacerations particularly to mouth, lips, gums, eyes or ears; abrasions; scratches; choke marks and welts; burns inflicted by cigarettes, matches, iron, rope; immersion in hot water; sprains, dislocations and fractures; evidence of healing bones, hair loss (perhaps from pulling); missing teeth; eye injuries, scalding through immersion, pressure sores using physical restraint.
    5. Sexual: Trauma around genitals, rectum or mouth; injury to face, neck, chest, breasts, abdomen, thighs or buttocks; presence of sexually transmitted infections; human bite marks and bruising, anxiety around the perpetrator and other psychological symptoms, torn or bloody underclothing or bedding, difficulty walking or sitting, or discomfort when bathed or toileted
  5. Where staff suspect elder abuse, they are to notify the Manager immediately.
  6. Managers are to investigate and identify whether abuse is taking place by, and not limited to:
    1. Asking questions during assessments to help identify signs and symptoms of elder abuse
    2. Where abuse is suspected, ask questions to gain more information about the older person’s situation and gather information from other sources as well, if possible, e.g. relatives, friends, neighbours, other carers, etc.
  7. Managers should provide emotional support and referrals to other agencies as needed
  8. Managers to assess risk and take steps to safeguard the older person and respond to the abuse.
    1. Responses will depend on the situation and decision-making capacity of the older person
  9. Where the abuse constitutes a criminal office, Manager to contact the relevant Agencies and make relevant referrals.
  10. Manager to ensure relevant documentations and reports completed and Group CEO notified in writing.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Preventing and Responding to Abuse of Older People: NSW Interagency Policy 2015
  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • Age Discrimination Amendment Act 2004
  • Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007
  • Privacy Act 1988
  • Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2014
  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Abuse and Neglect policy
  • Advocacy policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Incident management policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises the risks associated with use of psychotropic medications. A psychotropic drug is a prescribed medication that affects a person’s perception, thinking, mood, level of arousal or behaviour. Home Caring Group will work with clients, carers and health professionals to monitor the effects of the medication.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Case managers will liaise with management and authorised professionals when they first raise concerns about the behaviour of a person receiving care.
    1. Strategies will be developed to manage difficult behaviour.
    2. Consider whether the problem can be managed without drugs
    3. The designated psychologist/GP should be consulted.
    4. All matters relating should be documented in the client’s file
  2. The safety, welfare and wellbeing of clients must be of paramount consideration. The human rights of clients must be fully respected in behaviour support strategies and plans.
  3. When psychotropic drugs are prescribed by the health professional, the case manager must ensure they understand:
    1. What the prescription is for
    2. How the prescription is to be administered
    3. Be familiar with the drugs adverse effects, including mix with other medications
  4. When developing the behaviour support plan the client must be given the opportunity to participate in decision making around their behaviour support plan and the chance to express their views on their treatment. Psychotropic Medication must be included as a restrictive practice in the Behaviour Support Plan
    1. The plan should be person centred culturally appropriate and delivered in the context of positive behaviour support.
    2. The plan should consider past experiences of the person as the problematic behaviour may be a response to trauma and neglect.
    3. The plan must include a report from the prescribing medical practitioner, details of the person’s diagnosis (if available), behavioural issues, the type and dosage of psychotropic medication and frequency of reviews, including medical review.
    4. Home Caring Group must keep a record of the administration of the psychotropic medication and, if NDIS participant, report usage to NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission on a monthly basis.
  5. The case manager and care workers must liaise so that any changes in the person’s behaviour during their treatment can be reported and recorded.
    1. This information should be provided to the medical practitioner at the person’s medical review.
    2. The specialist who develops the plan will determine the review process, including data collection for monitoring and evaluation of the plan.
    3. The case manager is required to record information identified in the plan to assist the review process.
  6. All staff involved in monitoring the use of medications must be adequately trained and supervised to develop and maintain positive behaviour support skills

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012
  • NSW Disability Services Act 1993
  • NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Behaviour management and support policy
  • Medication administration policy
  • Clinical governance and management framework policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Referrals and reassessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

SAFEGUARDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to safeguarding activities that seek to support and empower people to exercise choice and control over their lives.  Home Caring Group presumes that all people with disability have the capacity to make decisions and exercise choice and control.  Safeguarding people with disabilities from abuse, harm and neglect is our responsibility and an important part of everyday practice. Safeguarding refers to the range of activities that aim to minimise the risk of harm for a person with disability and protect their intrinsic human rights. Safeguarding is everybody’s business.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Home Caring implements the following safeguards that include but not limited to:
    1. Individual Safeguards: Applying a person-centred approach focused on supporting and empowering a person to have control of and make informed choices and decisions about their own life. This approach considers the circumstances of everyone including any risk factors that may lead to increased vulnerability.
    2. Organisational Safeguards: Developing clear and documented procedures and guidelines that promote the rights of people with disability and seek to minimise practices that may contravene these rights and undertaking regular monitoring and review of procedures and guidelines within a quality improvement framework
    3. System Safeguards: Adhering to all mandatory reporting requirements; ensuring detailed, accurate and up-to-date records and data are maintained and ensuring regular service monitoring and service review that provide disability service providers with an early warning signal for the detection of deficits in supporting people with disability and identification of areas for improvement

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
  • NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007
  • Privacy Act 1988
  • Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2014
  • Guardianship Act 1987
  • NDIS Act 2013
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Human Rights Policy
  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Advocacy policy
  • Human Rights policy
  • Assessment policy
  • Individual needs policy
  • Case Management framework policy
  • Quality improvement framework
  • National Police Check and Working with Children Check policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

WOUND MANAGEMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that people with disabilities and frail aged people have a right to remain living in the community for as long as possible.  Our clients are encouraged to maintain their independence if possible including managing their own medicines and wound care in a safe and effective manner.

Home Caring Group recognises that wound management is an important aspect of clinical practice and partners with medical specialists to ensure appropriate treatment and management of wounds.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Clients who require wound management will be assessed by a Registered Nurse and this assessment will be in conjunction with the client, family, doctor and other health professional
  2. The assessment will determine the dressing required by the client regarding its complexity
    1. A general practitioner or registered nurse will complete an assessment of the client’s need for wound management and determine the level of nursing skill required to provide appropriate wound care.
    2.  A client Wound Management form will be completed by the Registered Nurse signed by the client or their representative that should include:
  1. Pain
  2. Condition of wound
  • Size of wound
  1. Changes in colour
    1. Identification of different types of wounds may include, but not limited to:
  1. Acute surgical wounds
  2. Trauma wounds
  • Burns
  1. Chronic wounds
  2. Pressure injuries
  3. Infected wounds
    1. The case manager will communicate with health professional when required to clarify or discuss the client’s wound management
    2.  The Case Manager will arrange for management of the wounds to be assessed by RN or Medical Practitioner on a weekly basis

Documentation

  1. It is an expectation that all aspects of care, including assessment, treatment and management plans, implementation and evaluation are documented clearly and comprehensively.
  2. All wounds should be assessed regularly and outcomes of the assessment documented. A Wound Assessment Chart will be used to monitor and record the progress of the wound through its stages of healing.
  3. Simple wound documentation can be captured in progress notes and treatment plans.

Key elements of Wound Management 

  1. Home Caring Group will ensure that wound management is controlled in the following way:
    1. The Registered Nurse will develop a client wound management plan based on the needs of the client
    2. These guidelines are intended for use as a resource for wound management and should be available to all members of the healthcare team involved in the assessment, treatment and ongoing management of wounds.
    3. The guidelines are not a substitute for professional judgement but should support clinical decision making in relation to the assessment and management of wounds, in line with individual professional competence.
  2. The Plan should consider factors delaying wound healing:
    1. Malnutrition- inadequate supply of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and trace elements essential for all phases of wound healing
    2. Reduced Blood supply – Cardiovascular disorders and Ischaemia
    3. Medication – Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and Corticosteroids.
    4. Chemotherapy – suppresses the immune system and inflammatory response
    5. Radiotherapy – increases production of free radical which damage cells
    6. Psychological stress and lack of sleep- increase risk of infection and delayed healing
    7. Obesity – decreases tissue perfusion
    8. Infection -prolong inflammatory phase, use vital nutrients, impair epithelialisation and release toxins
    9. Reduced wound temperature – prolonged dressing changes or use of cold cleansing products.
    10. Underlying Disease – Diabetes Mellitis and Autoimmune disorders
    11. Maceration – excess wound exudates or contact with bodily fluids reduces wound tensile strength
    12. Inappropriate wound management
    13. Patient compliance
    14. Unrelieved pressure
    15. Immobility
    16. Substance abuse including alcohol and cigarette smoke
  3. Only Registered Nurses will attend to wounds
  4. Staff have access to training that provides them with the necessary skills and knowledge to confidently document changes that have occurred with wound management on appropriate forms to service coordinator.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Standards for Wound Prevention and Management
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Health management policy
  • Clinical Governance and Management framework policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

ACCESS TO SERVICE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that each client’s access to services is based on consultation with the client (and/or their representative), equity, consideration of available resources and program eligibility.  Eligibility guidelines to government funded services are in accordance with the Aged Care Act 1997 and National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The Manager must ensure the following, in ensuring equitable access to services for all clients:
    1. Develop an information brochure in appropriate formats on the Home Caring Group’s services and distribute it through local area co-ordinators and major health, welfare, local government and education outlets in the area.
    2. Accept referrals from clients, family members, advocates, local area co-ordinators or other government or non-government agencies.
    3. Within two weeks of receiving the referral, meet with the referred person, involved family members and advocates to determine the person’s eligibility for services and collect background information in accordance with the Policy on Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality.
    4. Make a determination about offering services to persons found eligible based on the Home Caring Group’s available resources and the person’s relative need.
    5. If no other eligible persons are currently seeking services, and the Home Caring Group has spare service capacity, accept the eligible person for services.
    6. If a person is found to be ineligible for services from the Home Caring Group, refer that person to an alternative service, where such a service exists.
    7. If a person is found to be eligible for services, but the Home Caring Group is not in a position to provide a service, offer to place the person on a waitlist for Home Caring Group services and inform the person of the possible waiting time before services might become available.
    8. Contact persons who are on the Home Caring Group’s waitlist at least every three months and advise them of their current status on the waitlist.
    9. Maintain record of people who have been referred to the Home Caring Group and denied a service summarising reasons for their being found ineligible or, if found eligible, reasons for being placed on the waitlist.
    10. Withdraw services only if requested by the client or family or if the Home Caring Group’s duty of care responsibilities to its clients or staff are severely compromised and reasonable efforts to rectify the problem have been made and shown to have failed.
    11. If the client has elected to no longer receive services from the Home Caring Group, ask that the request be put in writing by the client or family. If the Home Caring Group is holding any tied funding on behalf of a person who no longer wishes to receive services from the Home Caring Group, advise the Department of Health within legislated guidelines.
    12. If the Home Caring Group is contemplating withdrawing services, first arrange a meeting with the client, family and any advocate(s) they nominate to discuss the reasons why the Home Caring Group is contemplating withdrawing services.
    13. If after the meeting the Home Caring Group decides to withdraw services, write to the client, family and advocates outlining the reasons behind the decision and advising them of their rights under the Home Caring Group’s Policy on Complaints and Disputes.
    14. Home Caring Group will assist as much as they are able to transition the client to an appropriate service provider.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Access and equity policy
  • Anti-discrimination policy
  • Assessment and review policy
  • Individual Needs policy
  • Culture & Diversity policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

To ensure each client receives a service that is appropriate and designed to meet their needs, staff develop assessments and care plans which are regularly evaluated to reflect changing needs and continued safe service. Each client’s needs are monitored and regularly reassessed, considering any relevant program guidelines and in accordance with the complexity of the client needs. Care plans are reviewed in consultation with the client and relevant stakeholders (with consent) at least annually on a regular basis and according to their needs or change in condition.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The case manager conducts initial interviews utilising the person-centred tools.
  2. Assessments will:
    1. Involve conversations with the client and carers
    2. Identify and document in care plan all care requirements and action plan to address needs and mitigate any risks
    3. Establish goals, persons responsible, how goals will be achieved and review date
    4. Identify any risks that needs to be addressed prior to commencement with staff
    5. Discussion of terms of service agreement
    6. Provide consumer welcome book
  3. The assessment and Care Plan review process is conducted face to face and involves an evaluation of the client’s current circumstances, condition and expressed needs with reference to:
    1. Their last assessment or review,
    2. Current support plan (including goals) and previous evaluations,
    3. Feedback from the client and/or representative, input from other health care professionals/agencies and client records,
    4. Any changes to manual handling or complex clinical care will be directed by the relevant Health Practitioner (OT, Registered Nurse, Physiotherapist etc).
  4. Each Support Plan to be reviewed and signed off by Registered Nurse
  5. Support Workers will sign off on initial Care Plan and any further changes made by triggered or planned reviews
  6. The need for a more frequent review is triggered by complex clinical needs; a request for additional supports; a report of hospitalisation, illness or accident; a report of a decline in physical or mental health from:
    1. The client
    2. Carer, family or other representatives
    3. The coordinator/care giver
    4. A medical practitioner/health professional or
    5. Another agency.
  7. The next review date for all client is recorded on the care plan and in the Client Management System and service user records.
  8. The Case Manager enters assessments into their Outlook calendar. At the end of each month the Case Manager reviews the reassessment schedule for pending reviews to ensure all scheduled reviews are completed in the month in which they are scheduled.
  9. Any missed reviews are given a priority in the coming month.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • National Disability Services Act 2013
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Case management framework policy
  • Person centred care and individual needs policy
  • Complex Health Procedures
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

BROKERAGE SERVICE BOOKINGS & CANCELLATION POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group manages brokerage service bookings and cancellations with a customer-focused approach. We recognise that service bookings may come from many pathways, from individuals, families and other companies.  Our overall service bookings and management approach includes but not limited to timely responses to bookings, a clear process when we are not able to fulfil bookings and cancellation procedures.  All service bookings are managed through our client management rostering software system.

PROCEDURE

Service bookings

  1. Service bookings are managed by local roster teams who are supervised by their respective Managers.
    1. The roster team responds to phone enquiries and directs all bookings to me made in writing to the generic booking email address.
    2. All roster team members have access to the generic booking email addresses to roster care workers and allied health staff.
  2. All requests for Care workers, Registered nurses etc are submitted via email
  3. All requests must contain:
    1. Client name
    2. Client address and special instructions related to the property eg. Pets, nearest cross streets
    3. WHS issues
    4. Service date/s and time/s
    5. Service description
    6. Care plan if applicable

Service cancellations

  1. No cost is incurred for any service cancellations with 24 hours’ notice prior to provision of support. Service cancellations must be made via email
  2. Full cost will be charge when cancellation is less than 24 hours’ notice, the roster team to document this cancellation on the rostering software system to ensure correct billing by Finance team.
    1. In exceptional circumstances, fee waivers need to be approved by Manager and documented in client notes.
  3. When the booking cancellation is made by an individual and/or their delegated representative, the rosterer is required to document the reason in the client file when cancelling the service. Service cancellations can only be made by the individual or their delegated representative (the delegated representatives details are documented in the service agreement).
  4. Where a service is not able to be filled by Home Caring group, the roster team is required to inform the booking party in writing by 3pm on the day.
  5. Where unintended service cancellations occur, that is our care worker did not turn up. The roster team is required to contact the booking party promptly. Where this occurs out of hours, the After-Hours coordinator is required to contact the relevant booking party via phone to inform them as well as following up in writing.

Communicating service bookings and cancellations with care workers

  1. Service bookings and cancellations are made via a SMS roster live system.
  2. When a care worker accepts a booking, the job will then be removed from the rostering system and the details of the booking including client information is sent to the worker via an Mobile APP
  3. When a care worker cancels a booking, they need to inform the rosterer asap who will put this back on the job list.
  4. Workers who are not reliable, we will address the issues in accordance with our HR policies.

Monitoring Service bookings and trends

  1. Managers regularly supervise and/or conduct rostering meetings with their teams to discuss
    1. Rostering & payroll issues
    2. Oncall issues
    3. Roster system issues
    4. Staff issues & WHS issues
  2. Minutes are kept of all meetings/supervisions and these documents are stored by theManagers at their site.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Competition and Consumer Act 2010

Related policies

  • Quality Assurance management framework
  • Reportable Conduct Policy
  • Human Resources Management
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CLIENT REFERRAL POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to community partnerships to ensure that older people and people with disabilities can maintain their independence and remain living in the community as long as they can. Case Managers will always act in the best interests of the client and provide the client with choice and control over their own services.

PROCEDURE:

  1. During the planning process the case manager will support the client to access a range of preferred activities and information within their chosen communities.
  2. Case managers will make referrals for client’s (and/or their representative) chosen services to other providers as appropriate.
  3. All referrals are aligned to the individual needs and documented in the clients care plan.
  4. Case managers upholds that services to which the client is referred must be appropriate to the needs of the client, be accessible to the person in terms of culture, physical location, and cost.
  5. Following the referral, the case manager may follow up with the client and the service provider to whom the client was referred to ensure that services were accessed.
  6. Following feedback from client or service provider, case managers will assist to arrange alternative services if required.
  7. The case manager will document all choices provided to the client through progress notes.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Assessment and review policy
  • Case management framework policy
  • Liaison with other service providers policy
  • Conflict of Interest
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

CLIENT TRANSFER POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that all clients have a right to transfer from our service and may do so for various reasons.  A client has a right to choose their provider and change providers if they wish.

PROCEDURE:

  1. If a client chooses to transfer from or to our service, the client is responsible to:
    1. tell providers and their staff of the day they intend to cease receiving home care services, before they change providers
    2. Notify their existing provider that they no longer wish to receive care.
    3. Agree on the date that services from the existing provider will cease.
    4. Notify their existing provider of the details of their new provider within 56 calendar days, so that the unspent home care amount (if any) can be transferred (Home Care packages programs only)
    5. Provide their consent to allow information to be transferred from the existing provider to the new provider.
  2. Conditions for transfer are clearly stated in the client Service agreements
  3. For Home Care Package clients:
    1. It is a joint responsibility of the existing provider and client to agree upon a cessation day for home care services.
    2. The start day for the new provider must be on or after the cessation day with the existing provider.
    3. Home care subsidy is not paid for the client’s cessation day.
    4. When transferring between providers, a client will be required to enter into a Home Care Agreement with a new provider within 56 calendar days (or 84 calendar days with an extension) of ceasing care with their existing previous provider.
    5. Providers are required to keep copies of notices relating to unspent home care amounts and records relating to the payment of unspent home care amounts.
    6. When a client changes provider the existing provider is required to reconcile the unspent home care amount and issue a notice to the client (or their representative) within 56 calendar days after the cessation day.
    7. If the existing provider is notified within 56 calendar days of the client’s new provider, the existing provider is required to transfer the unspent home care amount and issue a copy of the written notice to the new provider within 70 calendar days of the cessation day.
    8. The existing service provider has 31 calendar days from the cessation day to notify DHS, through the aged care payments system, of the client’s name and cessation day.
  4. For NDIS clients:
    1. The case manager is to make changes in the NDIS portal; cancel service booking as required; once all claims up to date

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Assessment and review policy
  • Case management framework
  • Decision making and choice policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to supporting all children and young people in its services to develop a positive sense of social and emotional wellbeing and in addition to the needs of clients and their families form Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities

PROCEDURE:

  1. The case manager will ensure that all supports will help child or young person to feel safe and develop a sense of security, including but not limited to:
    1. Supporting the child and young person to develop a positive sense of identity
    2. Allow the child or young person to participate and share his or her religion (if any)
    3. Assist in implementing the cultural support plans for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse children and young people in care
    4. Support and encourage the development of positive peer relationships
    5. Respect the right of the child or young person to express their views freely about decisions that affect them and give due weight to those views with regard to the age and maturity of the child or young person.
    6. Implement practices underpinned by child development, attachment and systems theories as supported by the Manager.
    7. Ensuring that all interventions and practices have at their core, a focus on the child or young person’s needs and their key relationships with family, peers and/or significant others.
    8. Encourage and allow a child or young person to exercise choice and control. This ensures that the placement will more likely meet the needs of the child or young person.
    9. Support each child or young person’s individual developmental needs, including providing additional supports and aids for any disability diagnosis they may have.
    10. Follow a child or young person’s treatment plan for their mental health or disability.
    11. Build strong relationships with other services involved in the child or young person’s life to provide a holistic perspective of support for their emotional and social wellbeing.
    12. Ensure a coordinated approach to mental health care.
  2. Staff will foster the development of safe and positive relationships with family and/or significant others by and not limited to:
    1. Encouraging and support connections with other children and young people in out of home care.
    2. Work using a strengths-based, systems approach with children and young people.
    3. Encourage and support the relationship between the child or young person and their teacher at school.
    4. Encourage and facilitate relationships with peers from their school environment.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Life Story Works policy
  • Participation and Inclusion policy
  • Human rights policy
  • Valued status policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF OOHC POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that children and young people have a right to have as much say as they can in their placement and how they transition into a service, support to prepare for a transition in placements and to settle into a new placement and support to develop relationships with other children and young people in the same property as them.  Young people have a right to be able to freely express their views about their feelings towards other children and young people in the same property as them and for these views to be actively listened to and responded accordingly within what is possible.

PROCEDURE:

  1. An assessment will be conducted within five working days of receiving the referral. (48hours if it is deemed an emergency placement)
  2. The referral will be allocated to the Manager who will be the contact for the referrer and will determine eligibility and transition into placement timeframes.
  3. If it is deemed the child or young person is eligible and Home Caring Group can offer placement, the Manager will refer to the case manager for placement transition.
  4. The Manager is responsible for assessing the eligibility of the referral and best placement options.
  5. The Manager will receive the referral from Family and Community Services (FACS) and completes the relevant assessment forms
  6. The Manager will inform all referring agents are informed of the Initial Assessment and Placement Process in line with this policy.
  7. The Manager will take the referral to the Group CEO / Managing Director with their recommendations of the referral for final decision.
  8. The Manager will notify the FACS caseworker of the outcome within 24hours of the final decision being made and will negotiate next steps in placing the child in Home Caring Group services.
  9. The initial assessment will consider the following, but not limited to:
    1. Child or young person’s needs and views
    2. Age of the child
    3. Placement options
    4. Family and/or significant others in the child or young person’s life and contact arrangements
    5. Cultural needs including whether the child or young person identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
    6. Other children or young people living in the placement recommended.
    7. Previous placement history
    8. Health/medical needs
    9. Emotional and behavioural development
    10. Education and training
    11. Culture and identity needs including whether the child or young person identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
    12. Family and/or significant other relationships
    13. Self-care and independent living skills
    14. Social and recreational needs
  10. Information can be gathered through many different modes including but not limited to interviews (both structured and unstructured), questionnaires, observations, standardised testing, case histories and records, reports, previous individual education plans and case plans.
  11. Home Caring Group is unable to undertake service delivery until all necessary assessments have been completed.
  12. The case managers will:
    1. Review all information collected by the Manager.
    2. Initiate contact and the development of a relationship with the child or young person, actively listening to their story.
    3. Complete the relevant Risk Assessment and identify additional supports or alterations to the environment that the child or young person may require.
    4. Notify the Manager of any modifications or supports that need to be put in place including training for staff.
    5. Initiate contact and the development of a relationship with family and/or significant others as well as other service providers involved in the child or young person’s life.
    6. Begin the development of the case plan immediately after a decision is made that the child or young person is going to be placed.
    7. At this stage, the case plan should focus on child or young person’s views of how they would like to transition, what supports they will need, what belongings they have or need to be purchased, how they will be able to add personal touches to the space and this may include visits to the house so the child or young person can meet the carers and see their room and space.
    8. Where further information is required, will work with the referring agent to seek the additional information required. This may include seeking specialist assessment
    9. Support the child or young person to understand their rights and their right to complain in line with the Children’s Rights Policy and Complaints by Children and Young People Policy.
    10. Work closely with the child or young person in the first days and weeks of the placement to support their transition including looking at what belongings they require, how they will make the space comfortable for them, how to support ownership over space and a sense of belonging in the home.
  1. All staff who will work with the young person must demonstrate:
    1. Actively listen to the child or young person
    2. Seek to build rapport and relationship with the child or young person
    3. Show an interest in the child or young person’s story
    4. Follow the directions of the case manager including the case plan actions
    5. Document observations about how the child is adapting to the change in placement and feedback these observations to the case manager.
    6. Identify where the child or young person may require additional supports and feedback to the case manager.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Assessment and review policy
  • Children’s rights policy
  • Protecting children and young people policy
  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

LIASON WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group recognises that it is vital that agencies, case managers and other service providers work together so that the needs of individual clients are fully addressed.  The coordination of services may involve professionals from many different fields. Home Caring Group will work cooperatively with other organisations to achieve the best outcome for each client and will maintain links with other services that provide care and support to their clients.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Case managers will liaise effectively with relevant Health Professionals
  2. The case manager is responsible for recording the information relating to other services involved with the client on the Client Assessment and History form at the initial client assessment
    1. The Administration Team are responsible for ensuring this information is placed on the client’s file.
    2. The case manager will attend all meetings Case Conferences. All parties involved with the client are invited to attend these meetings.
  3. The case manager liaises with all Health Professionals by e-mail, phone and/or fax as needed. This may be to discuss medical concerns with their GP or and care issues with other services
    1. The case manager seeks consent from the client to make contact with their Health Care Team.
    2. The case manager liaises effectively with local recreational and cultural organisations
  4. The case manager will attend local inter-agency forums and meetings relevant to the clients’ needs and the organisation.
  5. The Executive management team will attend the Attendant Care Industry Association (ACIA) forums and related workshops to stay abreast of industry information and standards.
  6. Where it is recognised that the client’s care is more complex an external provider may be sought.
    1. The case manager will supervise all aspects of the care and liaise directly with the clients treating doctor and other professionals involved in their care.
    2. The role of the Case Manger is to:
      1. Advocate on behalf of the client, promote their interest and rights within their community and support networks.
      2. Link the client, their family and/carer with other services and co-ordinate various components of their care.
  • Co-ordinate the delivery of services for the purpose of achieving the clients individual needs and goals and establish mechanisms whereby the client can achieve their goals. This is done by means of the implementation of a ‘Plan’.
  1. Facilitate the exchange of information collaboratively with others in the clients support and service networks, sharing decision making and monitoring and reviewing the Plan.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Privacy & Confidentiality policy
  • Case management framework policy
  • Referrals and reassessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

LIFE STORY WORK POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group uses a Life story work approach, which is a method used to record the details about a child or young person’s history and personal development. Life story work can be used for children and older adults as part of reminiscence therapies.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The Case manager will prepare the person for life story work by helping them and their families to understand what it is and how it can be meaningful to them.
    1. Life Story is a record of person’s life and can include documentation through the use of words, pictures and photos made by the child or young person with help from a trusted adult or other person having a meaningful relationship with the child or young person.
    2. Life Story helps build a bond and develop trust between carers and the person when they work together on life story work.
    3. Life Story can help the person develop a stronger feeling of self-identity and self-esteem through learning about and accepting their past
    4. provides a forum for people to ask questions they may not have felt safe to ask before
    5. helps record the person’s culture and religion
    6. Is a chronological account of the person’s history and begins when they enter out of home care?
    7. requires consideration of the cultural and family histories involved when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
  2. The Case manager asks the child or young person who they would like to be involved in the development of their life story work.
  3. The Case manager will use the persons current Life Story Book if they come with one or will use the “My Life Story Book” that can be downloaded from:
    1. http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/life_storybook.pdf
    2. http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/life_storybook_aboriginal.pdf (For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People)
    3. https://www.dementia.org.au/sites/default/files/20110303-NSW-LifeHistoryBook.pdf (for the person with dementia)
  4. The case manager will allow the person to decide who they wish to share it with and how to store it safely.
  5. The case manager will:
    1. Ensure that the Life Story book goes with the child or older person if they transition into another placement.
    2. Ensure that for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people that their life story work contains information about their family, community and culture.
    3. Collect information for the life story work
    4. Maintain the life story work and continue it even if the book is complete
    5. Ensure that anyone who wants to see the child or young person’s life story work has permission from the child or young person.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012

Related policies

  • Building a positive care environment
  • Participation and inclusion policy
  • Supporting families and carers policy
  • Emotional and social development policy
  • Maintaining a safe living environment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

MAINTAINING A SAFE LIVING ENVIRONMENT POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring that all clients residing in the community are adequately protected so as to minimise the risk of illness, accident or injury by maintaining safe living environments and promoting proper safety and health practices.

PROCEDURES:

  1. Managers will provide all employees with appropriate information about, and training in, relevant health and safety standards and practices.
  2. Managers will take all reasonable steps to assess the safety and security of the houses where clients reside prior to staff commencing work
  3. All houses must have an installed fire and smoke detection devices in houses
  4. Staff must be made aware of appropriate evacuation procedures
  5. Case managers must ensure that the preparation, handling and storage of food is in line with current health standards.
    1. Case managers must ensure that medications and other dangerous substances are appropriately stored, and locked if necessary.
    2. Clients are provided with a safe and reliable means of transportation between the home

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regulation 2012 (NSW)
  • Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Building a positive care environment policy
  • WHS & General Safety policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PERSON CENTRED CARE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group maintains that person centred care is a partnership between the client and the care provider, and one that reflects the related concepts of dignity, worth and human rights. These ideas are enshrined in national and international documents that govern the way health care is provided.

PROCEDURE

  1. Case managers understand that the sharing of power and responsibility in planning care (client as expert in their own health, sharing of decision making, information, the idea of common ground should):
    1. be individualised;
    2. be drawn from the user’s biography; and
    3. be derived from the aspirations, needs and wants of the user.
  2. Case Managers will conduct the following work practice when conducting assessments:
    1. Involve the client and key family members, where appropriate, in the development of an individual service plan for the client.
    2. Collect necessary information on the client to properly inform the individual service planning process.
    3. Seek the client’s and family’s input in the determination of their specific support needs.
    4. Seek the client’s and family’s input in constructing an individual service plan that meets the agreed support needs.
    5. As far as practicable, given the availability and flexibility of agency resources, construct an individual service plan that reflects the preferences of the client and family.
    6. Fully document the individual service plan and provide a copy to the client and family.
  3. Case managers will ensure accessibility and flexibility (of service provider as a person and of the services provided) through;
    1. Coordination and integration (consideration of the whole experience from the point of view of the client);
    2. Having an environment that is conducive to person centred care (supportive of employees working in a person-centred way and easy for service users to navigate);
    3. Developing mutual respect and trust between client and care worker as acknowledgment that the ‘Home’ is also a regulated workplace;
    4. Fostering emotional competency in times of conflict;
    5. Contemporary education resources for all stakeholders in care;
    6. Understanding that the quality framework is holistic and focused on this philosophy in care
  4. Managers will fashion a person-centred workplace conducive to turn workers into devoted care workers by implementing continuous improvement to, and maintaining the following standards:
    1. Fostering the philosophy of partnerships in person centred care;
    2. Getting to know the client as a person through assessment (taking a holistic approach as well as an individual approach that should):
    3. be humanistic (rather than behavioural);
    4. be developed through a relationship of closeness and trust between the care worker and the client;
    5. be approached through biography (understanding the person’s history);
    6. be based on the older person’s values and the meanings they attribute to health; and
    7. consider the person’s abilities and strengths.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019
  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018

Related policies

  • Individual Needs policy
  • Assessment and reassessment policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

PHONE PROTOCOL/MESSAGE POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring high quality customer service, professionalism and uniformity when dealing with incoming and outgoing calls and to ensure all messages are recorded on the relevant documentation and delivered to the appropriate person.  It is expected that any staff member making, taking calls, text messages or recording messages will follow the procedures as outlined below. Slight personal differences in language and approach are acceptable as long as they reflect the professional style suggested in this policy.

PROCEDURE:

  1. All staff are expected to be familiar with and follow the phone protocol as detailed below.  Staff are required to refer to this procedure as needed.
  2. The Administration Team will be the first members of staff to receive incoming calls.
  3. The Executive management team will be the final backup to administration staff, taking calls when all other staff are out of the office, attending to other phone calls or otherwise occupied and unable to attend reception.
  4. All incoming calls or text messages are to be answered promptly and professionally:
    1. Good morning/afternoon, this is (state your own name) speaking.
    2. If caller requests to speak to another staff. Ascertain the name of the caller and purpose of their call:
  1. May I ask who is calling please?
  2. Where are you calling from?
  • Can you tell me what it’s in reference to please?
    1. Determine who is able to be of assistance – Addressing the caller:
  1. Hello (name of caller), this is (state your own name), I am the (state your own job title), I can help you with your inquiry.
  2. Please hold the line for a moment and I’ll see if (name of colleague) is free to take your call.
  • Just a moment and I’ll put you through to (name of colleague), she/he is the (colleague’s job title), they’ll be able to help you.
    1. If the appropriate person is available to take the call – Addressing colleagues:
  1. (Name of colleague), (name of client and organisation) is on the phone for you calling about (details about call).
    1. If the appropriate person is unavailable to take the call – Addressing colleagues:
  1. (Name of colleague), (name of client and organisation) is on the phone for you calling about (details about call). Can you take the call? NO.
  2. Addressing the caller: (assuming you have ascertained what the call is related to) Hello (name of caller), I’m sorry (name of colleague) is unavailable to take your call right now (they are on another call at the moment or in a meeting). Can I take a message please and get them to call you back as soon as they are available?
  • OR Is there anybody else that can help you?
  1. OR Can I be of any assistance?
    1. The appropriate person is out of the office – Addressing the caller:
  1. (assuming you have ascertained what the call is related to) (Name of colleague) is at a meeting and won’t be back in the office until (time or day). Is the matter urgent? Is there anybody else that can help you? Can I get your number and I’ll get them to return your call as soon as they are available?
    1. A couple of calls are coming in at once. The office is under staffed or the phones are very busy and other staff members are already engaged.
  1. Good morning/afternoon, this is (state your own name) speaking? Can you hold the line please?
  2. Repeat with each call, then return to the first call:
  • Sorry to keep you waiting, how may I help you?
  1. The caller expresses their need:
  2. The phones are very busy right now can I take your number and call you back later or would you rather hold a little longer?
  3. OR (Name of caller), our (colleague’s job title) can help you with that. They are unavailable right now (at a meeting, on another call) can I take a message and get them to call you back as soon as they are free?
  1. The office mobile is to be checked on a regular basis during the day firstly by Administration Staff if Administration Staff are otherwise occupied the Coordinators will periodically check the office mobile for messages.
    1. The person opening the message will ensure that it is actioned in a timely manner and a message returned to the sender if applicable to acknowledge the matter has been dealt with or will be dealt with.
    2. If the person opening the message is unable to action the message the person opening the text message will forward on the information in a timely manner to the relevant person.
  2. Important calls and messages will be recorded and delivered to the appropriate person:
    1. The person handling the call is solely responsible for actioning the call or passing the relevant information or message on to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
    2. The person transferring the call does not need to record anything unless they are taking a message for a staff member who is unavailable at the time the call is received.
    3. All Service related calls/correspondence (i.e. phone calls, emails, letters, care plans etc.) must be passed on to the Manager
  3. Records and messages serve to:
    1. Ensure all staff are up to date and informed about the current care requirements of clients and the needs and activities of staff
    2. Prevent the loss of important information
    3. Provide Home Caring Group with a system of accountability in necessary situations.
  4. Documentation of important calls or messages:
    1. Emails
    2. Accident / Incident / Hazard Forms/Complaints Form
  5. Procedure for recording messages include:
    1. Record the date and time the call was received, the name of the caller, the organisation they represent, their contact phone numbers and key (refer to the previous page) and details as necessary.
    2. Then continue with one of the following options:
  1. Email or record the details of the message or call and forward it to the appropriate person. Remember to include the following information in your message. Every message must include:
    1. Who ( staff member) the call is for;
    2. the Date and Time the call was received;
    3. the Name of the caller;
    4. their contact Telephone Number; and
    5. all relevant details of the call.
  2. Forward the message to the appropriate staff member
  • If urgent, contact the Manager on their mobile or at home if appropriate.
  1. For minor complaints record the information on to an Accident/Incident/Hazard/Complaint Form and forward to Manager to action.

Remember any urgent calls are to be brought to the attention of Managers Immediately!

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

Related policies

  • Marketing policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

ROSTER PROCEDURES POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group Executive management team have the authority to prioritise and delegate work for the team as a whole and to reschedule current tasks of any members of staff so to make room for more urgent duties to be fulfilled.  The Administration/Roster Team has the authority to roster day to day rosters

PROCEDURE:

  1. Industrial relations guidelines indicate:
    1. Under the award conditions no person can be rostered for a shift within 8 hours of completing an active night shift
    2. Workers can complete double shifts (standard shifts being 8 hours) of up to 16 hours in total with the exception of active night followed by a day shift
    3. All office staff are required to class shifts as regular not permanent. When workers inform the office that they are sick this is classed as a cancellation not sick leave
    4. No more than 84 hours per fortnight checking that you subtract from the final number meal breaks and get back to 76 hours (one-offs are okay, exceptions only)
  2. All duties below mentioned are completed in tandem with other responsibilities such as answering phones, case management and on-call:
    1. Do a handover with other roster staff about any outstanding matters and the events of the previous night or day.
    2. Check in-tray, emails, mobile phone and office phone for any important messages and respond to any directives requested by the Manager, prioritise appropriately.
    3. Check holiday staff list and write up on the board
    4. Roster any short notice cancellations.
    5. Provide After Hours Operator with details of any roster changes at the closure of your day.
  3. The Rostering/Administration staff are responsible to:
    1. Set up the rosters for one-off (and other) clients in consultation with the Manager
    2. Roster all sick and holiday leave. Check on a daily basis
    3. Complete all outstanding service gaps by checking them in the morning upon arrival. It is essential that the roster staff ensure all services are filled for the day before moving onto any future work (including the next day).
    4. Some of the situations where you are expected to consult with the Manager before making any decision include:
      1. If you are unable to fill any roster after pursuing all obvious options.
      2. For serious client behavioral problems.
  • For 24 hour clients that go to hospital.
  1. For WHS issues with staff or clients i.e. worker involved in accident or any client who sustains an injury whilst in the care of an employee.
  2. Death of a client.
  3. If a client is missing and fails to return and you are not able to locate the client in a reasonable time frame.
  • If a client’s regular carers cannot be contacted and a worker unfamiliar to the client needs to replace the vacant shift.
  • Organising orientation during change over with an existing staff member and new replacement worker.
  1. Before rostering be aware of any staff or clients designated as a high risk by the Manager where you MUST consult with the manager on all aspects of rostering.
  2. Make sure the client contract is approved and you have a hard copy on file and once authorisation is received from the you may commence the rostering process.
  3. Where there are roster changes, relevant contact with the client or carer/customer first to inform them about the changes
    1. Unless recommended otherwise you may then proceed to find a suitable staff replacement
    2. Amend the Roster
  • For regular shift amendments, an updated roster will be kept in the relevant Client’s file.
  1. For one-off clients notify the client and/or staff member where relevant of the roster change
  1. A minimum of 3 hours’ notice is required from staff for shift changes.
    1. The After Hours Service relates only to those changes affecting shifts outside normal business hours.
  2. For clients receiving 24-hour care inform the on-duty worker of the potential delay before organising a replacement. On most occasions the worker on duty will agree to cover the shift in question
    1. If the on-duty worker cannot cover the shift in question, a replacement must be sought while the on-duty worker remains with the client until the replacement has arrived
    2. If you are unable to organise a replacement known to the client you must organise an orientation of the new staff member during changeover with the on-duty staff member. Consult with the Manager for approval.
  • If a 24hr client requests the on duty staff member to leave the work premises ensure the staff member keeps the client within view, even if s/he is outdoors whilst you work to replace the shift. Document and report to the client data system as soon as possible
  1. If you are unable to organise a replacement known to the client you are required to offer the client the option to accept an unfamiliar staff replacement or go without care.
  2. If the client requests the on-duty staff member to leave the work premises a replacement can be organised if agreed to by the client.
  1. If a complaint is lodged against a worker by a client, family member or other staff member you are required to document the complaint, re-roster as necessary, report it to the client record system.
    1. For serious complaints and/or allegations contact the Manager immediately
    2. If the manager is unavailable please contact the Group CEO.
  2. For life threatening emergencies or those at risk the After-Hours Operator must advise the caller to phone 000 (police, ambulance, fire)
  3. Clinical counsel can be provided for non-emergencies and registered nurses notified.
    1. All communications, actions and outcomes are documented on the client management system.
  4. Home Caring Group has an AFTER-HOURS phone which can be contacted between the hours of 5pm and 8.30am Monday to Friday and all weekends and public holidays.
  5. The after hours coordinator should:
    1. Ascertain whether the call relates to a shift replacement or a new referral.
    2. Referrals must be directed to the office during working hours. New referrals must not be organised through the After-Hours Service
    3. Find urgent shift replacements
    4. Individuals repeatedly making calls between the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00am for non-urgent matters are to be reported to the Manager.
      1. Staff members are to be reminded that the after hours service is for emergency related matters only.
      2. The after hours shift changes and cancellations will be recorded on the client management system.
  • All emergency accident incident hazards reported on the After-hours will be recorded in an Accident/Incident/Hazard form and the procedures followed as stated in the Emergency policy and the Accident Incident\Hazard Response policy.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • NDIS Quality & Safeguards 2018
  • Aged Care Quality Standards 2019

Related policies

  • WHS & General Safety policy
  • Accident, Incident, Hazard response reporting and investigation policy
  • Case management framework policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

BRAND INFORMATION PACK

POLICY STATEMENT:

Home Caring Group seeks new partnerships through mergers and acquisitions that will enable Company growth. Home Caring Group is committed to ensuring all new partners receive accurate and consistent messages via the Brand Information pack and Service Operational Manual.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Senior executive team are responsible for the oversight of new partnerships that are intended for Company growth
  2. Upon request, interested parties will receive a brand information pack that contains the following information, but not limited to:
    1. Company history
    2. Roles and responsibilities
    3. Meeting schedule
    4. Staff and client communication schedules
    5. Training
    6. Reporting requirements

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • National Disability Insurance Act 2013
  • Competition and Consumer Act 2010
  • Franchising Code of Conduct 2015

Related policies

  • Brand Operational manual policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

BRAND OPERATIONAL MANUAL

POLICY STATEMENT:

The Brand Operational manual provides instruction and detail as to exactly who, what when, where and how the Brand should operate.

PROCEDURE:

  1. The Brand Operational manual will include Policy Manual 3 – Service Delivery which includes detail on, but not limited to:
    1. Service operations
    2. Service safety
    3. Service delivery
  2. Noncompliance with the Operational manual will result in formal sanctions by Corporate Services Senior Executive Management team.

Related Legislation and/or guidelines

  • Aged Care Act 1997
  • National Disability Insurance Act 2013
  • Competition and Consumer Act 2010
  • Franchising Code of Conduct 2015

Related policies

  • Brand Operational manual policy
Document number:

Policy Manual- Service Delivery

Document version:

3

Document effective as of:

30 March 2018

Approved by:

Jon Kontopos. Managing Director

Signature: Date of approval:

30 March 2018

Date of last review:

February 2020

Date of next review:

30 March 2020

Reviewed by:

Michaela Brown, Operations Manager

Document distribution:

 

☒All Brands                   ☐Only Care              ☐Corporate Partners

☐Dementia Caring       ☐Premier Care        ☐Brokerage services

  V1: March 2018

V2: October 2019

V3: February 2020

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Based on 162 reviews
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