Well Life Access to Service Policy

Procedure

The following procedures are to be implemented to enable Well Life Services to meet its policy objective of ensuring that, within the constraints of available funding and resources, those people with disabilities who most need services available through Well Life Services are accepted for services and that services are only withdrawn at the client’s initiative or when the organisation’s duty of care responsibilities to its clients or staff are demonstrably compromised.

Well Life Services will:

1. Develop and distribute an information brochure on Well Life Services and distribute it through local area co-ordinators and major health, welfare, local government and other community outlets in the area, in accordance with its Annual Operational Plan.
    

2. Provide Information about its services in alternative formats, if and when required.
    

3. Welcome and accept referrals from clients, family members/carers, advocates, local area co-ordinators or other government or non-government agencies.
    

4. Within two weeks or an agreed time of receiving the referral, invite potential clients and their family members and advocates to meet with a Well Life Services staff member to discuss what the person wants from the service and to determine the person’s eligibility for services. This is done by collecting relevant information from the person and /or their family/carers in accordance with the Policies on Privacy and Confidentiality. Where required by funding bodies such as the NDIA, eligibility and service planning will be informed by documentation such as Impairment Notices, which specify the participant’s recognised impairments. Supports provided must align with the needs arising from these impairments, in accordance with current NDIS legislation.
    

5. Offer services to persons found eligible based on Well Life Services available resources and the person’s relative need; and explain to them and their family/carer how they can start accessing services/supports.
    

6. Ensure people entering the service are informed of their right to access and advocate/have a support person with them during any dealings with Well Life Services;
    

7. Provide information to people entering the service and their family/carers information about what the service offers, how services are delivered; any costs; requirements for agreements and service planning, and service review over time.
    

8. Provide information to people entering the service and their family/carers in relation to under what circumstances supports can be withdrawn. Supports will not be withdrawn or denied solely on the basis of a dignity of risk choice made by the client.
    

9. If a person is not eligible for services from Well Life Services, refer that person to alternative services which may meet their needs and preferences.
    

10. If a person is found to be eligible for services, but Well Life Services is not in a position to provide a service, offer to place the person on a waitlist and inform the person of the expected waiting time before services might become available.
     

11. Seek feedback from people with disabilities, and their families/carers about the service access procedures and implement improvements to service access and transparency where applicable.
     

12. Investigate barriers to access to its services, and where appropriate, address them. Reasonable adjustments to the support delivery are made and monitored where appropriate.
     

13. Maintain records of people who have been referred to Well Life Services and denied a service summarising reasons for their being found ineligible or, if found eligible, reasons for being placed on the waitlist.
     

14. Collaborate with other relevant organisations and community groups/agencies to build and maintain a referral network.
     

15. Cancellation – Refers to an individual notifying Well Life Services, in advance, that scheduled hours of service are not required or unable to be received. There are two categories of cancellation:
    Short notice – where less than a minimum of 48 hours’ notice is provided.
    Reasonable Notice – where 48 hours or greater notice is provided.
     

16. Risk assessments will be undertaken with clients and documented. Appropriate strategies will be planned and implemented to treat known risks. This will include an assessment of the extent to which the client relies on our services for daily living needs, and the potential impact on the client’s health and safety if services were disrupted.
     

17. We will develop a support plan that:
    - Is provided to the client in the language, mode of communication and terms they are most likely to understand (e.g. Easy English, pictorial format, translated document, verbally explained with the use of an advocate or interpreter)
    - Is easily accessible and understood by the client and their workers
    - Where appropriate and with the client’s consent, shared with their support network, other providers and relevant government agencies
    - Includes arrangements, where required, for proactive support for preventative health measures, including support to access recommended vaccinations, dental check-ups, comprehensive health assessments and allied health services
    - Addresses potential emergency and disaster scenarios and includes actions to ensure their safety, health and wellbeing in the case of an emergency or disaster. Response plans will include:
    - preparing for and responding to crisis scenarios,
    - changes to supports and other adaptations as necessary,
    - how changes will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders,
    - how the plan will be reviewed.

Review of the Policy

This policy will be reviewed on a two-yearly basis. However, if at any time the legislative, policy or funding environment is so altered that the policy is no longer appropriate in its current form, the policy shall be reviewed immediately and amended accordingly.