Where support to manage personal care needs can be reasonably provided by a partner or relative in the ordinary course of events, then DVA will not pay for these services.
However, where assisting a client to meet their personal care needs is creating a substantial disruption to normal family life (including employment), then consideration may be given to:
- whether, because of the client’s specific needs and circumstances, it is more appropriate for a professionally accredited and qualified provider to deliver assistance with managing all personal care tasks including showering, toileting, assistance with eating and drinking, dressing and grooming; or
- whether it may be reasonable for the relative or partner to be approved to deliver assistance with intimate care activities such as assistance with showering or toileting.
These considerations are particularly important where the client has a reasonable requirement for ongoing attendant care services because of their accepted service-related conditions.
DVA will only consider requests for a partner or relative to provide attendant care services to a client where there is evidence that exceptional circumstances apply. For more information about this policy, please see section 8.5.1 of this Library.
The underpinning principle for this approach is that using professionally qualified providers helps to ensure clients are receiving high quality and best practice care in line with current industry standards. It also ensures:
- clients’ personal care needs are managed appropriately, consistent with contemporary care, safety and quality practices, regulations and guidelines;
- attendant care services meet current work health and safety standards, regulations and approaches and effectively manage risks for providers;
- replacement personal care workers are available in times of sickness or absence, particularly at short notice;
- personal care workers have appropriate insurance cover in case of injury to the client or themselves;
- qualified and credentialed staff are available to safely and appropriately manage any unanticipated issues or risks;
- social, safety, emotional and financial risks to the partner or relative and the impact of changing relationship dynamics within the family unit are carefully considered, monitored and managed; and
- proper financial and taxation accountability for expenditure of government funds.
The policy guidelines on attendant care services for clients with complex personal care needs clients can be found in section 8.5.2 of this Library.
The definition of attendant care services in the MRCA and DRCA excludes provision of medical treatment or nursing care services. This applies regardless of whether the approved attendant care provider is a relative or partner of the client.