Provided the legislative test described in section 10.3.1 in this library is met, further criteria applies when a veteran has been assessed by a suitably qualified health provider as requiring aids, appliances, modifications or alterations that are outside the scope of the Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP).
The client’s need for the item or services must be due to their accepted injury or illness and required to:
achieve an agreed rehabilitation goal;
promote recovery (e.g. to help alleviate pain);
provide remedial support for the client’s accepted condition;
help ensure the client’s personal safety; and
achieve greater independence and work towards self-managing the impact of their accepted condition(s).
The client and their health provider have considered alternatives, trialled options, and the items or services will have a positive impact on the client’s:
quality of life – mobility, independence, community engagement, and maintenance of physical and emotional wellbeing; and/or
general functioning, particularly their ability to contribute to the activities that must be undertaken in their household; and/or
capacity to return to, or perform at work, or to undertake retraining or study.
The item or services are considered the simplest, most practical option and are not above the level that would normally be required for the medical condition or level of impairment.
Serving ADF members
If the client is still fulfilling a role within the ADF, the following issues must also be addressed when considering if the item requested is reasonably required:
whether their civilian employment or education would be at risk were the aid or appliance not provided; or
if the client is still serving, whether they have been identified as “likely to be discharged” or providing the aid or appliance would be likely to increase the length of time that client would serve as a Permanent Forces Member.
Further information about providing alterations, modifications, aids and/or appliances to serving members can be found in section 10.8 in this library.
Workplace aids and appliances
Requests for workplace aids and appliances that meet the above criteria will be considered with priority given to situations where a client’s job is in jeopardy due to the impact of their accepted conditions. Requests will also be considered in the context of the employer’s responsibility to minimise the risk of injury and provide the employee with a safe working environment under the Australian Workplace Health and Safety regulations.
Further information about ownership of workplace aids and appliances can be found in section 10.7.4 in this library.
Aids and appliances to support psychosocial rehabilitation
Clients undertaking psychosocial rehabilitation activities may need access to adaptive or other types of equipment to enable them to participate in community activities. These may include activities such as leisure/lifestyle programs to help overcome social isolation, sporting activities and programs or short adult learning courses. It is important that a lack of appropriate equipment does not create a barrier to a person being able to participate in these types of activities.
Further details about the provision of equipment to support participation in psychosocial rehabilitation activities can be found in section 6.7 in this library.