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Service Provider Partnership Policy & Procedure

Purpose and Scope

This policy and procedure sets out the arrangements between HomeMade and any relevant persons, organisations, institutions and providers that assist HomeMade to achieve its objectives of providing all required support/care and services to Customers.

The policy and procedure applies to all agreements entered into between HomeMade and the other entities and meets relevant legislation, regulations and Standards.

Applicable Aged Care Quality Standards

Any service or support type delivered to HomeMade’s customers via a subcontracted/brokerage agreement must continue to meet all relevant legislation, regulations and Standards. Based on this, all 8 Standards apply to this policy and procedure.

Definitions

Service providers: a third party engage to provide the Services in accordance with the HomeMade service provider Agreement

Customer: the Home Care customer accessing service through HomeMade as their approved provider

HomeMade Platform: means the platform provided by HomeMade for service provider to upload documents relevant to the Services.

Support Plan: means the specific support and / or care plan required by the Customer and the reason for the Customer acquiring the Services

Policy

HomeMade recognises the importance of offering choices and flexibility to
customers accessing their services.

Under the HomeMade model of care HomeMade customers are able to access services through a range of service providers. Customer can access services through:

  • service providers who have been approved, verified, and onboarded;
  • service providers that have been approved for a single/one once of payment.

HomeMade will enter into a formal arrangement with a broad range of entities, ensuring the choices, needs and goals of customers can be met.

All arrangements resulting in a formal agreement with HomeMade must be approved by Snr Manager, Service and Support in accordance with the service provider Partnership Policy and the HomeMade service provider agreement.

Any arrangements must be consistent with all legislative requirements and Standards and HomeMade policies and procedures.

Arrangements may be developed to provide single/one-off or multiple services.

HomeMade will not enter into a partnership or other arrangement that could interfere with its ability or willingness to act in customers’ best interests.

Procedures

Requests

Customers are able to request service providers be onboarded via their HomeMade account.

All requests are subject to a verification process prior to the service provider being onboarded to provide care and services to the customer.

Verification and onboarding of service providers for ongoing engagements

Prior to the establishment of a formal arrangement (and signing of a subsequent service provider Agreement), a representative of the HomeMade service provider team, is responsible for verifying the details of requested providers:

  • details of the proposed entity
  • Ensure valid ABN provided
  • Relevant insurances;
    • All service providers are required to provide $10m in Public Liability insurance
    • All service providers provided qualified services (i.e Allied Health or Nursing) are required to provide $10m Professional Indemnity Insurance. Service providers excluded from this requirement include cleaning and gardening services.
  • Evidence that the service providers personnel are experienced and competent to carry out the Service, including copies of certificate, licences and registrations as requested
  • Exclusion of families and friends directly, or businesses owned by, from providing care services to minimise conflict of interest. Using subsidy to pay for family carers raises serious probity issues under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth) under which the aged care special appropriation sits
  • Evidence that the proposed service provider meets all mandatory compliance to provide services under the ACT;
  • any risks or benefits associated with the arrangement;
  • if relevant, has evidence that the proposed entity is able to meet the Aged Care legislation, regulations and Standards (for example copies of any relevant policies and procedures that meet The Aged Care Act 1997 and/or Aged Care Quality Standards 2018).

 

Once the service provider team has assessed the above information and agree the proposed entity aligns with HomeMade’s goals and objectives of providing high quality, safe, care and services, a formal service provider Agreement will be entered into.

The Agreement

The formal service provider Agreement contains:

  • the date the agreement commenced;
  • business details of each agreeing party;
  • recitals in relation to the agreed service/s being provided in accordance with The Aged Care Act 1997;
  • terms of appointment and clear outlines that the arrangement does not create a relationship of employer and employee, principal and agent, or partnership between HomeMade and the service provider, or any of its personnel;
  • details of who is responsible for the payment of any personnel wages, leave, entitlements etc;
  • fees agreed between both parties including details on how services will be paid for via the HomeMade Platform (and any evidence required of the service/s that have been delivered);
  • expectations and responsibilities of HomeMade, the customer and the service provider;
  • qualifications, training and other personnel requirements the partnered service provider must meet;
  • work health and safety obligations including vaccination;
  • reporting requirements in relation to incidents;
  • termination conditions and dispute resolution information;
  • insurance and indemnity responsibilities; and
  • clear instruction in relation to confidentiality and privacy requirements.

 

For further details in relation to the above, please view HomeMade’s service provider Agreement document.

Approval for single/ one-off engagements

From time to time a customer may wish to engage service providers that have not been officially onboarded with HomeMade for one off services.

HomeMade will approve payments to service providers in accordance with stringent delegations and approvals.

Care/Support Planning (and Referral)

Prior to the connection of a customer to a partnered service provider, where a customer and/or their representative has requested a partnered service, the customer and/or their representative must identify the specific need and be offered a variety of choices.

Where HomeMade has worked with the customer to assess and document a need for care and service, the customer is able to engage service providers of their selection to fulfil the service. Customers have access to care and services through HomeMade’s existing network of service providers. Where wishes to engage a specific service provider for their individual needs and preferences, they can request the service provider be onboarded through their HomeMade account. Where service providers are assessed as not being suitable to provide services due to not complying with the verification criteria, HomeMade will work with the customer to identify suitable alternatives to meet the customers needs, goals and preferences.

Referrals for a customer’s partnered care and/or services are to be made as per HomeMade’s Providing Information, Advice and Referral Policy and Procedure.

HomeMade provides its customers with access to their documented support plan through their HomeMade account. The customer is responsible for ensuring the agreed partnership service provider has sufficient information about their needs, preferences and goals (with the customers and/or their representatives’ consent) prior to services commencing.

HomeMade provider customer and service providers with templated service form to guide their engagement. The service form includes party details, key terms, service pricing, goods pricing, compliance requirements, suitability requirements, and support standards.

Ongoing Compliance/Monitoring and Review

Whilst all service providers are required to meet all aged care compliance requirements (as outlined in HomeMade’s service provider Agreement), it remains HomeMade’s responsibility to ensure the ongoing compliance and high-quality care and services for customers.

The Senior Leadership Team are responsible for managing and monitoring the engagement and arrangements with service providers including:

  • monitoring the formal agreement and the partnership providers compliance with its responsibilities;
  • monitoring communication between the service provider and HomeMade;
  • regularly reporting to the Board of Directors outcomes for customers accessing the partnership provider for support/services; and
  • meeting with the service provider as required to discuss any positive outcomes or areas of improvement to achieve outcomes for the customers via the partnership arrangement.

Cessation of Partnered Arrangements

As per HomeMade’s service provider Agreement, either party may terminate the agreement without cause by giving 30 days written notice to the other party. This includes instances whereby a customer has expressed a complaint or request to not continue using the services.

HomeMade will respect customer’s rights to request an alternative service provider without question. Any such requests will receive appropriate consideration whilst ensuring the requested service provider has appropriate safeguards. It is HomeMade and the customer’s shared responsibility to ensure continuity of care/support and service delivery for the customer in accordance with the provisions of the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Principles regardless of which party has terminated the agreement.

Supporting Documents

Organisational documents relevant to this policy and procedure:

  • Service Provider Agreement
  • Providing Information, Advice and Referral Policy and Procedure
  • Customer home care agreement
  • Charter of customers’ Rights and Responsibilities – Home Care (Cth)
  • Privacy Policy
  • Support plan
  • Initial Assessment Policy and Procedure;
  • Substitute decision making policy and procedure
  • Incident management policy
  • Feedback and complaints management policy

Monitoring and Review

This policy and procedure will be reviewed at least annually by the Senior Leadership Team. Reviews will incorporate staff, customer and other stakeholder feedback, where relevant.

HomeMade’s Continuous Improvement Register will be used to record improvements identified and monitor the progress of their implementation. Where relevant, this information will be considered as part of HomeMade’s service planning and delivery processes.

 

Version date: September 2023

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