Frequently Asked Questions

What is the process for providing compliments, complaints and feedback?

As an integral part of continuous quality improvement, Longreach Home and Community Care Inc. is committed to addressing issues or concerns, suggestions and compliments about staff, services or the organisation.

Please contact the Coordinator, Kym Webb:

In writing to PO Box 247 Longreach QLD  4730 or via email to coordinator@longreachhacc.org.au
Telephone (07) 4658 1416 or in person at 19 Duck Street Longreach.

Alternately, you may wish to raise your concerns, suggestions and compliments about staff or service with one of your Consumer Advisory Body members:  Linda Tait, Wendy Kerrigan, Pat Shannon, Delphine Delaney, Joyce Rogers, Dale Bignell and Les Hayward.

All communication is dealt with utmost confidentiality and without retribution.

Are Support at Home participants means tested prior to receiving services from Longreach Home and Community Care Inc.?

Yes. All Support at Home participants will undertake an income and asset assessment by Services Australia, to determine their contribution rate for services delivered. For full and part pensioners, Services Australia will access existing information that has been provided for their pension assessment to determine their Support at Home contributions. Participants must notify Services Australia within 14 days of any changes to their financial situation that may impact on their contribution.

Completing an income and asset assessment is not mandatory; however, participants who chose not to complete one can be required to pay the maximum participant contribution rate for all services delivered.

How do I pay my contribution fee?

The collection and payment of participant contributions is outlined in the Service Agreement. Longreach Home and Community Care will issue fortnightly invoices to participants, or at any other time as agreed and noted in the participant’s Care Plan. Unless a full fee supplement is in place, participants will be billed their contribution rate for each service they have received. All participants have a responsibility to pay their contributions for services received, in a timely manner, to ensure continuity of care.

Payment of participant contributions can be made by direct debt, in cash at the HACC Office or by direct deposit using online banking.

Financial hardship applications should be discussed with our Care Partner, Kimberley Jackson or Coordinator, Kym Webb during the care and budget planning meetings.

What will I be able to view in my budget plan?

All Longreach Home and Community Care, Support at Home participants will have access to their care plan and easily track their quarterly budget using the Lookout Way participant app.  On the Lookout digital platform participants can view their individualized care budget and see how their allocated quarterly funding is aligned with the types of services and frequency of delivery outlined in their Care Plan.

On the Lookout platform, participants will have access to their quarterly budget plan which will identify the amount of funding for the quarter, from the Australian government, including the rural and remote supplement and any other supplement a participant is eligible to receive. Should a participant be allocated AT-HM funding this will also be viewed on the budget plan. Costs of each service, the cost of any coordination activities for assistive technologies will be recorded and participant contributions yet to be paid will also be evident. The budget calculator tracks spending in ‘real time’ so participants can have confidence their quarterly budget report is accurate.

Carryover unspent funds will be recorded on each quarterly budget, to allow participants utilisation when addressing unplanned or emerging needs. This is particularly helpful when a participant requires services over and above their budget allocation. The participant can discuss accessing unspent funds to purchase additional services, with their Care Partner. This discussion will be documented in the Care Plan and use of unspent funds will be tracked and recorded on the participant’s budget – allowing for real time, accurate information on their budget at all times.

At the end of the quarter, should there be any remaining unspent budget, the funds will automatically carryover in the Services Australia account, to the next quarterly budget period. The rollover amount is capped at $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget (inclusive of supplements). This means that the maximum amount available to a participant per quarter is their quarterly budget plus $,1000 or 10% of their previous quarterly budget. Services Australia are responsible for the management and calculation of unspent budget balances