What is Consumer Directed Care (CDC)
Consumer Directed Care (CDC) is both a philosophy and an orientation to service delivery and planning of care. The main objective of CDC is to offer consumers more choice and flexibility about the types of care and services they receive, how they are delivered, by whom and when.
The Home Care Packages Programme
The Home Care Packages Programme provides funding for individually tailored packages of care to meet a consumer’s goals, preferences and needs. Home care package funds can be used to purchase a wide range of services including:
support services – such as help around the home, visiting the doctor and attending social activities
personal care – such as help with showering and dressing
nursing care, allied health and other clinical services
care coordination and case management.
Home Care Package Provider CDC requirements
From 1 July 2015 it became a legislated requirement for all home care package services to be delivered on a CDC basis. CDC means that you must work in partnership with your clients to understand what they want and hope to achieve, and then deliver services that meet those needs.
Service provider responsibilities are outlined in the User Rights Principles 2014. Three specific requirements are listed for home care providers:
A Home Care Agreement must be offered to each client. The Agreement records the administrative details of the service delivery relationship.
Within 14 days of entering into a Home Care Agreement you must supply your client with a written care plan that sets out the day-to-day services that will be provided to your client and how those services will be delivered.
Individualised budgets must be provided to clients that record the funds available within their home care package (including Government subsidies and supplements, and fees or contributions paid by the client) and how they will be used.
Monthly statements must be provided to clients outlining the available funds and expenditure for their package in the relevant month.
When agreed by both parties the individualised budget and care plan form part of the Home Care Agreement.
Flexibility and choice are the foundations of CDC. You have the ability to broker out services to meet the needs of your clients if you are not able to provide a specific service yourself.
Ongoing management of home care package services
During ongoing service delivery you must:
have conversations with your clients about their needs and goals to ensure they are being met by the services you are providing;
work in partnership to update and co-produce care plans;
explain the monthly statement, including the funding available under their package and how those funds are being spent;
agree with each consumer the level of involvement that they will have in managing their package; and
conduct ongoing monitoring and formal reassessment to ensure that care and services continue to meet their needs.
Consumer rights
The Government embedded CDC into the Aged Care Principle’s Charter of care recipients rights and responsibilities – home care. You are obliged to provide a copy of the Charter to your clients and explain its content to them.
Some clients may like to have a support person with them during their discussions with you. Their support person may be an advocate, family member or friend, and you should support and encourage this involvement.
Key Points to Remember
Within 14 days after signing a Home Care Agreement, you must provide your client with their personalised care plan.
You must provide an individualised budget to your client so that they can see how their funds will be used to provide the services they need. This, along with their care plan will form part of their Home Care Agreement.
You must issue monthly statements to your clients so they can keep track of how their funds are being used.
Have regular conversations with your client as part of the ongoing management of their care. This will ensure that you aware of any concerns or issues and can rectify them early.