K and K Quality Care Policy for Participant Service Access, Transition or Exit - KK Quality Care

Policy Purpose
The policy provides direction for Kk Quality Care staff when receiving a request for supports and services, assisting with transition of a person living with a disability to or from another service provider or supporting a participant to cease or exit from Kk Quality Care services. In situations where Kk Quality Care is unable to provide a service or adequate supports to a person living with a disability, Kk Quality Care will assist with providing referrals to alternate service providers that have capacity to meet service and support needs. This policy provides direction to Kk Quality Care staff to be open and honest about our capacity to meet support needs and service expectations of any person accessing our services or seeking to access our service.

Policy Statement
Kk Quality Care are committed to upholding the rights of people living with a disability to make informed choices about their lives, including accessing, leaving or transitioning from our services. Kk Quality Care support the rights of persons living with a disability to fully exercise the principles outlined in The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators.

Kk Quality Care provide quality services and supports that are accessible, inclusive, person centred and designed collaboratively with people living with a disability to maintain a consistent focus on meeting personal goals, needs, expectations, and ideals. Kk Quality Care believe in providing information to people with a disability respectfully, consistently, and transparently to protect the right to dignity, equity and safety that all individuals are granted.

Kk Quality Care will ensure:

Provision of services and supports are safe and respectful for people with a disability, Kk Quality Care staff and the community as a paramount consideration.
People with a disability are asked how they prefer information to be provided to suit personal needs and understanding.
Service equity is maintained and is free of discrimination based on age, diversity, culture, religion, gender identification or other grounds in contraction of human rights and discrimination legislation.
Service provision is person centred and responsive to each person’s support needs and personal goals.
People with a disability are informed they have the right to decide to refuse our services and supports or terminate the service agreement with Kk Quality Care at any stage during the intake, assessment or provision of supports.
People with a disability, family/carer or nominated advocate are honestly and openly informed where services or supports become unsustainable or are beyond the skills, expertise and capacity of Kk Quality Care staff.
People living with a disability who exit Kk Quality Care supports and services will be provided with information and support to link into service providers who can meet their support needs.
People living with a disability, families/careers and nominated advocates will be provided with information about how to make a complaint about their experiences accessing, transitioning, or exiting Kk Quality Care.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to all people living with a disability, carers/families or people nominated to advocate for people:

Currently accessing Kk Quality Care services
Requested to access Kk Quality Care services
Will request access Kk Quality Care services in the future

Definitions

Advocate means a person who is asked by a person with disability to act or talk on their behalf and protect fundamental human rights.
Participant means a person with a disability that is currently accessing a Kk Quality Care service or support.
Service Access means the process of intake and assessment a person with a disability.
undertakes with Kk Quality Care to enter into a service agreement for services and supports to be provided.
Service Exit means a participant does not want to access Kk Quality Care supports or services and ends the service agreement.
Service Provider means a business or agency that provides supports or services to a person living with a disability.
Transfer to a service provider is the process of a participant deciding to leave Kk Quality Care and access supports and services of a different service provider.

Accessing Services

Kk Quality Care are only able to provide supports and services to a person living with a disability that has an NDIS Plan or is identified as eligible through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Where a person is eligible to access services, they or their parent/carer or nominated advocate must request a service by:

Telephoning Kk Quality Care Director Ph: 0458 519 641 or
Filling in an Interest Form on https://www.kkqualitycare.com.au/
Emailing admin@kkqualitycare.com.au
Writing a letter to Kk Quality Care, 290-294 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW 2753
Accessing Translation and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 to seek support to contact Kk Quality Care
Make contact on our Social Media Website and request staff contact.

Kk Quality Care’s Manager will arrange an initial assessment meeting with the person with a disability and any person they nominate, including parent/carer/guardian or advocate.

The initial assessment meeting identifies the support needs, service delivery preferences, communication preferences and cultural and/or religious needs of a person living with a disability.

At the initial assessment meeting, KK Quality Care staff will ensure that people living with a disability and their carer/support person/advocate understand the complaints/feedback process, their human rights, privacy and information management policy and how KK Quality Care will manage an incident or reportable event. KK Quality Care staff will provide our Privacy Policy, Complaints Policy, Information about Child Safe Standards and a Welcome Pack that includes information about:

Human rights
NDIS Practice Standards
Service Agreements
How to book a service or support
Feedback and complaints
Advocacy support

Kk Quality Care will complete the assessment section of the intake Assessment and Matching form and ensure the views and support needs of the person with a disability are recorded, including:

Communication preferences and needs
Cultural and religious identity and how they would like to be supported
Other services or professionals involved
Support and services needs

At the initial assessment meeting Kk Quality Care can complete the Participant Assessment paperwork that contains more detailed information about individual health and support needs, including consent to collect, store and access information. A person living with a disability can decide not to complete the Participant Assessment Paperwork and ask for assistance from a parent/carer, service, professional or advocate.

Kk Quality care will contact a person with a disability or their parent/carer or nominated advocate to arrange for services and supports when all documentation is received, including signed consent forms expressing preferences around social media, service agreement and information sharing.

Transition to or from Kk Quality Care

A participant has the right to ask to transition from another service provider to Kk Quality Care or exit KK Quality Care services and transition to another service provider. KK Quality Care will always work in the best interest of the participant to achieve a safe transition to their new service provider.

Kk Quality Care will ensure there is a clear transition plan that the participant or person with a disability develops with Kk Quality Care staff and the other service provider in consultation with a family/carer or nominated person/advocate. The transition plan will include:

Communication preferences of the person with a disability.
Reasons for the transition.
Support needs and personal goals outlined in the Support plan.
Progress towards meeting support needs and person goals.
Contact details of all persons involved in the plan.
Clear actions, action responsibilities and action timeframes to manage the transition effectively and efficiently.
Agreed risk factors and a plan to eliminate, reduce or manage identified risks to the person with a disability.
An agreed date the transition plan will be reviewed and finalised.
An escalation process if agreed actions or risk management strategies are not completed.

Services offered

KK Quality Care will ensure all services and supports provided to people living with a disability are free from discrimination, exploitation, abuse and neglect. KK Quality Care are committed to ensuring quality and respectful service provision that is equitable for all people across different ages, abilities, religion, culture, gender, relationship and identity orientation or diverse values.

KK Quality Care provides specialised supports for people living with a disability that can be accessed with an approved NDIS plan. KK Quality Care offers services and supports to people living with a disability in line with the NDIS Price Guide:

0101 Accommodation Tenancy
0102 Assist Access/Maintain Employment
0106 Assist Life Stage Transition
0107 Assist Personal Activities
0108 Assist Tavel/Transport
0115 Daily Tasks/Shared Living
0116 Innovative Community Participation
0117Development Life Skills
0120 Household Tasks
0125 Participate Community
0136 Group/Centre activities

Service Agreements

KK Quality Care staff will explain a service agreement to a person living with a disability and/or carer/support person/advocate at the initial assessment meeting. KK Quality Care staff will develop a service agreement in collaboration with the person living with a disability and their carer/support person/advocate including:

identifying supports to be provided
requirements and preferences for service and support delivery
preferred language or communication method is identified and provided to ensure understanding of the service agreement
all costs in the service agreement are explained and agreed to prior to service provision
the Service Agreement terms are explained and confirmed prior to signing the document, including participant rights, cancellations, service exit and reasons services may be withdrawn
how to raise a complaint or provide feedback about service provision
how to change or modify the service agreement

KK Quality Care will develop a service agreement based on the service requirements, support needs and preferences of a person living with a disability. KK Quality Care staff will provide a copy of the service agreement in the language and mode of communication requested by the participant. KK Quality Care staff will ensure the person living with a disability and their carer/support person/advocate are provided with sufficient time and information to make an informed decision about the service agreement. KK Quality Care are committed to ensuring people living with a disability make informed choices and to exercise their rights to control service access, planning, review and transition.

KK Quality Care staff will explain at the initial intake assessment there is no obligation to sign the service agreement and will support the person living with a disability to:

access an independent advocate if they need assistance or are uncertain about the service agreement or terms
additional information requested by the person living with a disability or their carer/support person/advocate is provided promptly and in the preferred communication method
identify and link with alternate service providers if KK Quality Care is not the preferred service
understand the services and training/expertise of staff available at KK Quality Care to ensure service and support expectations are captured in the service agreement
understand dignity of risk and decision making (refer to Dignity of Risk Policy)

KK Quality Care staff will explain at the initial intake assessment how to access additional information on the NDIS Commission website about Service Agreements and Things to think About and include these resources in our Welcome Pack.

When a person living with a disability, or their carer/support person/advocate or designated representative, have signed the service agreement they are a participant of KK Quality Care services. KK Quality Care will provide each participant with a signed copy of the service agreement and save a copy on the participant’s file on KK Quality Care Brevity Client Information System. A participant made decide not to have a copy of the service agreement, and the circumstances of this decision will be recorded on the Brevity system.

Continuity of Supports

KK Quality Care will proactively maintain an ongoing relationship with each participant to assist with meeting their support and service needs. Wherever possible, KK Quality Care will ensure our services are provided without interruption, with key staff and are meet each participant’s support needs outlined in their service agreement. KK Quality Care may need to hire casual support workers or utilise the Leadership Team where an unexpected absence of key staff occurs. KK Quality Care will explain any change or interruption to each participant and seek agreement for any alternative arrangements that includes identifying risks and how to make a complaint about the break in continuity of care. KK Quality Care trains all our staff to provide direct services and supports to a participant, including compliance checks, Code of Conduct and mandatory training. KK Quality Care Leadership Team briefs all staff prior to working with each participant, including service preferences, support needs and review of support plans.

Emergency and Disaster Planning

KK Quality Care have emergency policy and procedures in place that identify natural disasters (such as bushfires, flooding and storm damage) and other events such as infectious outbreaks (such as COVID-19, chicken pox or respiratory infections etc).

KK Quality Care will discuss emergency and disaster planning at the initial intake meeting and identify each participant’s needs for evacuation or additional support during this time that will be incorporated into a support plan for each participant.

When an emergency or disaster occurs, KK Quality Care will enact emergency and evacuation plans. KK Quality Care staff will contact each participant, and their nominated carer/support person/advocate or designated representative to identify the risks, discuss any service interruption and plan for safely removing each participant from the presenting risk or danger. KK Quality Care will communicate with each participant, and their carer/support person/advocate or designated representative in the event of an emergency or disaster:

any changes in the provision of supports (including risks, times and day changes)
any changes to staff or if KK Quality Care need to access casual staff outside the agency where usual staff are unable to provide services
the impact of any change or emergency on each participant and services essential to avoid injury, risk or endangerment to health and safety.
any additional support needs or care each participant may require
any amendments that will be made to the service agreement or support plan

Responsive Supports

KK Quality Care will ensure all participants receive supports in their preferred language and method of communication that are responsive to their needs, including accessing translators. KK Quality Care staff will provide supports cultural/religious supports that respect participant support preferences. Participants have the right to an advocate of their choice including an external advocate, if needed.

KK Quality Care will develop a support plan in consultation with each participant, and/or carer/support person/advocate or representative. KK Quality Care will review each support plan annually or where there is a significant change in support or service needs for each participant (refer to KK Quality Care Support Planning and Provision Policy).

Reasonable Adjustments to Services and Supports

KK Quality Care will agree on service, supports and preferences for delivery are agreed with each participant, and/or carer/parent/nominated support/representative at the intake meeting.

KK Quality Care will develop a Support Plan (Refer to KK Quality Care Support Policy) in consultation with each participant, and/or carer/parent/nominated support/representative to ensure a clear understanding is reached about individual service and support expectations and needs.

The Support Plan for each participant is reviewed annually by the Program Manager, who meets with each participant, and/or carer/parent/nominated support/representative to identify any reasonable adjustments to the participant's support delivery environment. Any adjustments to a participant’s support delivery environment will be agreed by the participant, their carer/parent/nominated support/representative to ensure the services provided by KK Quality Care is fit for purpose and will support the health, dignity, independence, quality of life and privacy of a participant.

The agreed adjustments to services and supports will be documented in the Service Agreement and a copy provided to each participant, or their carer/parent/nominated support/representative to review, agree and sign. A copy of the adjusted Service Agreement, and the conversations about ant reasonable adjustments to services or supports, will be held on the Brevity Data Management System for each participant. Where a participant decides not to receive a copy of the adjusted Service Agreement in writing, KK Quality Care will document on Brevity Data Management System the date of this decision, the reasons for the decision and if a copy was provided by a different method of communication.

At any time a participant believes they need a reasonable adjustment to services and supports, they may request a review of their Support Plan early or contact KK Quality Care Program Manager at admin@kkqualitycare.com.au or Telephone: 0457 436 310.

Conflicts of interest

KK Quality Care prioritises the best interests of each participant, ensuring all participants and/or carer/support person/advocate or representative is informed in a way they can maximise choice, decision making and control. KK Quality Care staff must not directly (do something) or indirectly (fail to do something) that influences direct decision making by a person with a disability or their carer/support person/advocate or representative. KK Quality Care will ensure each participant understands they have choice and control over the services, supports and providers. KK Quality Care prohibits illegal practices that breacher Australian Consumer Law and exploit people living with a disability, such as overcharging, over pricing, pressuring or financial inducement to participate in KK Quality Care Services.

Any participant who is unhappy with KK Quality Care services, supports or costs is encouraged to provide feedback or make a complaint to:

Director Kiran Singh by Telephone: 0458 519 641
Filling in an Interest Form on https://www.kkqualitycare.com.au/
Director Kiran Singh by emailing kiran.singh@kkqualitycare.com.au
Accessing Translation and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 to seek support to contact Kk Quality Care

Any participant who is unhappy with services, supports or costs should seek further information or make a complaint to:

Australian Consumer and Competitor Commission https://www.accc.gov.au/about- us/contact-us or https://portal.accc.gov.au/forms/info-form/make-an-enquiry/ or Telephone: 1300 302 502
NDIS Email: enquiries@ndis.gov.au or Phone: 1800 800 110 (NDIS National Contact Centre), Monday – Friday 8am to 8pm or in person by visiting an NDIS office, Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or Early childhood (EC) partner or by Mail to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601.
NDIS Commission by Phoning: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677. Interpreters can be arranged or National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544 or Completing a complaint contact form.

Service Exit

Kk Quality Care recognises participants may decide to exit or cease the service agreement due to a change in circumstances, such as moving residence, meeting set goals or changing to another service provider. KK Quality Care will contact the participant to offer assistance to access services and supports with another service provider who may have capacity to meet support and service expectations for the participant in a location of their choice.

Kk Quality Care may discontinue providing supports and services to a participant where:

The support or services needs change and Kk Quality Care do not have the skills, expertise or capacity to manage the changes safely or with excellence.
The person with a disability places KK Quality Care workers at risk or impacts significantly on worker health and safety and the participant is unable to follow safety plans.
The person with a disability is verbally or physically abusive towards KK Quality Care, participants or other people and we are unable to provide safe delivery of services and supports.
The person with a disability ceases to have a NDIS Plan

KK Quality Care will not withdraw services or terminate a Service Agreement with a participant based on a lifestyle choice, diversity, culture, religion, gender identification/orientation or other individual characteristic. KK Quality Care will protect the rights for dignity or risk (Refer to KK Quality Care Dignity of Risk Policy) and independent decision making for people living with a disability.

KK Quality Care Director will make the decision to exit a participant without their consent. KK Quality Care will continue to provide respectful communication with a participant who exits our service without consent, although contact may be limited to telephone, email or visual communication if face to face contact presents a safety risk. Kk Quality Care will collaborate with other service providers or community agencies that may have capacity to meet the support, safety and services needs of the participant. Kk Quality Care will provide participants exiting our service with the choice to participate in an exit interview.

Kk Quality Care will ensure the participant understands our complaints process and how to access advocacy support to provide feedback at any stage the participant exits or transitions to another service provider.

Participant files and information

KK Quality Care will retain information about a person exiting or transitioning services in accordance with our Privacy Policy and NDIS Standards and Practice Indicators. A person living with a disability can request to access information held by KK Quality Care by emailing admin@kkqualitycare.com.au or texting Director on , regardless of whether they exited or transitioned to another service provider.

The response to a request for copies of personal information to be provided will generally be provided within 5 business days of receiving the request. Where large volumes of personal information is held by Kk Quality Care about a person living with a disability, the response time to providing a copy of personal information may exceed 5 business days and this will be communicated to the person living with a disability with an approximate time frame for provision of information.

Relevant documents
Mandatory Reporting Policy
Rights and Responsibilities Policy
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Complaint Policy
Intake Assessment Matching Form
Welcome Pack
Participant Assessment
Support Planning and Provision Policy
Support Plan
Transition Plan
Transition Meeting
NDIS Service Standards and Practice Indicators
NSW Anti-Discrimination Act
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act (2013)