One Central Health Policies
One Central Health Policies
Scroll down to read the policies.
- Rights and Access to Services Policy
- Privacy Policy
- Confidentiality of Information
- Disaster and Emergency Management Policy
- Use of Information
- Website Privacy Policy
- Choice and Control Policy
- Fee and Cancellation Policy
- Conflict of Interest Policy
- Feedback and Complaints Policy
- Incident and Critical Incident Policy
- Risk Management Policy
- Safeguarding Policy
- Providing Supports/Services to People with a Disability Policy
- People with Disability Protection Policy
- Person Centred Practice Policy
- Participation and Inclusion Policy
- Separated Parents Policy
- Quality and Continuous Improvement Policy
- NDIS Transition To & From Service Policy and Procedure
- Early Childhood Practice Policy
- Related Legislation and Standards/Workers Screening and Risk Assessed Roles
- Contact Information
Rights
One Central Health abides by the professional code of conduct outlined by the Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Social Services) as well as the NDIS Code of Conduct as a registered provider.
We acknowledge the rights of people with disability to:
- Realise their physical, social, emotional and intellectual development potential.
- Receive the support required to participate in and contribute to their economic and social life to the extent to which they are able.
- Receive the support required to exercise choice and control in relation to taking reasonable risks in pursuit of their goals and in relation to the planning and delivery of their supports and services.
- Receive a support plan that is culturally responsive and respectful of the family’s cultural beliefs and their community.
- Be respected for the individual worth and have their dignity to live free from abuse, exploitation and neglect upheld.
- Be provided the opportunity to determine their own best interests, including the exercising of choice and control to engage in decision making that will affect their lives as equal partners to their full capacity.
- Have their dignity and privacy respected, including through but not limited to reasonable adjustments to the support delivery environment are made and monitored to ensure fit for purpose for each participant’s privacy, health, dignity, quality of life and independence.
- Have their support network and the role of their families, carers and significant individuals acknowledged and respected.
- Have their individual autonomy respected including, but not limited to, in regards to right to intimacy, sexual expression and self-identity.
- Have information regarding the use of an advocate (including an independent advocate) provided to them and information regarding facilitated access to an advocate where allegations of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination have been made.
- Have access to advocates, including independent advocates, and supports to promote innovation, quality, continuous improvement, contemporary best practice and effectiveness.
- Have the choice and control regarding their advocates and the right to have their advocates present.
Access to service policy
One Central Health’s services are open to all people with a disability, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexuality, marital status, or political belief.
Access to One Central Health’s services is based on a formal assessment to determine the extent to which the potential customer’s needs can be addressed by the services One Central Health provides.
One Central Health recognises that there are barriers to access to services for some people, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Indigenous people, and people whose behaviours are challenging. However the organisation is committed to identifying, acknowledging and addressing these issues to the best of our ability with the resources available to us.
If One Central Health are unable to offer a service to a potential customer, we offer information and provide referral advice regarding other services that might be able to assist them.
Cultural sensitivity – Being aware that cultural differences and similarities between people exist without assigning them a value – positive or negative, better or worse, right or wrong.
Equity – The quality of being fair and impartial.
Equity and access considerations
One Central Health is committed to ensuring fair and equal access to physical environments, information, communication and services. This may include:
- Considering the suitability of physical environments
- The use of augmentative and alternative communication methods to supplement or replace speech or writing for those with impairments in the production or comprehension of spoken or written language.
Cultural diversity
Employees are to ensure that services are provided with sensitivity to and an awareness of the cultural beliefs and practices of clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This includes an awareness of the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities. Communication about this policy should be done in a way that suits each individual with regard to their cultural background e.g. if required, the use of an interpreter or easy English documents.
One Central Health will develop connections with culturally appropriate organisations and groups to influence the meaningful participation of people with disability.
Procedure
- Potential customers complete One Central Health’s Client Information Form and then attend an initial appointment with the relevant staff member . The purpose of this appointment is to determine:
- The customer’s goals and aspirations, and the extent to which these can be met through the services that One Central Health is able to provide.
- Any special needs that must be taken into account if One Central Health is to provide a service, and the extent to which One Central Health can meet those needs.
- If the customer, and the One Central Health staff member agree that One Central Health will provide a service, this will be confirmed to the customer in writing, as needed.
- Along with the confirming letter (if needed), the new customer will be provided with a brochure containing information about One Central Health.
- If needed, a review will be conducted six months after commencement of service to ensure that services are being delivered in the manner that the customer expected. This review period may be different (or not required) for different professional reporting bodies.
- If One Central Health is unable to provide a service to a potential customer, One Central Health will advise the customer of other organisations that might be better placed to provide the service they require.
Privacy Policy
One Central Health considers the privacy of our clients to be of the utmost of importance.
Our team works hard to ensure that:
- You are aware of how we collect, use, store, transfer, retrieve, dispose and destroy of your personal information.
- You understand that personal/health information can include but is not limited to: name, address, birthdays, health reports, treatment notes, race, culture, religion and ethnicity information.
- You have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have, lodge any complaints or provide/withdraw consent.
- Our privacy policy follows Australia’s laws and adheres to strict confidentiality principles.
Access to Privacy Policy
This document should be freely available and accessible on request by all staff and clients of our clinics. Its availability should be announced in a prominent location and discussed with each client during their first session.
Confidentiality of Information
All personal information gathered by practitioners/therapists/doctors at the clinic during the provision of services will remain confidential and secure with the following exceptions:
- It is subpoenaed by a court.
- Failure to disclose information would place you or another person at risk
- Your prior approval has been obtained to either provide a written report to another agency or discuss the matter with another person. In this event, a consent form will be provided for signing.
- For debt collection purposes.
Information may be disclosed without consent if required or authorised by law.
We ensure that all personal information is kept private, secure and safe. It is available only to the required staff members who need to see it in order to provide you with your services. If we need to share or transfer your information to another provider, organisation or third party, we will obtain your prior consent and agreement.
Disaster and Emergency Management
Emergency Contact List
Emergency Services
For emergencies, please immediately call 000.
| Police | 000 |
| Fire | 000 |
| Ambulance | 000 |
One Central Health management personnel
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
| Clinical Manager |
| Admin Manager |
Governance arrangements Authority
The development, implementation and revision of The Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (the Plan) is the responsibility of One Central Health management personnel. One Central Health management personnel are responsible for ensuring training and related exercises of the Plan are carried out, and effectiveness is reviewed and documented.
Aim
The aim of the Plan is to clearly outline One Central Health’s approach and response to disaster and emergency management. Emergency and disaster management includes Planning which ensures risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants that may arise in an emergency or disaster are considered and mitigated, and ensures the continuity of supports critical to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants in an emergency or disaster.
Objectives
The objectives of the Plan are to:
- Document the response activities that One Central Health will undertake when there is a perceived or real threat to life, health or property.
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders
Organisational Arrangements
The established hierarchy which applies to normal work-related activity will generally apply during an emergency.
Emergency Management Meeting
An Emergency Management Meeting (EMM) will be convened when the Plan is activated and will comprise the following roles:
| Position | Responsibilities |
| EMERGENCY COORDINATOR: Chief Executive Officer | Coordinate EMM, set meeting times and agenda, delegate tasks. Ensure all emergency management decisions are implemented, coordinate emergency response activities. Provide information to the media. |
| Admin Manager | Organise EMM, record and distribute minutes of meetings. Facilitate support to team members and participants impacted by the emergency |
| Clinical Manager | Facilitate clinical assessment of participants as required. Facilitate support to team members impacted by the emergency. |
During an emergency period, the One Central Health management personnel will meet daily until the CEO determines a change to meeting frequency.
Distribution
The Plan will be available on One Central Health’s web page for participants and their families to view.
Triggers to activate the Plan
A workplace emergency is defined as an unforeseen situation that threatens employees, participants or the public. An emergency may be natural or man-made, and may disrupt or shut down operations.
The defining characteristic of an emergency event or situation is that usual resources are overwhelmed or have the potential to be overwhelmed. Emergencies may be a specific event with a clear beginning, end and recovery process, or a situation that develops over time and where the implications are gradual rather than immediate.
The Plan will be activated for emergency events such as:
- Fire or explosions
- Serious injuries, bites, poisonings or other medical emergencies
- Emergency as a result of environmental conditions including, but not limited to: Bushfire, Storm, Earthquake
- Hazardous substances and chemical spills
- Gas or water leak
- Vehicle accident
- Bomb threat
- Civil disorder or illegal occupancy including robbery
- Hostage or terrorist situation
- Physical (including sexual) assault
- Infectious disease outbreak/pandemic
Risk Assessment
One Central Health uses risk assessment processes to identify and control barriers to effective emergency management.
All One Central Health management personnel, team members, volunteers and participants are expected to behave in a way to minimise the risk of emergencies occurring.
Where possible, participants and their support networks will be consulted about emergency and disaster Plans put in place.
Each participant is to have a Client Disaster and Emergency Management Plan created.
Communications
An efficient emergency response will be facilitated through early and regular communications to all stakeholders.
Participant Communication
Information provided regularly to participants will address:
- Progress of emergency.
- Emergency management and control measures being implemented.
The regularity of the communication will be determined by the One Central Health management personnel.
Team member briefings
Information provided regularly to team members will address:
- Progress of emergency
- Emergency management and control measures being implemented
- Impact on team members, including how team members fatigue is being managed
The regularity of the communication will be determined by the One Central Health management personnel.
Stakeholder updates
Stakeholders identified by the One Central Health management personnel, relevant to the emergency, will be updated regularly for the duration of the emergency. Stakeholders may include:
- General practitioners
- Families
- Support Coordinators
- Informal carers
The regularity of the communication will be determined by One Central Health management personnel.
Communication with emergency services
The Emergency Coordinator (CEO) is the primary contact for emergency services personnel. Upon arrival of the emergency services, they are to be informed of the emergency circumstances, including if any persons remain in the building/office, if appropriate.
Preparedness
The list of potential emergency situations and disaster and emergency Plans are reviewed annually. One Central Health will also review these in the event of a disaster or emergency situation. Plans are in place to identify, source and induct a workforce in the event that workforce disruptions occur in an emergency or disaster.
All One Central Health management personnel, team members and volunteers are trained in disaster and emergency response procedures at induction and annually to ensure they are familiar with implementing disaster and emergency management Plans.
All One Central Health management personnel, team members and volunteers familiarise themselves with emergency evacuation procedures, including their responsibilities and the emergency evacuation assembly point.
Emergency evacuation drills are undertaken in all sites quarterly under the instruction of the CEO.
- The Fire Warden conducts emergency evacuation drills at a minimum of once per year. All persons in the premises at the time of the drill are to respond as if in a true emergency evacuation.
- A record of the emergency evacuation drill is made using the Emergency Evacuation Report, which identifies details of the evacuation and where further safety actions are required. The Emergency Evacuation Report is also used to record evacuation details following a true emergency evacuation.
All fire safety activities undertaken by One Central Health are recorded and reviewed to identify gaps in training, knowledge, equipment or processes. Fire activities include, but are not limited to, fire safety training, drills and exercises, records of maintenance and inventories of equipment kept.
One Central Health team members with capabilities that are relevant to assisting in the response to an emergency or disaster (such as contingency planning for infection prevention and control) are to be identified and assigned where required. Training will also be provided to implement emergency and disaster Plans.
Response
Plan Activation
Activation of this Plan will follow an assessment or escalation of an incident. The decision to activate this Plan is dependent upon various criteria including the perceived level of threat and the amount of support required.
When a disaster or emergency situation arises, the primary aim of the response is to ensure the safety of all people on the premises, preserve life and protect property.
The R.A.C.E acronym has been adopted as the standard emergency message and response for all One Central Health workers, as it is applicable in many emergency situations.
| R | RESCUE | Any person in immediate danger if safe to do so. |
| A | ALARM | Raise the alarm/alert others.Contact emergency services by phoning 000.In case of fire, activate alarm. |
| C | CONTAIN | Close doors to contain fire and secure the area. |
| E | EXTINGUISH/ EVACUATE | Attempt to extinguish fore only if trained and if safe to do so.Evacuate the premises. |
A register of participants who require support during an emergency can be obtained through the One Central Health Staff Portal. This list can be obtained by the CEO, Clinical Manager, and Admin Manager. The list can be sorted by postcode.
Alternative arrangements for the continuity of supports for each participant are to be considered, where changes or interruptions are unavoidable and support is safe to do so. These changes will be:
- explained and agreed with the participant
- delivered in a way that is appropriate to their needs, preferences and goals.
In the event of an emergency or disaster, each participant should access support in a safe environment that is appropriate to their needs. Measures for this include:
- using and identifying team members familiar to the participant where possible.
- undertaking work with other providers (including health care and allied health providers and providers of other services) to identify and manage risks to participants and to correctly interpret their needs and preferences.
- for participants with communication needs, having clear arrangements in place to support them to understand and express emerging health concerns.
- routine environmental cleaning is conducted in settings in which supports are provided to participants (other than their homes), particularly of frequently touched surfaces.
- PPE is available to One Central Health team members, and One Central Health participants who require it.
The following information is further guidance for specific emergencies:
Fire Management
- In the event of a fire, fire safety equipment is to be used to extinguish the fire if safe to do so. If it is unsafe to use fire safety equipment, emergency evacuation procedures are implemented.
- The fire warden or in their absence a collectively agreed other lead person ensures that emergency services are contacted by phoning 000.
- All fires should be attended by fire emergency services, regardless of the size, extent or damage of the fire as there may be further risks which emergency services can identify and assess.
Raising the alarm
An employee who discovers an emergency (i.e. fire, gas leak etc.) should:
- Rescue any person in immediate danger if it is safe to do so
- Do not attempt to combat the fire – this should be left to professionally trained people
- Contact the Fire Warden or One Central Health’s management personnel and ask them to:
- Activate the alarm system
- Call emergency service by telephoning 000
- Advise the fire warden
- Evacuate to the assembly point
Evacuation
- Where an emergency alert or alarm is given that requires evacuation of a building (i.e. fire, explosion, bomb threat, natural disaster), all persons are to leave One Central Health premises in a prompt and calm manner via the emergency exits. In an emergency evacuation, do not use building lifts.
- The Fire Warden is responsible for providing direction and facilitating safe evacuation of all persons. The Fire Warden must collect the admin ipad to log into Cliniko and ensure all persons evacuate the building and meet at the designated emergency assembly site. Where the Fire Warden is not available, a senior team member or other suitable person is to identify themselves as the person responsible for leading the emergency response.
- All persons are to follow instructions of the identified emergency response leader and emergency services personnel.
- Mobility impaired persons are supported by other persons to safely evacuate the premises. Mobility impaired persons who are in immediate danger and cannot safely evacuate the premises are moved to a safe place. A safe place may be inside a fire isolated fire stair, or into another section of the building, closing doors between the person and the fire, however still on an exit route.
- Team members are responsible for ensuring that visitors are escorted to the emergency assembly site, following the below processes for child clients.
- Clinician alone with client in clinic
- Hold client’s hand and walk out of clinic to evacuation point
- Clinician to bring phone and laptop (if able to)
- Clinician to call parents to come and collect client
- Clinician with parent and client in clinic
- Clinician and parent to escort to client out of building to evacuation point
- Clinician to bring phone (if safely able to)
- Clinician with Client Liaison Officer (CLO) in clinic
- Clinician to evacuate with their client to evacuation point
- CLO to phone parent (once evacuated)
- Clinician to bring phone (if safely able to)
- Group sessions in clinic
- Clinicians to hold clients’ hand and escort to evacuation point
- Clinicians to bring phone and laptop (if safely able to)
- CLO or clinician to call parents to come and collect client
- Clinician alone with client in clinic
- If a person is trapped in the building, no person is to re-enter the premises unless it is completely safe to do so and permission is given by One Central Health management personnel. If it is unsafe to re-enter the premises, inform emergency services on their arrival for them to assess and respond to the situation.
- No person is to re-enter the premises while the fire alarm is sounding or until clearance is given by emergency services.
Evacuation Procedures for Fire Warden
- When notified of a fire, the Fire Warden should ascertain whether the person who discovered the fire has called the Fire and Emergency Services. If not, the Fire Warden, depending on the reported seriousness of the situation, should do so whilst commencing the evacuation of the building.
- The evacuation of the building is achieved by firstly notifying any other Fire Warden of the situation. The Fire Warden then quickly walks around the building and instructs all people present to leave the building immediately and move to the assembly point. Team members should not be offered any explanations. Care should be taken to notify team members in areas not part of the main building (e.g. basements, toilets, storage areas).
- The Fire Warden(s) should ensure that every room, including the toilets, have been checked for occupants. The doors of each room should be closed once vacated.
- To ensure that Fire Warden do not unnecessarily risk their own lives or the lives of others, the following procedures must be adhered to:
- Any person refusing to leave the building is to be left in the building.
- If a person has a disability who is likely to slow the exit of remaining people from the building, the disabled person must be the last to leave the building with the fire warden.
- If it is difficult to reach a person without risking a life, then that person must be left in the building for the Fire and Emergency Services to rescue.
- Fire Warden should be the last to leave the building and move to the Assembly Point. At the Assembly Point, a list of names will be taken and team members will be asked to account for any missing persons.
- The decision to switch off the electricity supply should be taken by emergency services.
Evacuation assembly site
- Following evacuation from One Central Health premises, all persons are to assemble at the designated emergency assembly site.
- The emergency assembly site is clearly labelled on the Evacuation Plan.
- All persons are to remain at the designated emergency assembly site until given clearance to return to One Central Health premises or other directions by the Fire Warden and emergency services personnel.
Bomb Threat
- In the event of a bomb threat, remain calm and always treat the threat as genuine.
- Team members must keep calm and act in as normal a manner as possible.
- If the threat is via telephone:
- Remain calm. Do not panic.
- If able, notify another team member to call 000.
- Prolong the conversation for as long as possible as on open line can be traced.
- Carefully note personal characteristics.
- Try to find out where the “alleged bomb” has been placed.
- DO NOT HANG UP THE PHONE – even if the caller does.
- Immediately after the call, phone Police. Complete the bomb threat checklist.
- Do not attempt to locate the bomb or remove it.
- CEO should contact the appropriate authorities who will advise what action to take.
- If the decision is made to evacuate, follow evacuation procedures.
Personal Threat
- This procedure is the initial response to a personal threat that may arise from an armed or unarmed person confronting team members or others in a violent or threatening manner. Once police or other professional response group arrives, they will assume command.
- Under no circumstances should team members or others put themselves in further danger.
- When there are demands for property (money, equipment) with threats of violence, the property should be handed over without question.
- Try to remain calm.
- If the offender is a participant, refer to the participant’s environmental risk assessment.
- Obey the offender’s instructions, only doing what is told and nothing more.
- Stay out of danger if not directly involved, leaving the building if it is safe to do so and remove everyone in possible danger out of the way.
- Call 000.
- Follow instructions from Police.
Threatening Behaviour
- Confrontation may include verbal abuse, threatened violence or substance-affected behaviour.
- Diffuse the situation.
- Identify if a suitable solution to the cause of the problem can be found.
- If not, politely ask the offending person to desist or leave. If the offender is a participant, refer to the participant’s environmental risk assessment.
- Inform One Central Health management personnel of the situation.
- If there is a perceived threat to life or well-being, call the Police immediately.
Review of the Plan
The Plan will be reviewed:
- Annually; or
- After activation, to incorporate learnings to improve future responses.
Following an incident:
- Team member debriefs will be held to identify what worked well and what didn’t.
- The CEO and Fire Warden (where relevant) will review the emergency event recommendations will be developed from the debriefs, with the view of identifying and implementing improvements in overall workplace health and safety and emergency management.
- The One Central Health management personnel will develop strategies and processes to address any recommendations arising from the debrief.
- The Plan will be updated.
- Outcomes will be communicated to stakeholders.
Use of Information
We use your personal information to enable us to provide you with the supports, therapy and services you need.
Information gathered at One Central Health is used exclusively for two purposes:
- Formation of a professional opinion which is used to guide assessment and treatment for the presenting issue; and
- Evaluation of the service provided by the clinic through collation of detailed statistics about referral sources, nature of presenting problems, attendance durations, etc. In all cases where information is used for statistical purposes, no identifying information is made available.
Security of Information
Information provided to One Central Health is held both in the Client File and the Clinic Database. All files are held within the office and in locked filing cabinets.
Retrieval and transfer of information
All private and personal information is transferred securely and with prior consent except where required by law.
Storage of information
All private and personal information is stored securely and in compliance with Australia privacy and website laws.
Disposal and destruction of information
All information that is no longer required for the provision of support, services or therapy is disposed of securely and permanently, and physical documents are destroyed in accordance with our privacy policy and Australian law.
Obtaining Information
One Central Health will require (depending on the client) information to be released from other medical practitioners to assist in being able to deliver maximum assistance to the client. As such, you may be asked to sign a ‘release of information’ document.
Procedure for Complaint/Rectifying Information/Withdrawing Consent
Official complaints or requests to change inaccurate or erroneous information should be made to the CEO by:
- Written letter addressed to the CEO, at 24/257 Balcatta Road, Balcatta WA 6021; Or
- Via email sent to feedback@onecentralhealth.com.au marked for the Attention of the CEO
In such cases, the CEO will conduct a review of the information held by the clinic and make every effort to ensure that such information is accurate.
If you wish to withdraw or amend prior consent for the use, storage, transfer, retention or retrieval of your information, please contact the CEO accordingly.
Website Privacy Policy
Contact forms
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If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Where we send your data
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Choice and Control Policy
This policy outlines how One Central Health promotes participants choice and control.
One Central Health promotes and protects individual rights including freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making. One Central Health respects the rights of people with disability in exercising choice and control about matters that affect them and to live the like they wish. All people with disability are assumed to have capacity to make decisions, exercise choice, and provide informed consent regardless of their disability.
Choice – Choice includes smaller decisions about everyday living through to more complex consultation on co-design of service.
Informed consent – Voluntary agreement and willing acceptance of a proposition and following action where the person making the decision has appropriate information and capacity to make the decision free or fear or influence.
Dignity of risk – Autonomy and self-determination used by a person when making decisions, including the choice to take some risks in life.
Procedure
Service Delivery
One Central Health supports people with a disability’s choice and control through the following:
- Each individual has a service agreement and an individual plan. Individual preferences are included in all plans when it is developed or reviewed. Changes in preferences should be noted as part of routine hand over practice.
- Choice includes decision making about which service a person might buy and where and when this occurs e.g. completion of assessment at home, service type etc.
- Decisions and preferences of each individual will be recorded in each person’s file and provided to relevant staff so they can tailor services to the individual and to ensure consistency across the service.
- Information is presented in formats that people with disability understand and prefer. For example; is assistive technology require or do materials need to be translated.
Informed Decision Making
All staff are responsible for supporting people with disability to make decisions and choices related to daily life. Collaboration and consultation with people with disability (and other key stakeholders where appropriate) promotes and ensures active choice and control in relation to the services.
The amount or type of support required by people with disability to make decisions will depend on the specific decision or the situation. Information is to be provided in a timely way to facilitate informed decision making.
Staff may seek advice from their Manager, the person’s family or carers or the Office of the Public Advocate when supported decision making may be required.
Consent
Consent is required for each and every decision. Consent on one occasion or about one event does not imply or assure consent for future decisions, occasions or events.
The person with disability should be informed that they have the right to change their mind and change or retract their consent. If a person chooses to stop using One Central Health services that choice will be respected and supported.
Restrictive Practices
Where decision making relates to restrictive practices, refer to the Eliminating Restrictive Practices Policy and Procedure.
Review and Evaluation
One Central Health will monitor feedback and complaints to identify opportunities to improve choice and control for people accessing its services.
Fee and Cancellation Policy
The One Central Health team is committed to providing easily accessible and high-quality health and therapy services to our clients. To help us achieve this, we would appreciate timely appointment payment and appointment cancellations.
Pricing
One Central Health reserves the right to subject fees and prices to changes without notice.
Fee payment
Fees are to be paid on the day of the appointment. To facilitate this and ensure your experience is as smooth and efficient as possible, we will require credit card details to be supplied prior to the appointment. These details will be securely and confidentially entered into our Tyro system. Please contact admin@onecentralhealth.com.au for information about Tyro.
Exceptions are made only for clients who are NDIA-managed or plan managed. All other appointment fees are to be paid on the day of the appointment by EFTPOS, cash, or credit card. (Note: we do not accept AMEX or Diners Club.)
NDIS self-managed clients may vary this payment schedule only with prior approval and a signed Service Agreement. Payment must be made within two (2) days of the appointment. Further appointments will not be booked if there are outstanding amounts owed.
Cancellation
Failure to attend appointments without prior cancellation not only inconveniences our clinicians, who reserve the whole time slot especially for you, but it negatively impacts our ability to provide much-needed and in-demand services to other clients. Therefore, we have an implemented cancellation policy.
As part of our cancellation policy, all appointments that are not cancelled at least 2 Clear Business Days PRIOR to the appointment will be subject to our Did Not Arrive fee. This fee is equal to the total cost of the appointment in line with the updated NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Limits guide.
This policy is inclusive of cancellations made as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns where telehealth is deemed clinically suitable and is available. No costs will be charged if a staff member of One Central Health cancels a service or appointment, or if an unavoidable interruption prevents the service from taking place. Alternative arrangements will be explained and arranged with clients where clinically appropriate and available.
Did Not Arrive fees may be automatically charged through Bpoint when unpaid.
All appointment cancellations should be made over the phone by calling our office on (08) 9344 1318, or emailing us at admin@onecentralhealth.com.au. If you are calling after hours or our administrative staff are unavailable, please leave a detailed message and our team will be in touch to confirm cancellation.
In the event of frequent cancellations, One Central Health will review your services with you.
For more information regarding our cancellation fee and policy, please contact our team.
Conflict of interest policy
Policy statement
One Central Health actively manages real and possible conflicts of interest that have the potential to negatively impact or influence services. This is part of our commitment to always provide safe and high-quality supports.
Where personal interest comes into conflict with a person’s work-related or volunteering responsibilities, One Central Health exercises good governance, to ensure any conflicts are identified and prevented or resolved.
A conflict of interest may be naturally occurring rather than as an indication of improper activity and all conflicts whether real or possible must be identified, declared, recorded, and managed.
This policy supports One Central Health to apply Standard 6 Service Management (WA Quality System) and Practice Standard 2 Provider Governance and Operational Management (National Quality system).
One Central Health aims:
- To act in accordance with its values, and
- To comply with its general and specific obligations as a registered provider of supports under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Scope
This policy applies to all staff including permanent and casual employees, contract workers, temporary agency workers, and volunteers. Anyone working with or for One Central Health is expected to be familiar with this policy and use the approved procedures for responding to real and possible conflicts of interest.
Principles
- One Central Health acts in the best interests of clients and protects them from harm or disadvantage due to real or possible conflicts of interest.
- Clients have the right to services and supports that are effectively managed, regularly reviewed, accountable and contemporary.
- Clients have the right to know about any real or possible conflict of interest that does, or may, affect their services.
- The conflict of interest policy is provided or explained to each client in their own language using their preferred method of communication.
- Clients are provided with advice about support options (including those not delivered directly by One Central Health) to support a person’s ability to make choices and control their services.
- No client is given preferential treatment above another in the receipt or provision of supports.
- People working for or with One Central Health must not seek or receive any personal benefit because of their work including gifts or rewards.
- All real and possible conflicts of interest are declared, documented, managed, and monitored.
- One Central Health will comply with any operational guidelines or instructions about conflict of interest from the funding agency.
Key actions/Procedures
Introduction
As a registered provider of supports under the NDIS, One Central Health has responsibilities in relation to:
- Managing conflicts of interest generally
- Managing conflicts of interest in plan management and support coordination, and
- Offering or receiving gifts, benefits and commissions.
Managing conflicts of interest generally
The NDIS Terms of Business for Registered Providers requires providers to have policies about potential conflicts of interest in service delivery.
One Central Health and its team members will ensure that when providing supports to clients under the NDIS, including when offering plan management or support coordination services, any conflict of interest is declared and any risks to clients are mitigated.
All employees will act in the best interests of NDIS participants and other clients, ensuring that participants are informed, empowered and able to maximise choice and control. Staff members will not (by act or omission) constrain, influence or direct decision-making by a person with a disability and/or their family so as to limit that person’s access of information, opportunities, and choice and control.
Employees will ensure that One Central Health proactively manages perceived and actual conflicts of interest in service delivery. Employees will:
- Manage, document and report on individual conflicts as they arise, and
- Ensure that advice to a participant about support options (including those not delivered directly by One Central Health) is transparent and promotes choice and control.
As required by the NDIA Terms of Business, all participants will be “treated equally, and no participant [shall be] given preferential treatment above another in the receipt or provision of supports.”
Managing conflict of interest in plan management and support coordination where complete separation of functions is non-viable
Team members performing plan management and support coordination functions will ensure that:
- The organisation’s risk register and/or conflict of interest register includes the ongoing potential conflict of interest
- They declare to clients the potential conflict of interest of One Central Health being both plan manager or support coordinator and a provider of other supports and affirm that the organisation will act as directed by the client and in the best interests of the client
- Clients will be presented with a range of choices about providers of supports and not only One Central Health, and staff will not seek to influence the client to select One Central Health, or
- Brief notes will be made in the client file on our database confirming the advice given to the client.
Gifts, benefits and commissions, and the NDIS
One Central Health and its staff must not accept any offer of money, gifts, services, or benefits that would cause them to act in a manner contrary to the interests of an NDIS participant. Further, employees must have no financial or other personal interest that could directly or indirectly influence or compromise the choice of provider or provision of supports to a participant. This includes the obtaining or offering of any form of commission by employees or One Central Health.
Notes
This does not prevent providers determining which people they will accept as clients on the basis of considerations such as: provider capability, the consequences of NDIS price caps, location, work health and safety, customer mix, and, risk appetite.
Procedure
Conflict of interest is a routine agenda item at Executive Meetings.
A conflict of interest register is kept and maintained by the CEO with responsibility for risk management with One Central Health.
Conflict of interest is explained to staff during induction by the manager responsible for the induction process. This includes a list of potential conflicts arising from multiple employers, personal relationships and gifts.
Conflict of Interest policy is provided to participants and families during orientation and they are given the opportunity to ask questions.
Advice is provided on appropriate ways to thank or recognise staff.
Staff are required to read the Conflict of Interest Policy and declare any personal interests using a declaration of conflict of interest form. Staff who are unsure about whether something is a conflict of interest should speak to their manager.
Breaches of the conflict of interest policy are managed through supervision, and if required, through performance management or the Constitution/ Rules.
Definitions
Conflict of interest: when a person working for or with One Central Health has the potential to gain personal advantage or benefit from their work or be influenced in the way they do their work. Conflicts of interest are documented and reported to management.
Personal interest: refers to a person’s own interests and those of their family and friends and/or any organisations they support of are involved with.
Benefit: Any product, service, or advantage given to a person due to their work. This can include money, gift cards, gifts or discounts or favourable treatment.
Related policy and procedures
- Document Management Policy and Procedure
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Registered Providers of Supports) Rules 2013
- Terms of Business for Registered Providers (effective 1 July 2016)
Related legislation and standards
- NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Practice Standards 2018
- NDIS Terms of Business March 2017
- National Standards for Disability Services 2013
- Corporations Act 2001
- Associations Incorporation Act 2015 (WA)
Feedback and Complaints Policy
This policy outlines One Central Health’s overarching approach to collecting, responding to and monitoring feedback and complaints. Complaints may be from service users, family, guardians, service organisations or other stakeholders.
One Central Health uses the following principles to support complaints management: positive complaints culture; accountability; fairness; confidentiality; accessibility; and responsiveness.
Procedure
General Feedback
Service users are encouraged to provide feedback on services using the Client Feedback Sheet. General client feedback should be used as part of continuous improvement mechanisms.
Complaints
Receiving Complaints
Service users are encouraged to provide complaints. Clients can be made via the Client Feedback Sheet or verbally to an employee. All employees are able to receive complaints. If a complaint is received verbally the staff member records the complaint.
Complaint information should be forwarded to the Manager/Director who will review the information and coordinate a response including:
- acknowledging the complaint (in writing within five to seven days);
- checking the authority of the person making the complaint; and
- clarifying the issues and outcome sought.
If the complaint concerns the General Manager it is forwarded to the Director.
Initial Assessment of Complaint
An initial assessment of the complaint is to occur to determine how the complaint should be managed and by whom.
Responding to Feedback or Complaints – Informal Resolution
If it is best determined that an informal resolution should address the complaint, then the staff member will:
- provide an explanation / apology;
- communicate any changes made as a result of the complaint;
- check whether the person making the complaint considers the complaint resolved; and
- document the outcome.
Responding to Feedback or Complaints – Formal Resolution
If it is best determined that a formal resolution should address the complaint, then the Manager will:
- consider any safety issues and whether a report to an external agency is required;
- provide details of the complaint to any relevant staff;
- advise parties as to what they can expect from the complaint process;
- gather relevant information such as research, documentation, witness statements and consider any legal implications;
- determine a resolution in consultation with all parties e.g. formal meeting, letter, apology and/ or mediation;
- discussion outcome with person making the complaint to check it is resolved;
- record the complaint.
In responding to complaints, employees are to:
- consider the sensitive and/or confidential nature of a complaint and the privacy of the individual making the complaint.
- only record factual information that can be supported by evidence or note that the information is not yet substantiated.
- consider whether the complaint needs to be managed in a particular way either because the person making a complaint has specific rights of review or because the complaint includes allegations that must be reported to an external body. For example, criminal allegations should be reported to the police.
- reassure the complainant that making a complaint will have no negative consequences or repercussions on their service provision.
- inform the complainant they can select which staff member is their primary contact regarding the complaint and ask if they wish to nominate a particular person.
- keep the complainant informed at all stages of the decision making process concerning their complaint and the reasons for those decisions.
Monitoring Complaints
The Director will monitor complaints for trends and opportunities for continuous improvement.
The Health and Disability Service Complaints Office
The Health and Disability Service Complaints Office (HaDSCO) can receive service user / family complaints. The HaDSCO is available to help if:
- complaints can’t be resolved at the service provider level;
- stakeholders would like assistance to approach service providers; or
- stakeholders are unwilling or don’t think it is appropriate to contact the service provider personally.
In line with this, One Central Health will attempt to resolve all complaints locally but support stakeholders to contact the HaDSCO as required.
The NDIS COMMISSION
You can contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 or through https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/ to discuss any feedback or complaint you might have about One Central Health.
ACCESSING INDEPENDENT ADVICE
You can access independent advice through the NDIS Commission here.
Incident and Critical Incident Policy & Procedure
This policy outlines how One Central Health responds to incidents and critical incidents involving service users, staff, volunteers, family and visitors.
The organisation will seek, prevent and manage incidents and critical incidents through reporting of near misses, responding effectively to critical incidents and taking corrective action when necessary in line with the Act.
Procedure
Responding to an incident, critical incident or near miss
All staff in the event of an incident, critical incident or near miss are to:
- ensure the safety of participants, staff and any other people present;
- call the police if there is immediate danger or criminal activity underway;
- secure property, if relevant; and
- contact their direct line managers immediately as possible.
Reporting an incident, critical incident or near miss
One Central Health staff are to report incidents, critical incidents and near misses and in the following manner:
- the issue is reported in writing immediately to their direct line manager,
- the issue is documented on the client file through a file note;
- the issue is documented on the Incident Register;
- if defined as a reportable critical incident, a Critical Incident Report is lodged through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission portal; and
- if of a criminal nature the police should be contacted.
If the incident involved harm to an employee, the Work Health and Safety Policy and Procedure will also need to be adhered to.
Consent from the service user and/or guardian to report information in the Critical Incident Report to the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission must be obtained (or attempted to be obtained with a report on why consent couldn’t be obtained if occurs). This process does not replace obligations to report suspected crimes to police or other relevant authorities.
The responsibility related to serious or critical incident reporting belongs to the disability sector organisation. This also applies to incidents that occur when the individual or individuals are outside the receipt of service in addition to incidents that occur within the receipt of service.
Serious or critical incident reporting should be completed for each individual separately when multiple individuals are involved. If one individual is involved in several incidents, each separate incident requires an individual report.
Investigating the critical incident
The Chief Operating Officer has a responsibility to conduct an internal investigation processes to:
- analyse the critical incident;
- assess the impact on the participant(s) and staff;
- consider whether, and if so how, the incident could have been prevented;
- assess how well the response was managed; and
- identify what policy and practice changes, if any, need to be made to prevent a future incident and/or to minimise the impact of the incident on the participant(s).
Monitoring and Review
The Chief Operating Officer is responsible has a responsibility to:
- track near misses, determine how and why they have occurred and demonstrate corrective action taken to prevent a similar or more serious incident from happening in the future; and
- review the Incident Register including progress on actions taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
Staff Training
Management will provide staff training to:
- identify and respond appropriately to incidents and near misses when they occur;
- understand incident management policy and procedures along with their roles and responsibilities; and
- comply with incident management policy and procedures.
Other
In addition to the above, the organisation will:
- maintain a record of staff training in relation to incident management policies and procedures;
- advise relevant parties such as legally appointed guardians, persons nominated as decision makers by the participant or significant others, as soon as possible;
- ensure families and carers are well supported in the event of an incident
- confirm participants impacted by the incident consent to their details being included in the incident report;
- ensure families and carers are aware of and understand the process for, incident reporting and management;
- ensure families and carers are appropriately included in any investigation of the incident and advised of the outcome of the incident investigation;
- make records available to the Commission as part of the quality assessment process and to contribute to any investigations related to critical incidents; and
- should a crime be suspected, ensure that participants and staff are safe and that any actions by management or other staff do not compromise a potential police investigation.
Risk Management Policy
Preamble
One Central Health is dedicated to always ensuring the health and safety of its service delivery and service environment. All stakeholders are expected to comply and conduct themselves in accordance with high quality standards. One Central Health has a low-risk appetite and expects low risks of injury, harm, and damage to stakeholders and/or assets. Where appropriate, a higher level of risk tolerance will be considered acceptable in relation to standard business practice and clients’ dignity of risk and human rights regarding choice and control.
Policy statement
One Central Health has a legal and ethical obligation to ensure its staff, people with disability and visitors are not harmed during the use of One Central Health’s services. This policy outlines how One Central Health prepares for and responds to risks as part of One Central Health ’s ongoing commitment to providing safe, high-quality services.
One Central Health is a registered NDIS provider and is subject to the WA Quality System/ NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to outline the risk management policy and procedures of One Central Health. Additionally, it provides guidance regarding risk management to support the objectives of the organisation, provide protection for all stakeholders and assets, and ensure financial sustainability.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees and volunteers and supports One Central Health’s risk management strategy and good governance of organisational and individual risk. This policy works alongside individual safeguarding policy and the Code of Conduct.
This policy is taken into consideration for all business strategic planning, quality auditing, service provision, project management, financial planning, and auditing purposes.
The Executive Management team supports the CEO to identify, mitigate and manage risk with the organisation. The CEO is responsible for maintaining the risk register and ensuring Managers implement risk treatments as directed.
Principles
- One Central Health services should be safe for people to use.
- While some risks cannot be eliminated, action is taken to identify risks and remove, minimise or manage them.
- Risks and the plans to mitigate them are documented.
- People accessing One Central Health’s services will be informed about any risks.
- One Central Health is committed to continuous improvement and adapts its services to improve safety on an ongoing basis.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of risk management are supported by all employees and stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
CEO (Executive Management) – To ensure corporate governance including but not limited to ensuing the Strategic Plan is adhered to in terms of vision and direction, continuous improvement, and risk improvement. Maintenance of a risk register and supervision of risk improvement strategies and directives.
Staff (including employees, contractors, volunteers, and students) – Adherence to the policies and procedure set out in this document; specifically, the identification and reporting of risks, risk-assessed decision making and the observation of One Central Health’s risk control.
All stakeholders are encouraged to proactively integrate risk-management strategies, identify, and report risks, and disclose information related to risk management in an open and honest fashion.
Procedures
A risk assessment is undertaken for all organisational processes, services, products and assets.
Risks are assessed based on their likelihood and the potential for harm. Resources are provided to eliminate, minimise or manage risks. Responses must be proportionate to the level of risk.
One Central Health maintains a risk register that is reviewed following any complaint, accident, or incident. The risk register is also routinely reviewed annually.
One Central Health complies with all mandatory reporting requirements related to safeguarding of people with disability, quality management and workplace safety.
People accessing services, their families or carers, staff and volunteers are made aware of risks.
Feedback from people with disability accessing the service, complaints and the results of formal evaluations are used to update the risk register and improve practice.
Process for risk management
The following steps should be followed as part of the process for risk management.
- Identify the risk.
- Identify the context and severity of the risk.
- Provide an analysis and evaluation of the risk.
- Ensure that the risk is reported, treated, and monitored.
- Review the risk improvement strategy and make relevant amendments.
Risk identification
Risks can be identified in several ways and using a variety of tools, strategies, and techniques, including but not limited to:
- Direct stakeholder observation
- Strategic planning
- Financial planning
- External/internal audit
- Event, project, and group reports
- Professional development and continuous improvement reports
- Feedback from stakeholders e.g., employees, clients, support networks, advocates etc.
- Risk management matrix
As part of the identification of risks, a comprehensive analysis to assess the likelihood of the risk and its consequences is to be conducted. This will allow treatment, management, control and monitoring to be more accurate and effective.
The assessment of a risk’s rating will determine the urgency and severity of the treatment, response, and management.
Risk register policy
The risk register policy is maintained by the CEO of One Central Health. Its purpose is to provide a systematic documentation system to ensure the early identification, management, and resolution of risks in a timely and effective manner.
The risk register policy will ensure that adequate information regarding risk analysis and assessment is maintained and reviewed allowing for accurate, effective, and concise information to inform decision making and response.
It is a priority of One Central Health to ensure that all risk information is complete, accurate and maintained.
Risk treatment and strategies
Risk treatment and strategies will be implemented in a financially responsible and efficient manner to reduce the identified risk to an acceptable level.
All strategies will consider the right of all people to dignity of risk choice and control.
As part of the continuation of the risk management policy, all risk treatments and strategies will be monitored and continually reviewed to ensure that the risk exposure remains at an acceptable level.
Safeguarding Policy
This policy outlines One Central Health’s overarching approach to safeguarding.
One Central Health is committed to promoting and protecting individual rights. This policy outlines the role of safeguarding supports and mechanisms to ensure the safety of people with disability and the quality of services.
One Central Health is dedicated to providing an environment where people with disability (to whom it provides services) are protected from abuse, neglect or harm and where staff work according to our organisational values.
This policy guides staff to support people to exercise their rights and exercise choice and control over their services.
Definitions
Safeguarding – Actions designed to protects the rights of people to be safe from the risk of harm, abuse and neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives. Safeguarding improves safety and wellbeing, while imposing the least possible restriction on an individual and their choices.
Abuse – Refers to sexual assault, physical, emotional, financial and systemic abuse, domestic violence, constraints and restrictive practices and neglect.
Assault – Any attempt or threatened attempt to cause unwanted immediate physical contact or bodily harm that puts the victim in fear of such harm or contact.
Duty of care – A requirement a service provider has, to take reasonable care to avoid foreseeable harm to a person.
Procedure
Workforce
One Central Health uses a values-based approach to recruitment to ensure staff are able to contribute to the culture of and human rights, including the right to be free from harm, abuse and neglect. All prospective employees are required to undergo pre-employment screening before being offered a position at One Central Health.
Staff will be supported to undertake safeguarding training as identified by their Manager. Supervisors are required to support the ongoing understanding of staff on issues relating to safeguarding by providing information, professional development and support on a case by case basis.
Service Delivery
All staff are responsible for safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of people with disability in receipt of a service from One Central Health. Any staff member aware of any risk to a person with disability, whether that is a concern or a specific incident, must report it immediately to their line manager.
Safeguard planning must consider the persons situation and their strengths. This includes any potential risks, corresponding safeguards and strategies to build the person’s capacity and skills. When developing individual safeguarding strategies, the person with disability will be involved in the process, along with others the person with disability identifies as essential.
A balance needs to be achieved between meeting duty of care responsibilities and the person’s freedom to make decisions. One Central Health supports people with disability to make informed decisions and choices including being aware of any risks or consequences, recognising that all people learn and grow from trial and error.
If there is an occasion where the person with disability is unable to assess and recognise risks in a particular circumstance, supported decision making should be considered. If this is the case, the nominated representatives should also be involved in the consideration and determination of an individual’s safeguards. This is often family members, carers and/or advocates.
Documentation
Handover notes between staff or with other service providers must include formal advice of safeguarding requirements as part of One Central Health’s duty of care, subject to any legal privacy considerations and the consent of the person with disability we support.
All staff are required to ensure detailed, accurate and up-to-date records and information are maintained for One Central Health to meet its legal, contractual and mandatory reporting requirements. One Central Health relies on this information, and information from individuals, families, advocates and other key stakeholders to regularly monitor service delivery and inform service review. Information collection and analysis is undertaken to identify early warning signs for overall service improvement and identifies trends in practice and service delivery that could be improved.
Staff members must record any concerns in the individual progress notes and advise their line manager immediately.
Providing Supports/Services to People with a Disability Policy
One Central Health, as a provider of supports and services to people with disability, conducts itself in accordance with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s Code of Conduct. This includes ensuring our team members:
- Act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions.
- Respect the privacy of people with disability.
- Provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill.
- Act with integrity, honesty and transparency.
- Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability.
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of people with disability.
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.
People with Disability Protection Policy and Procedure
One Central Health recognises that all people with disability, regardless of their age, cultural background, gender, or personal characteristics, have important rights, including to:
- Be protected from harm
- A safe and nurturing environment
- Be listened to and valued
- Feel respected
- Experience positive developmental outcomes.
One Central Health is committed to the protection and safety of people with disability who access our services. We acknowledge that contact and working with people with disability is a critical responsibility.
We recognise physical, emotional and psychological safety as the basis for healthy development and wellbeing. Our role is to keep people with disability safe from physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, psychological abuse sexual abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination and neglect.
Safety is the first consideration in all of our activities and management practices. This includes protection and safety from all forms of abuse and neglect, including acts of commission and omission, both intentioned and unintentional, caused by individuals and/or from our processes and systems.
To build and maintain a safe organisation, One Central Health has a comprehensive and integrated policy framework, which applies to all employees, volunteers and carers. This policy framework provides guidance in relation to the following areas to ensure the protection and care of people we work with:
- Governance
- Management systems
- Human resources
- Risk assessment and management
- Safety and quality integration
- Assessment and planning
- Focusing on positive outcomes
- Ensuring cultural safety and appropriateness
- Confirming consumer rights
Procedure
All staff share the responsibility and have an obligation to meet One Central Health’s objectives to:
- Promote practices where the protection, safety and wellbeing of people with disability is paramount at all times.
- Promote a culture where everyone is treated with dignity, equality and respect.
- Listen to and respond appropriately to the views and concerns of people with disability.
- Take all reasonable steps to ensure the physical, emotional and psychological safety and protection of people with disability.
- Ensure all clients their rights, including access to understandable material explaining what they can expect when receiving services from us.
- Ensure people with disability have easy access to and confidence in various communication channels, support, advocates, and people who will listen to and act on their concerns.
- Ensure we respond quickly, fairly and transparently to any disclosure, issue or complaint made by a person with disability or their parent/guardian or other advocate.
- Identify, assess and manage risks to ensure continuous, safe, responsive and efficient services.
- Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of information.
- Act in accordance with all relevant laws and regulations.
- Provide services and programs in an effective, safe and responsive way to ensure positive outcomes for all people and communities.
- Provide services and programs in a culturally safe and appropriate manner.
- Provide services and programs in a way that strengthens the rights of people with disability, empowers them and is ethical.
Person Centred Practice Policy
One Central Health believes people with disabilities have the right to choose the services and supports provided to them and how that service/support will be delivered. One Central Health is committed to guiding and supporting service users and working in collaboration with them to identify their needs, goals, preferences and develop individual plans that reflect these.
Person centred planning – A process of continually listening and learning, focused on what is important to someone now and for the future, and acting on this in alliance with their family, carers, friends and substitute decision makers.
Procedures
Principles
One Central Health employs the following person centred principles in our work with service users and their family, carers, friends and substitute decision makers:
- The focus is on the service user, who they are, their unique interests, lifestyle preferences and needs
- Concentrate on the aspirations, hopes and dreams the service user and their family have for their future life
- Involve family, friends, significant others, advocates and other service providers to encourage the growth of the service user’s network and community engagement
- Decision making and choice is situated with the service user and their allies
- A clear value base for achieving genuine social inclusion and community participation, and
- Organise individualised supports and reduce reliance upon the service system.
Individual Plan
The individual plan belongs to the service user and should be translated into a format that the service user understands for their personal use when required, e.g. plain English, low literacy versions or audio.
The plan documents service user goals, aspirations and strategies and how these strategies will be put in place to achieve those goals and aspirations. Individual Plans are developed and reviewed on a yearly basis or earlier if considered necessary.
A variety of tools may be used to support the development of the plan.
These can include:
- One page profiles
- Communication profiles
- Relationship circles
- Allied Health Assessments
Staff Training
All staff will be provided with training in person centred approaches and how to work collaboratively with service users.
Participation and Inclusion Policy
One Central Health will actively promote the genuine connection and active inclusion of service users with disabilities in community and civic life in ways that are important and meaningful to them.
To facilitate this commitment One Central Health will develop connections and promote opportunities for service users to have meaningful and active participation in civic life within the scope of its role as an ABA provider.
To ensure this commitment, One Central Health will:
- Recognises that each individual is unique and has their own interests and skills
- Support and encourage service users to realise their goals, dreams and aspirations
- Implement person centred planning principles and guidelines to ensure control and decision making is afforded to the service user and their family/carers
- Support and encourage service users to identify how they would like to live their life
- Develop plans which outline ways in which service users can actively and meaningfully participate in community and civil life
- Ensures there is an awareness of and sensitivity to an individual’s cultural beliefs and background which will include providing opportunities for the individual to make meaningful connections with culturally appropriate groups.
- Encourages partnerships with other organisations and community members to provide opportunities for individuals to actively participate in and play a meaningful role in their community.
- Promotes a collaborative approach with the individual, their family and friends to provide opportunities for community inclusion and participation.
- Train staff in the importance of community participation and inclusion. This would include how to encourage and support service users to actively and meaningfully participate in community and civic life.
Definitions
Participation – Taking part in and sharing activities with people with similar interests to achieve personal goals.
Inclusion – A sense of belonging developed when a person is accepted by others, seen as an individual, has interactions with others and not excluded.
Civic life – Participating in the life of the community of which one is part.
Procedures
Planning Meetings
Planning meetings support and encourage service users to realise their goals, dreams and aspirations. They focus on acknowledging service users formal and informal supports as well as connections. Planning meetings also investigate the opportunity for community participation and inclusion and identify strategies to address barriers.
Surveys
Surveys record level of satisfaction amongst service users, stakeholders and families. They provide indications of the level of satisfaction service users have with their community participation and highlight areas of need for increased community inclusion. One Central Health will collect feedback (formal and informal) around its performance from service users and families during planning and review functions and through annual service user and staff surveys.
Informal Conversation and Feedback
These informal conversations happen on an irregular basis and can be face-to-face or over the phone. They highlight specific instances of community participation and integration for service users and often involve looking at changes in support to accommodate service user preferences. Conversations are documented within service user records as per the Document Management Policy and Procedure.
Communication Plan
Communication plans are specific to service users and information is documented about the service user’s journey towards set goals. They are critical when it comes to documenting the service user’s ability to participate in or integrate into the community. This evidence is used to identify how to move the service user from participation to inclusion in their community.
Staff Training
Training at One Central Health focuses on the importance of community participation and inclusion. Specific training is provided to assist staff to build their skills and capacity so they can encourage service users to actively and meaningfully participate in community and civic life. This begins with induction of staff upon employment. Further information is contained within the Staff Handbook.
Separated Parents Policy
At One Central Health, our focus is on the medical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of the children and young people we see. Amongst the children who attend our clinics, many come from separated families. Conflict and communication breakdown within families can limit collaboration with healthcare providers and impact optimal treatment outcomes for the child. This policy hopes to outline our practices’ philosophy to families so that we can collaborate in the best possible manner. Our ultimate goal is to prioritise the best interests of your child(ren) and streamline assessment and management.
- We expect that separated parents work together respectfully and cooperatively, regarding the care of their child. Decisions regarding a child’s medical treatment (e.g. whether to commence medication or start intervention or therapy) should be made jointly by both parents wherever possible.
- Parent(s) must provide us with a copy of any relevant legal documents or court orders.
- Either parent or legal guardian can schedule an appointment with their child, be present at their appointment and/or be sent a copy of their report unless there is a court order restricting their involvement in their child’s care. If this is the case, please ensure you provide these court orders at your first visit to the clinic.
- If one parent makes the appointment, it is the responsibility of this parent to inform the other parent, invite them to attend, and provide them feedback after the appointment.
- Clinic reports will be sent to the parent who attends the appointment, and it is the responsibility of that parent to forward it to the other parent. We are generally unable to provide separate feedback to each parent but welcome both parents to attend appointments and can provide copies of correspondence to each parent, if specifically requested.
- Payment is to be made on the day of the child’s appointment. If there is a legal agreement that requires the other parent to pay all or part of the treatment costs it is the attending parent’s responsibility to settle the account and collect reimbursement from the other parent.
- Where there is significant conflict, we reserve the right to request the court orders, obtain signed consent from both parents, or limit our services until the dispute has been resolved. If necessary, we may discharge a family from the clinic if the conflict is disruptive to the clinic or impedes the care of the child.
- We do not take referrals where the purpose of the assessment is to generate information for legal decision making around custody issues of parental separation.
We always try our best to accommodate all family circumstances. Please help us to provide the best care for your child(ren) by providing all information regarding your family’s situation at your first appointment with us.
Quality and Continuous Improvement Policy
Policy
This policy supports One Central Health to apply the National Standards for Disability Services, in particular Standard 6: Service Management.
One Central Health is committed to continuous service improvement. Continuous improvement requires a deliberate and sustained effort and a learning culture. It is results-driven with a focus not only on strengthening service delivery but also on individual outcomes of our clients.
This policy guides the design and delivery of services and ensures One Central Health maintains high standards, improves systems and processes, adapts to changing needs and demonstrates organisational improvement.
Scope
All staff, whether permanent or casual, contractors or volunteers are responsible for monitoring how well One Central Health’s services and supports are working.
Principles
- All services provided to people with disability (and their families and carers) and all processes and procedures undertaken by staff are the best they can be.
- Services are regularly reviewed and measured for quality and effectiveness.
- Staff and people with disability are encouraged to provide feedback on how to improve service delivery.
- People with disability should be involved in all decision-making processes that affect them.
- People with disability, family and carers can provide valuable insights about the effectiveness of services, highlight any gaps/or issues that arise and provide ideas for improvements and innovation.
- A learning culture of quality of the organisation ensures all staff, regardless of their role, contribute to service quality and quality management.
- Planning, resource allocation, risk management and reporting are critical for continuous improvement and part of an integrated approach that supports One Central Health’s operations.
- One Central Health is committed to innovation, high quality, continuous improvement, contemporary best practice and effectiveness in the provision of supports to people with disability.
Definitions
Continuous improvement – The ongoing effort to improve services, systems, processes or products to maximise individual outcomes. Evidence-based approaches are used the organisation adapts to changing needs of the community or people accessing services.
Quality management – Systems and processes used to monitor, review, plan, control and ensure quality of services, supports or products. Sometimes referred to as quality assurance.
Procedure
Continuous Improvement
This procedure recognises the valuable role that people with disability and staff play in improving services and outcomes. All staff, whether permanent or casual, contractors or volunteers, are responsible for monitoring how well One Central Health’s services and supports are working.
Continuous improvement is embedded within:
- service design and planning.
- feedback review and evaluation
- continuous improvement planning.
Risk Management
Risk management and reporting are critical for continuous improvement and part of an integrated approach that One Central Health supports. Risk management policies and procedures will shortly be developed which support the delivery of quality services and continuous improvement within One Central Health.
Service Design and Planning
One Central Health analyses internal and external environments to understand the broader disability sector and best-practice, contemporary services. This includes engagement with people with disability and other key stakeholders (staff, families, carers, guardians, advocates and other relevant parties as appropriate).
Key stakeholders can provide valuable insights about the effectiveness of services, highlight any gaps/or issues that arise and provide ideas for improvements and innovation. People with disability should be involved in all decision-making processes that affect them.
One Central Health uses a range of processes to proactively identify and recommend improvement opportunities including:
- strategic planning;
- business planning; and
- service feedback collection, review and evaluation involving input from people with disability.
Feedback, Review and Evaluation
One Central Health undertakes analysis and reporting of data and information to measure and evaluate performance against established goals. This includes regular audit activity to monitor and review performance and compliance with relevant standards and legislation.
This includes:
- gap analysis/emerging areas;
- complaints and feedback (formal or informal);
- accident and serious incident reports;
- National Standards for Disability Services self-assessment;
- service reviews with people with disability;
- staff exit interviews; and
- exit interviews for people with disability, families and carers.
Recording and Monitoring Continuous Improvement
People with disability, families, carers, advocates and all staff are encouraged to speak up at any time and raise any concerns they have as well as provide their service improvement ideas on organisational processes, procedures and systems.
One Central Health has a dedicated focus on continuous improvement which is addressed at all internal staff and management meetings. Any concerns and broader quality improvement ideas are recorded and retained, with active improvement opportunities undertaken, where appropriate.
Continuous Improvement Plan
A continuous improvement plan/register will soon be developed. This document will encourages communication, questioning and analysis of new and existing activities and outlines what One Central Health will do to meet the highest standard of service and apply best practice. The plan supports:
- An organisational culture that values all people.
- Communication, information sharing and critical thinking.
- Application of the NSDS and philosophy of the NDIS into practice.
NDIS Transition To & From Service Policy and Procedure
Purpose & Scope
The purpose of this policy and procedure is to detail One Central Health’s transparent and fair service entry and exit procedures. These procedures are designed to uphold the rights and choice and control of people with disability and NDIS participants. Additionally, the policy is designed to ensure that all participants receive the support required when transitioning to or from One Central Health services. One Central Health is committed to providing guidance to assist and support participants to transition into, or exit from, One Central Health service.
Scope
This policy and procedure applies to all potential and existing participants, their family members, carers and other support network. It reflects compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and standards set out by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards commission.
Standards
The applicable NDIS practice standards include the following outcome and indicator:
Outcome
- The assurance that each participant experienced a considered, customised, planned and coordinated transition to and from One Central Health as a provider.
Indicator
- Where possible, a planned transition to or from One Central Health as a provider is facilitated. Collaboration with each participant and their support network/advocate is conducted wherever possible and all communication is documented and inclusion effectively managed.
- Risks, where relevant, associated with each transition to or from One Central Health as a provider is identified, documented, managed, and mitigated in accordance with One Central Health’s Risk Management Policy.
- The processes outlined in this policy are applied and reviewed, developed, improved and communicated periodically in accordance with One Central Health’s Continuous Improvement Policy and Procedure.
Policy
All participants have the right to cease receiving services with One Central Health at any time. The decision and communication to cease services will not prejudice further access to services of a similar or different kind in any form. One Central Health maintains a strict commitment to ensuring that exit procedures are fair, transparent and follow the due process in order to uphold and protect the rights or all participants.
Participant transition plans to or from One Central Health as a provider are planned and coordinated in collaboration with participants, their support network and advocates in compliance with this policy. Transition arrangements are documented, managed and communicated.
Transparency of entry into or exit from One Central Health service is provided to all participants with fair and non-discriminatory practices.
To ensure an informed approach and transition One Central Health may record the following information:
- Reasons behind the transition.
- Details of the provider transitioning to or from.
- Outline of communication, including collaboration, relevant parties and communication methods.
- Feedback received from participants, advocates and support networks.
- Transition plans and time frames.
- Risks including risk management strategies.
Procedure – Transitioning to and from One Central Health Services
Transitioning to One Central Health Services
One Central Health is obligated to provide potential and existing clients and participants, and their support workers, advocates and family, with clear, concise and accurate information about access to services, capacity availability and waiting times. All transitioning to One Central Health services is to be communicated in a transparent and easily understood manner, including the appropriate exit or transitioning from the service.
Once One Central Health accepts the request for service, the transition to service procedure will be initiated. This includes the development and signing of a Service Agreement which will clearly outline the service to be provided as well as responsibilities of the participant and service provider.
Participants transitioning to One Central Health services will be informed of their rights and responsibilities as part of the entry process and documented in the Service Agreement.
An entry interview and/or intake form is part of the transition plan into One Central Health services. Participants will be provided with information regarding their rights, responsibilities, and details regarding the complaints management process.
To transition to services, a person or their family member or advocate must make a request for service and be deemed eligible for support. Requests can be made in writing, formal referral on the phone, by email or through the website.
Where transition from another service provider is taking place, One Central Health will require written consent from the participant or their advocate/representative to obtain relevant information, documentation, person-centred goals, schedules or plans from the other provider.
Transitioning from One Central Health services
Participants wishing to end the provision of services through One Central Health are required to provide notice in compliance with the timeframe outlined in their signed Service Agreement.
Intentions to cease services should be submitted in writing. To ensure continuous improvement and the continuation of support for the participant, service exit, consent to release information to future providers and referral information is all to be documented and managed. The aim of the transition process is to minimise the impact of the change in service and provide continued service and support to meet the individual’s goals, rights, needs and preferences in a person-centred way.
Upon termination of services, participants will be reminded of their rights for future service provision and information regarding advocacy services if required.
Where relevant, One Central Health will work collaboratively with participants and representatives to identify and connect with alternate service providers and services to best meet their continued needs. With the consent of the participant, One Central Health will provide relevant information to new service providers as part of the handover process to ensure a seamless transition and uninterrupted access to services.
As part of the transitioning procedure, participants will be provided with guidance and support regarding the options available to them, the consequences of decisions to exit the service, and the process of re-entry to service in the future should they decide to do so. Risks involved in the transition will be identified, documented and responded to in compliance with One Central Health policy and whilst upholding the participant’s rights and dignity of risk.
Clinical Management
The Clinical Management team is responsible for ensuring staff are familiar with the requirements of this policy and have the sufficient resources, skills, knowledge and support to meet its requirements. All staff undergo ongoing internal training to ensure specialist skills and knowledge. Additional and/or external training may be provided where required.
Feedback and Complaints
Participant feedback and complaints form an integral part of One Central Health’s Continuous Improvement Policy and Procedure. Participants transitioning to or from One Central Health service may provide feedback or complaints regarding this policy and procedure in accordance with our Feedback and Complaints Policy and Procedure.
Participants ceasing services with One Central Health and transitioning from One Central Health as a provider will be given the opportunity to provide feedback through our Exit Forms.
Privacy and Confidentiality
In accordance with One Central Health’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy, respect for and protection of the privacy and confidentiality of all participants is assured at all times.
Access to Support
Where required participants must be provided with support and information to access a person, support worker or advocate of their choice to assist them in the process of transitioning to or from One Central Health services.
To ensure participants understand and can access this information, participants will be provided where required with the information in a written form, such as a different language or Easy To Read English, verbally by staff, or through an interpreter.
Informed Consent
Transition to or from One Central Health service plans will be agreed upon with the participant and enacted only with their informed consent, as well as the consent of relevant stakeholders and support persons.
One Central Health Service Termination
One Central Health will only terminate provision of services to participants in instances where participants refuse to uphold their responsibilities as outlined in the provided and signed Service Agreement.
These unmet responsibilities include:
- Unwillingness to cooperate with clinicians over a period of time to work towards agree goals.
- Placing themselves, the service, staff, or others at risk of harm.
- Not meeting financial requirements.
Severe incompatibility with other participants using the service, significant behaviour and/or health changes necessitating changed levels of care, or discretion regarding the optimal provision of services may be considered in continuation or termination of service provision.
Service exit procedures will only be actioned after consultation with the participant and their support person or advocate and once all strategies and action plans to resolve irreconcilable differences have been exhausted. Communication support will be provided to assist participants through this process where relevant.
Participants have the right to appeal service termination. All appeals should be put in writing to the Chief Operating Office either by post or email at the following details:
- 24/257 Balcatta Road, Balcatta WA 6021
- feedback@onecentralhealth.com.au
Appeals will be considered by the Executive Management team and a final decision communicated in writing. Successful appeals will be able to continue accessing One Central Health services. Unsuccessful appeals will be informed in writing with further advice and support in accordance with our transitioning from service procedure.
Feedback and complaints regarding the appeal process can be submitted in accordance to our Feedback and Complaints Policy.
Service Re-entry
Participants who have chosen to transition from One Central Health services have the right to re-access services. Resumption of service provision will be provided where possible, available and deemed clinically appropriate.
Documentation
When a participant transitions from One Central Health service, all documentation developed, and information gathered by One Central Health remains the property of the service. Documentation provided by external stakeholders or other providers that is included in the participant’s file will be returned to the participant or a representative with consent. Copies of the documents may be retained by the service provider.
Early Childhood Practice Policy
One Central Health is fully committed to the safety, wellbeing, and inclusion of all children. We aim to create an environment where children and their families feel welcomed, respected, and supported.
We prioritise child safety in everything we do and embrace the diversity of the children and families we work with. This includes children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Our Commitment to Child Safety
At One Central Health we are dedicated to:
- Providing services that are safe, inclusive, and empowering for families and children
- Listening to children and valuing their voice
- Responding promptly and appropriately to any concerns about child safety
- Embedding child-safe practices across all levels of our organisation
- Partnering with families and communities in protecting children
- Aligning our approach with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
- Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse, by adhering to the Children and Community Service Act 2004, with regards to Mandatory Reporting by our Psychologists.
Collaborative Practice
One Central Health works closely with children, families, carers, and community partners to:
- Build trusted relationships
- Share information responsibly and appropriately, with consent from the family.
- Develop care and support plans that reflect the needs, preferences, and cultural backgrounds of children
- Ensure a team-based approach to safety, wellbeing, and therapeutic goals
Risk Management
One Central Health is committed to identifying, assessing, and managing risks to child safety proactively. This includes:
- Conducting regular risk assessments of our services, environments, and activities
- Implementing appropriate safeguards to reduce or remove risks
- Reviewing and updating our policies in response to emerging issues or incidents
- Ensuring staff are trained in recognising and managing risk
- Keeping a risk register to record, respond and reduce risks and modify our practices and policies to ensure the safety of children, families and stakeholders.
Capacity Building
We support children, families, and staff to build their capacity to be able to support their own learning and development. This involves:
- Empowering children to understand their rights and speak up if they feel unsafe
- Supporting parents and carers with accessible information and guidance
- Providing ongoing training for parents, carer’s and community partners related to a child’s learning and development
- Embedding capacity building strategies in supervision, professional development, and organisational planning.
Evidence-Informed Practice
Our approach to service delivery for children and families is grounded in best available evidence, combined with practitioner expertise and lived experience. We:
- Use current research and policy frameworks to guide our practices
- Reflect on and evaluate our services regularly through clinical supervision, and discipline meetings.
- Incorporate feedback from children, families, and staff to improve outcomes
- Align with industry standards and sector guidance
- Provide internal training to our staff, and promote external training in evidence-based practices for continuous improvement and alignment with the latest in evidence.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement
We value feedback as an essential tool for improving our child safety practices. We:
- Encourage children, families, staff, and community members to share concerns, suggestions, or compliments
- Handle all feedback professionally, confidentially, and respectfully
- Treat every concern about child safety seriously and respond in a timely and appropriate manner
- Use feedback to inform service improvement and policy review
To provide feedback or raise a concern:
- Speak to any member of the One Central Health team
- Call us on (08) 9344 1318
- Email admin@onecentralhealth.com.au
Related Legislation and Standards/Workers Screening and Risk Assessed Roles
It is a legislative requirement that staff engaged in a risk assessed role must have the required WA Government Department of Communities clearance check. Staff must also undergo the NDIS Worker Screening and Working with Children Check process prior to employment. Appropriate clearances ensure that key personnel in risk assessed roles do not pose an unacceptable risk to our NDIS participants safety and wellbeing.
The following items of legislation, standards, regulations and guidelines have been considered in the formation of One Central Health’s policies and procedures:
- AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk Management: Principles and Guidelines
- Associations Incorporation Act 2015(WA)
- Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)
- Carers Recognition Act 2004 (WA)
- Corporations Act 2001
- Department of Education Policy
- Department of Health Policy
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Disability Services Act 1993 (WA)
- Fair Work Act 2009
- Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2016
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Complaints Management and Resolution) Rules 2018
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Registered Providers of Supports) Rules 2013
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
- National Standards for Disability Services (Standard 5)
- National Standards for Disability Services 2013
- NDIS Conditions of Registration
- NDIS and Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedure
- NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework
- NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Practice Standards 2018
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s Quality Indicators
- NDIS Practice Standards
- NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Terms of Business
- OAIC Data Breaches and Australian Privacy Act
- Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (WA)
- Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)
- Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth)
- Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Western Australian Language Services Policy 2020
- Work Health and Safety Act 2020
- Work Health and Safety Code of Practice 2011 (Cth)
Contact Information
If you have any enquiries related to the above policies, please contact us today.
Phone :(08) 9344 1318
Email : admin@onecentralhealth.com.au
Mailing Address
24/257 Balcatta Road, Balcatta
Online Enquiry : Visit https://www.onecentralhealth.com.au/general-enquiry-form1/
Page last updated 02/10/2025