Your service provider is responsible to ensure you receive quality care and services. Your service provider has a responsibility:
- To respect your rights
Your rights are protected, whether you receive transition care at home, in the community, or in a residential aged care home setting. Your rights are outlined in the Charter of Aged Care Rights. - To provide you with quality services
Your provider must provide care that complies with the Aged Care Quality Standards. The standards reflect the level of care and services you can expect from your provider. Read more about the Aged Care Quality Standards.
What if there are no vacancies?
Transition care places can become vacant at short notice. If you have an assessment and are approved for transition care, your approval lasts for 28 days. This means even if there isn’t an immediate vacancy, you will still be able to start transition care, as long as:
- a transition care place becomes available within the 28-day period, and
- you are able to start your care after your discharge from hospital.
If there are still no vacancies available after 28 days, you will need to be reassessed.
As a reminder, assessment approval does not guarantee a place in the program.
Can I take time away while I’m on a transition care program?
Yes. You can take a break from receiving care for up to seven days, during your transition care period, for social reasons or if you need to return to hospital.
Break days can be taken together in blocks, or individually, throughout the duration of your care. Your break days will be counted as available care days and will not extend your maximum transition care duration.
Your service provider will continue to be paid subsidy for any break days you take, and your contribution fee will also include break days.
If you take more than seven break days during your transition care period, your care will end, and you will lose your place in the program.
To resume care, you will need:
- to be reassessed and approved,
- a new transition care place to be available, and
- to enter care directly after your hospital stay.
Can my care be extended?
In exceptional circumstances, your care episode may be extended by six weeks. Extensions are only granted if you have further therapeutic care needs and wish to achieve a better outcome. Your provider will help fill out the additional paperwork required.
Can I stop my transition care early?
Yes, you can end your transition care at any time. Your care agreement will outline how your service provider and you can end your transition care early.
You cannot start both transition care and another form of Australian Government-funded aged care (such as residential care, respite or a Home Care Package) on the same day.
Your care plan will include strategies to help you meet your goals if you leave the program early.
What if I need to return to hospital?
If you need to return to hospital while you’re receiving transition care, you can use any available break days to ensure your care agreement continues. As long as you don’t exhaust your available break days (remember, you have seven in total), you can then resume your transition care when you leave.
If your hospital stay is longer than the number of available break days, your transition care will end, and you will be discharged from the program.
To begin care again, you will need:
- to be reassessed (unless your initial transition care approval is still valid), and
- a new transition care place to become available.
Can I change providers?
Yes, you can transfer from one service provider to another if there is no break in care, i.e. there is no day during which you do not receive transition care services. If you’re moving within your state or territory, you will keep your existing recipient agreement. If you’re moving interstate, you must be offered a new agreement.
What if I have a complaint?
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the care or services you receive, you have the right to make a complaint. Your first step should be to speak directly to your service provider, if you feel comfortable. They are there to support you, listen to your concerns, and take necessary action.
There are other options available too, including lodging a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. You can read more information on our Contact us page.