Our aged care service standards

Rights and responsibilities

Home and Community Care (HACC) Program-funded services must meet certain standards.

The rights and responsibilities here all relate to those standards.

Client rights

All clients have a right to:

  • safe and high-quality care and services
  • be treated with dignity and respect
  • have my identity, culture and diversity valued and supported
  • live without abuse and neglect
  • be informed about my care and services in a way I understand
  • access all information about myself, including information about my rights, care and services
  • have control over and make choices about my care, and personal and social life, including where the choices involve personal risk
  • have control over, and make decisions about, the personal aspects of my daily life, financial affairs and possessions
  • my independence
  • be listened to and understood
  • have a person of my choice, including an aged care advocate, support me or speak on my behalf
  • complain free from reprisal, and to have my complaints dealt with fairly and promptly
  • personal privacy and to have my personal information protected
  • exercise my rights without it adversely affecting the way I am treated.

Client responsibilities

Clients must:

  • respect the dignity, culture and lifestyle of staff and other clients
  • politely treat staff and other clients
  • take responsibility for care decisions made with Aged Services staff  
  • support and cooperate with Aged Services to help them provide services safely, and  
  • provide a safe work environment for staff.

Aged Services responsibilities

Aged Services must:
  • respect and improve clients' independence and dignity
  • decide on client access to services based on need and the ability to meet that need
  • let clients know about their service options
  • let clients know their rights and responsibilities to Aged Services 
  • involve clients and carers in assessment and care plan decisions 
  • talk with clients before changing their services
  • include and respond to all aspects of clients' diverse experiences and needs  
  • respond to carers' support needs 
  • let clients know about fees involved with any services  
  • let clients know the standards of service they receive
  • make sure the client keeps getting the agreed services
  • adapt to changing client needs
  • maintain client privacy and confidentiality
  • let clients access information from service providers 
  • let carers access client information from service providers, if carers are legal guardians or have client permission
  • safely provide client services 
  • respect a client’s refusal of service
  • make sure a client's refusal of service doesn't disadvantage them if they want to access it later  
  • deal with client complaints quickly, promptly and without punishment 
  • try to solve conflicts between carers and older clients, or younger person with disabilities  
  • respect client choice about involving a support person to represent their interests, and
  • think about client experiences and views when you plan, manage and evaluate services.

Advocacy

An advocate is a friend, family member or independent person.

They speak or act for someone who needs support or can't communicate for themselves.

You have the right to an advocate, whether you're:

  • receiving our services, or
  • interested in our services.

If you want more information about advocacy, including finding an independent advocate, please contact us or:

Privacy and confidentiality

We respect your privacy and confidentiality.

We only collect personal information if it's necessary for services you receive.

We collect this information:

  • fairly
  • lawfully
  • reasonably, and
  • unobtrusively.

Your information will not be given to anyone else, unless:

  • you agree, or
  • the law requires (for example, a medical emergency).

We follow the rules of:

For more about privacy and information we collect, email connect@stonnington.vic.gov.au.

Feedback

Contact us to leave feedback. You can write to us in English or other languages. 

Your feedback helps us make our services better for you.