St John of God Accord Service Agreement

All our service agreements have been reviewed, which included wide consultation with users, caregivers and families. Our revised documents are compliant with NDIS Quality and Safeguard requirements.

Each time clients receive a new service agreement they are provided with a welcome pack of information, which includes plain English information on how to make a complaint. We are committed to ongoing quality improvement and encourage you to provide us with feedback as to how we can simplify the process even further.

Terms and conditions

1. Our responsibilities

We agree to the following:

St John of God Accord will provide supports and services as outlined in the Financial Schedule.
We support your right to make your own decisions and will work to enable supported decision making each time we interact with you. You will let us know how we can support you to meet your goals.
If we feel you are unhappy with your supports we will work with you to change or modify your supports until you are satisfied.
We will discuss any changes your supports may want with you before agreeing to any changes, making sure you want the change.
We will provide you with a copy of the service agreement through the mode agreed with you or your plan nominee.
If you have another person responsible for signing your service agreement we expect they will ensure all these conditions are honoured directly with you.
We will treat you with courtesy and respect and work with you to provide services that meet your cultural values and beliefs and encourage you to let us know when we are not doing this well.
We will work with you so you understand your Service Agreement in a manner that meets your preferred communication style.
We will work with you and your other supports to review your plan as required.
Everyone you work with will work to support you within the guidelines of the NDIS Code of Conduct.
If you are a child we want you to know we respect your rights and will ensure we work with you and your family in a way that you feel supported and listened to.
We will help you access an advocate if needed.
St John of God Accord will maintain a Business Continuity and Emergency Management Plan to ensure your supports can continue when things go wrong.
We will support you where applicable to develop a personal emergency management plan. We will endeavour to continue to provide essential services to you in the event of an emergency or disaster and resume normal supports as quickly as possible.
We will provide you with invoices and statements for all support provided.

2. Your responsibility

You agree to the following:

Working with us to ensure that the services we provide meet your needs.
Sharing all clinical reports, medical information or other documents such as Behaviour Support Plan (if applicable) that assist us to provide you with safe, high quality supports.
Providing us with your correct contact details to make it easy for us to communicate with you
Providing us with the details of the Person Responsible for signing the Service Agreement and paying invoices; the Plan Nominee and your Plan Managers details.
Providing us with the correct details regarding how your plan is managed ( i.e. self-managed, agency managed and / or plan managed) to ensure we are billing correctly.
Communicating with us in a timely manner when we request information relevant to your supports and payment of services.
Treating our caregivers with courtesy and respect and assist us to provide a healthy and safe working environment for all attending personnel.
Notifying us immediately if there are any changes to your NDIS Plan that may affect the supports and services we provide you.
Telling us if you have any feedback or complaints about the services we are providing so that we can work quickly to fix any issues that are affecting you.
Working with us to ensure a shared understanding of supports and services, you require in the event of an emergency or disaster.

3. What we will provide

We will provide you with the supports detailed in the Financial Agreement, which will be explained to you in detail by the caregivers involved in your supports.
All supports provided will include:
- supervision, safety and security
- personal care support where required
- implementation of your Behaviour Support Plan (where applicable)
- social skill development
- management of your medication (where applicable)
- management of health needs
- accessing the community or to access planned activities of your choice
Where required Accord may use technology to monitor health risks as documented in Health Management Plans.
Where electronic monitoring is required as part of a behavioural management strategy the specifics will be part of an approved Behaviour Support Plan.

4. How to make a complaint

As part of your welcome pack to Accord, you have received information about how to make a complaint.
We will support you to make a complaint externally to the NDIS Commission if you do not feel we have dealt with this in the way you expect.
Your consumer rights whether written here or not are also protected under Australian Consumer Law. You can find more information about this on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website.

5. How we manage your privacy

As part of your welcome pack to Accord, you have been provided with information about how we manage your privacy.
We follow all privacy legislation and internal policies and treat your personal information respectfully and confidentially. We encourage you to talk to the manager of your service at any time you need to know more about this.
With your permission, we will share information related to your support needs with other providers and funding bodies.
If this Service Agreement relates to SLES we are required to share personal and health related information with employers for the purpose of providing employment related supports.
In the case of emergency, we may need to share personal information thus ensuring you get the right care and we meet our duty of care to you.

6. Pricing for NDIS supports and services

The fees for supports are set in accordance to the NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits and these are the fees we charge regardless of whether your funding comes from NDIS, through Disability Supports to Older Australians (DSOA) or if you are self-funded.
These fees are subject to change by the NDIS.
St John of God Accord reserves the right to adjust fees from time to time without prior notice in line with changes to the NDIS Price Guide. You can access these changes on the NDIS website.
Ensuring the services you agree to are funded through your NDIS plan and funds are available to pay for services provided.
Paying all invoices within 14 days of invoice date.
Where you have engaged a Plan Manager to pay for the services they will provide they will quarantine the money you have agreed to pay us and ensure payment of invoices by the invoice due date.
Where we encounter issues with payment of invoices, you will work actively with us to ensure we are paid for services provided.
You are required to ensure you remain adequately funded by the NDIS/ DSOA for your required supports or Accord may directly invoice you for services delivered.
If payment for services are not made we reserve the right to suspend services until payment is made.

7. Pricing for non-NDIS supports and services

You are required to pay for the services you receive by the due date on your invoice.
Services and supports not funded by NDIS are written in the Financial Agreement and will be reviewed on an annual basis. These remain set for the financial year starting on July 1 and you will be advised in writing and given 60 days' notice of any increase.
Some programs and activities may have charges attached to them. You will be informed about these in advance and you will be required to agree to pay the additional charges if you want to access these activities or programs.

8. Invoicing, payment and GST

You will be invoiced for supports/services after they are provided and payment is required within 14 days from the date of invoice.

Services to a NDIS participant is GST-free if all of the following requirements are met:

The NDIS participant has a NDIS plan in effect.
There is a written agreement between you and the NDIS participant (or another person).
It is a supply covered by one of the schedules in the GST-free Supply (National Disability Insurance Scheme Supports) Determination 2017.

Where GST is applicable, it will be clearly detailed in your Financial Agreement.

9. Programs of Support (where applicable)

Providers who offer Programs of Support must enter into an agreement with each participant specifying the Program of Support, including its length, exit rules and intended outcomes. Refer to Program of Support Agreement for further information.

10. Changes to the schedule of support

We aim to be flexible and recognise that sometimes support dates, times and length of support may need to change. Whilst this Service Agreement is valid for the length agreed, we can agree to minor changes at any time without having to issue another service agreement.

11. Termination of agreement

This agreement is valid for the duration stated on the Financial Agreement. If there is a change in your circumstances, a review of your NDIS Plan may be required. This agreement can be terminated by either St John of God Accord or yourself at any time by providing a minimum of 30 business days’ notice in writing.

12. Short notice cancellations

We follow the short notice cancellations rules set out in the NDIS Price Guide, which you can access via the NDIS website.
If we cancel supports for any reason, you will not be charged.
Programs of Support offered under group-based programs are not subject to short notice cancellation rules. These set are outline in the NDIS Price Guide and Program of Support Agreement, which you can access via the NDIS website.
In the event of an emergency or disaster, non-essential services may be terminated or suspended.

13. Limitation to supports provided by St John of God Accord

There are some limitations on the services and supports we provide that include:

We are not able to give financial advice or act as your legal guardian, formal advocate or financial administrator.
We are not able to provide medical advice or make medical decisions on your behalf.
We can only provide high intensity support if they are formally part of this agreement to ensure we have the right support available.
We will work with individuals to respect each other’s rights and privacy but cannot guarantee all will like each other and share all interests.
We will provide you with a safe environment that benefits your overall wellbeing but cannot replace the role of your family or significant others.
We are strong advocates of Positive Behaviour Support and will work in partnership with you to deliver supports in accordance with your Behaviour Support Plan to achieve dignity without restraints.
We cannot fund or supply mobility aids or other assistive technology that is not funded through your NDIS Plan or DSOA funding.
If your support needs change, we may not be able to meet your needs if you require nursing care, specialised care or environmental requirements that are not already available within the service.
We are agreeing to provide support to you only and cannot support other individuals with whom we do not have a service agreement.
We are subject to government and sector restrictions that can impact supports as a result of emergency or disaster.

14. Transport

Where a vehicle is provided for shared use among participants you will be billed as agreed and specified.
If you require individual use of other types of transportation, such as additional Accord vehicles, taxis, or public transport, you will be responsible for those costs.