Your care plan after a needs assessment
The home support services you’ll get, who’ll provide these and when they’ll start are described in your care plan.
The process to get a care plan
Someone from your local Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team, will assess you and then write your care plan.
How to make an appointment with an assessor
Here are the main steps in this process.
- When you meet, tell your service coordinator about any government-funded and private home support you already get. Also, tell them if there’s a particular home support agency or carer you’d prefer to have providing your care.
- Your NASC service coordinator will arrange the services and equipment you need.
- You’ll get a copy of your care plan from the home support agency that’ll provide your care. Your family doctor will also get a copy.
- You must agree to the care plan before the services can start.
- Everyone supporting you will use the plan to make sure you get the care you need.
- Your care plan will be reviewed and updated once a year, or more often if your situation or needs change.
Private services
You can only get a needs assessment if you qualify to get government-funded healthcare in New Zealand.
Who can have a needs assessment
If you do not qualify, ask your local home support agency if you can pay for their services yourself.
With private services, the agency that provides your care will create your care plan.
Who provides your care
When you qualify for government-funded care, the services and equipment you need are arranged by a NASC service coordinator.
A home support agency can provide your home care. These agencies can be commercial businesses or not-for-profit organisations. Their support workers will come into your home to provide the services described in your care plan.
Alternatively, if you already get home support from an agency, you can pay whānau or a family member to provide your care instead. You and your carer must meet the requirements to do this.
Paid whānau and family care — Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Choose a home support agency
You can:
- choose which home support agency you’d like to have supporting you
- go with the agency that the NASC team recommends.
During your needs assessment, tell the NASC service coordinator if, for example, you:
- would like to use a particular home support agency
- want to be cared for by a support worker that you already know
- need care that reflects Māori or Pacific people's values
- have other appointments or activities that will affect visit times.
Home support agencies in your area
To find out which agencies are available:
- ask your doctor, social worker, friends or family for suggestions and recommendations
- ask your local Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) team
- for older people over 65, visit Eldernet
- to get local help, visit Mycare
- search online.
Find your local NASC — NASC Association
Home help and personal care — Eldernet
Concerns about your care
If you have a problem with your care or your carers, raise your concern as soon as possible.
Complain about home help and support services
Who pays for your care
Government-funded home care is paid for by:
- Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) if you’re recovering from an injury
- Whaikaha | Ministry of Disabled People if you’re a disabled person
- Health NZ if you’re an older person (usually over 65) or you’ve got a long-term chronic health condition that’s not a disability covered by Whaikaha.
Change your home support agency or stop services
If your care is funded by Health NZ, they assign a home support agency to you unless you prefer to use a different agency.
You can change to another agency, but sometimes there are only a few providers in your area who have a contract with Health NZ.
Contact your local NASC team to talk about the options for changing agencies, or if you want to stop the services you get.
Review your existing care plan
Your care plan does not expire or have a time limit.
The annual review of your needs by a NASC service coordinator includes reviewing your care plan.
- If your situation is the same your care plan may not change.
- A full reassessment of your needs will probably result in your care plan changing too.
Any changes to your support services and equipment will be documented on your care plan.
When your needs change
You can ask for a review of your care plan if your needs change.
Examples of events that might impact your care plan
- You’re getting more services over the next few months while you recover from a serious accident.
- Your partner has been looking after you but they are exhausted and struggling due to your increasing needs and the impact of their own health issues. You asked to be reassessed. A carer will come every day to look after your personal care needs.
- Help with food shopping and meals is no longer needed because a family member has moved in and does these tasks for you.
- During your annual review, the NASC service coordinator can see you need more help to continue living at home.
Needs assessments and care plan reviews are done more often if your health declines and you need more support. Care plans can also be updated if you need less support.