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Support at home after a needs assessment

As part of your needs assessment, a care plan is developed especially for you. Everyone supporting you uses this plan to deliver the services you need in your home.

Your care plan

After your needs assessment you’ll find out what kind of care you can get help with. If you need help at home, the Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team develops a care plan or home support plan based on the information you’ve given them.

You must agree to the plan before the services can start.

A service coordinator from the NASC team sets up the services with a home support agency and then everyone supporting you uses the plan to make sure you get the care you need.

Let the home support agency know about any preferences you have, for example, a specific agency, a particular support worker or the time of day you’d like to be visited.

When services start

Before your services start, the home support agency gives you a copy of your care plan with details of the support you’ll get and when it will start. The plan also includes details of any extra services you’ve agreed to pay for and how you’ll pay for them.

They also give you:

  • information about the services they provide
  • their contact details
  • advice about what to do if you have a problem or complaint.

Who provides your care

Help in your home is provided by support workers who come into your home. You can expect them on particular days or at a time you’ve agreed to — whatever is in your care plan. If you have a problem with how it’s working for you, raise your concern as soon as possible.

Home support services — reporting a problem

Home support agencies can be commercial businesses or not-for-profits. Most agencies are paid by a District Health Board (DHB) to provide the services you get. If you’re recovering from an injury the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) pays for the services and if you have a life-long disability the Ministry of Health (MoH) pays.

Changing your home support agency or stopping services

If your care is funded by a District Health Board (DHB), they assign a home support agency to you unless you have a preference. You can change to another agency if you want to, but sometimes there are only a few providers in your area who have a contract with the DHB.

Contact your NASC team to talk about the options for changing agencies or if you want to stop the services you get.

If your circumstances change

Tell the NASC team or your support worker if:

  • you cannot keep a regular appointment
  • your contact details change — address, email or phone number
  • your living arrangements change, for example, family come to stay
  • the care you need changes.

If what you need changes

You can ask for a review of your care plan if the care you need changes.

The NASC team reviews your plan at least once a year. First of all they phone to find out if you need:

  • any changes to your current services
  • some new help, or
  • another full needs assessment — if so, they’ll arrange a visit.

They’ll phone or visit at a time that suits you and any family, whānau or friends you want to have with you. They’ll want to know how you’re managing and if things have improved or got worse for you. They need to understand the whole story so that any changes they suggest to your care plan are helpful to you.

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