Your rights

As a Home Care client you are entitled to:

• information to make informed choices about the services you receive
• a say in how your service is delivered
• choose a person to support you or speak on your behalf (Home Care can refer you to an advocacy organisation if required)
• culturally sensitive and non-discriminatory treatment
• prompt answers to inquiries and a timely response to complaints
• dignified and respectful treatment
• confidential management of your personal information

Your responsibilities

It is your responsibility to:

• treat our staff with dignity and respect
• maintain a safe working environment, which complies with occupational health and safety requirements
• pay the agreed amount for our services
• let us know when your circumstances change or you no longer need our services
• contact your local branch if you know you will not be at home at the time of your service
• provide all necessary cleaning products and equipment.

Your privacy

Home Care Service is committed to protecting your privacy. We need to collect personal and sensitive details about you when we receive a referral and assess your needs.. 

Privacy legislation provides you with certain rights in relation to how your personal and health information is handled by Home Care staff. See our privacy fact sheet (PDF) for more information.

Our code of conduct

We are committed to providing you with a high standard of service. Carers follow the Department’s code of conduct.

Our carers are not allowed to do anything that involves legal or financial matters, such as:

• operate your bank account, unless you fill out the necessary paperwork
• act as your power of attorney 
• act as executor of your estate 
• sign credit cards 
• offer financial advice 
• offer to buy anything you own 
• accept loans or gifts, including any benefit from a client’s Will.

Our Values

C.A.R.E.S stands for five important principles: Communication, Adaptability, Reliability, Empathy and Safety.

CARES is a set of principles which have been developed to support Home Care staff to successfully communicate with our clients, carers and families and to assist them to make their own decisions based on the CARES principles in the course of providing service.

It is designed to guide staff to make decisions flexibly, with the welfare of the client and their safety being the most important things.  Reflecting on these values helps our staff to make the best decisions as they go about their daily work.

This CARES message is embedded in everything we do.