24 Jul Contractor Chaos
The new Aged Care Quality Standards are raising the stakes for home care providers. You are now just as responsible for all services delivered by contractors (some of them Associated Providers) as you are for your own staff. If something goes wrong, you could be held accountable—legally.
That means the same expectations apply:
- Same level of care
- Same checks on skills, screening and qualifications
- Same communication standards
- Same responsibility to manage risk and report incidents
You might think of contractors as gardeners or cleaners, but many providers now rely on them for direct client care—like nursing, physiotherapy, or personal care—especially in regional areas or when short-staffed.
Under the new Aged Care Act, contractors with an agreement with a provider to deliver services on their behalf are called “Associated Providers.” Even though they don’t work for you directly, you’re responsible for what they – or their staff- do.
Clients may also choose to “self-manage” some of their own care, choosing their own contractor staff to deliver services. Whether the service is delivered by one of a provider’s chosen Associated Providers or by a “self-managed contractor” – which the client has arranged themselves, providers remain responsible for the service.
That means:
- You need clear agreements in place with your chosen Associated Providers
- You must verify that Associated Providers have undertaken qualification and suitability checks on their staff (request a random sample)
- Associated Providers need access to client information just like your team- at the time of service. And be able to enter client notes on the service for care partners to review.
- You should know exactly when Associated Providers check in, what they do, and have access to service notes or photos.
- (Self-managed contractors also, separately, undergo checks for which you can charge a loading.)
Without strong oversight, clients could miss essential care—and you might not even know.
Worse still, you could end up paying invoices for services never delivered.. That leads to client complaints, financial risk, and attention from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
How VIPS Care Helps
VIPS Care’s smart software is designed to help. From recording checks and agreements to rostering, service delivery, note-taking, invoicing, and reconciliation—it’s all built in. You’ll know if an Associated Provider is late, and your team can follow up before anyone is left without care.
Contractor care – whether through Associated Providers or self-managed contractors- is now your responsibility. Let us help you manage it the right way.