Aim

The aim of the Intake System is to streamline our service response. Due to the large volume of calls coming into the Centre, an Intake system was introduced to ensure that:

• Carers who are in crisis, have an emergency or need respite within the next 24 hour period are dealt with immediately or as soon as possible after they have contacted the Centre.
• That requests for service are prioritised on an individual needs basis
• Callers to the Centre who require information are provided with accurate up to date information on contact with the Centre

Objectives

• To prioritise all requests for carer respite support services.
• Provide accurate information to callers contacting the Centre
• To respond and assist carers who are highly stressed or have an emergency/crisis situation immediately or on the same day.
• To contact those carers who do not require immediate respite within three working days of initial intake.

How We Work

• An Intake Coordinator will firstly determine whether the referral is for respite or information.
• Information calls will be dealt with immediately (for further details please refer to Information Support Service Sheet - Carelink).
• For the Respite Support Service, an Intake Coordinator will determine eligibility for service by:
  • Determining that the care recipient has a carer, unless it is for residential respite in an aged care facility, where we will provide a booking service to eligible people who live alone.(For further details - Refer to Residential Respite Booking Service Sheet)
  • The carer has been caring for/ or is likely to be caring for a period of six months – unless it is a palliative care situation
  • That a person wanting to access residential respite in an Aged Care Facility has been assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team

The Intake worker will then collect basic details including:

• The carer, care recipient or self carer’s full name, health or disability details, contact details, and who is making the referral and then check whether the carer is an existing client or a new client.
• The situation of the carer, the care recipient or self carer.
• The type of service requested, for example residential or in-home respite etc. and the dates that it is required.

The Intake worker will determine:

• The urgency of the situation, and prioritise.
• Whether the carer is able to cope with a telephone assessment (e.g. hearing difficulties, etc).
• Whether an interpreter is needed and if so arrange one through the Telephone Interpreter Service (Telephone 131 450).

The Process

• If the request for service is urgent (respite required within 24 hours) or the carer is highly stressed, the call will be passed to a Respite Coordinator to deal with immediately or call back as soon as possible on the same day.
• If the call is non urgent, a completed intake form is prioritised and the caller informed that a Respite Coordinator will call back within three working days regarding their request.
• A Respite Coordinator will re-contact the carer or self carer (in the case of residential respite) as soon as possible after the initial intake, no longer than three working days (unless the carer has requested otherwise).

Who Can Refer To Us

• Carers, Care Recipients and Self Carers.
• With the consent of the carer we will accept referrals from family and friends of carers, Community Service Providers, General Practitioners (GPs), Health Care Workers.
• Anyone can call for information on health and community services