Aim

The aim of the Information Support Service (Commonwealth Carelink Centre) is to provide a one stop shop of information about health and community services on the Far North Coast via a Freecall 1800 number. To provide assistance with referrals to community or health services to those people who have difficultly accessing service themselves.

Target Group

• Older people
• People with disabilities
• Family members or significant persons
• Carers
• Community service providers
• General Practitioners (GPs) and practice staff
• Other health professionals
• Community members

Objectives

• To enhance the quality of care delivered to older Australians and people with disabilities, through the expansion of relations between general practitioners, community care service providers and the wider community.
• To establish and maintain an up-to-date data base/directory of community care, and other health, aged and disability services within the Far North Coast region.
• To maintain ongoing contact with service providers within the Far North Coast region to ascertain the eligibility of, waiting periods, costs involved, and other considerations relating to each service.
• To respond to enquiries from a range of individuals about their need for information. Enquiries will be by phone contact, in person, facsimile, email or letter.
• To provide guided referral for persons who need assistance with referral to other services.
• To provide accurate up to date information to callers contacting the service.
• To liaise with health and community service providers in the Far North Coast and form information partnerships to improve dissemination of information to the target population.

How We Work

• We provide callers with a range of options on services suitable to each individual request.
• We provide the community with the opportunity to access accurate, up to date information on aged care, health, community and disability services, via a Freecall 1800 phone number or a visit to the centre shop front.
• We respond to information inquiries about availability, eligibility criteria and cost of community care services in the Far North Coast region.
• We transfer callers free of charge to any other Information Support Service nationally for information in other regions.
• We have a comprehensive list of services on our database
• We update that information on a ten monthly cycle ensuring that no information is more than one year old.

The Process

When a caller contacts the Information Support Service for information the following process occurs.

• Intake Coordinator answers the 1800 incoming call.
• If the caller requires basic information, for example contact details for one or two services, the Intake Coordinator will provide this information immediately.
• If the caller requires information regarding service provision in another region we will transfer the call (at no cost to the caller) to the relevant Information Support Service in that region.
• If the caller is distressed then the call will be put through to the first available Service Coordinator.
• We will follow up with written information regarding services, if the caller requires it.
• If the caller is unable to contact a service(s), then the Intake or Service Coordinator will make the referral on the callers behalf

Who Can Refer To Us

Anyone