Access Points Demonstration Project

Background

Access Points Demonstration Projects (APDP) are being carried out nationally under The Way Forward strategy for community care. More information about this initiative can be found at A New Strategy for Community Care - The Way Forward. In Victoria the Access Points Demonstration Project is known under the service name of Direct2Care.

For further information on the National Access Points Research and Development visit the Department of Health and Ageing website.

The primary aim in Victoria is to improve the ease with which frail, older people, younger people with disabilities, their carers, families and friends find their way around what can sometimes be a confusing system. Direct2Care is a place where people can go to get information about aged and community care services, and/or help with a variety of questions and concerns. Discussion, advice and referral will be available to those interested in learning about the services and resources in their locality that may support short, medium and long term goals that they may have for continuing to live in the community as they pass through different life stages. Direct2Care also supports service providers who work with older Victorians, younger people with disabilities and their carers, who may require information about other services in the community to assist them in meeting their client's needs.

Currently Direct2Care is only servicing consumers living in the Eastern Metropolitan (EMR) and the Grampians (GR) regions of Victoria. It is anticipated that the service will be implemented across the state in the future.

Consumer information including information in languages other than English can be found on the Direct2Care page.

Developing and Implementing Victoria's Access Points Demonstration Project (APDP) - Direct2Care

The work set out in The Way Forward Strategy involved the identification and development of Access Points that can be easily recognised by people seeking services, or information about services. Currently people may access community care in a number of ways, such as via a referral from a General Practitioner, direct contact with a service provider, or through information from a friend, relative or neighbour.

A set of Guiding Principles has been jointly agreed by Victorian and Australian Government Departments to underpin the development of APDPs in Victoria. Hence in Victoria the implementation of APDPs will:

• complement work on implementing service coordination already in place across Victoria and the implementation of the Victorian HACC Assessment Framework
• add value to Victoria's agenda on health and community care reform
• be an incremental enhancement on what is already in place across Victoria
• avoid duplication
• not change existing agency practice and responsibilities where they are members of Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs) and engaged in Service Coordination
• provide an opportunity to implement service coordination in agencies funded to deliver Australian Government programs that are within scope.

Phase 1: Planning and Design

The mapping project report is now available.

Appropriate sites that would reflect the requirements of an Access Point were identified to stage Demonstration Projects over a 12 month period. Two existing Carelink sites were chosen. These sites are currently auspiced by;

i) Uniting Care Community Options (UCCO) in the Eastern Metropolitan Region and

ii) Ballarat Health Service in the Grampians Region.

Functional capabilities of the Direct2Care service

The four functional capabilities for Direct2Care, that are aligned with the Nationally agreed functions of Access Points, are:

1. Contact, information provision and assistance
2. Screening for eligibility and initial needs
3. Facilitating targeted referral(s)
4. Data capture and transfer

Details of the functional capabilities are set out in the following diagram:

Diagrammatic overview of the Direct2Care Service's functional capabilities (73kb, pdf)

Details of the consumer/carer pathway are set out in the following diagram:

Diagrammatic overview of the consumer/carer pathway through the Victorian functional capabilities of the Direct2Care service (64kb, pdf)

Phase 2: Site Development

Downloads

Answers to commonly asked questions can be found at Access Points Demonstration Project FAQs or by downloading the following PDF version:

Victorian Access Points Demonstration Project Frequently Asked Questions (154kb, pdf)

Further information

For information about the Access Point initiative contact Calvin Graham, Manager HACC Service Development at calvin.graham@health.vic.gov.au

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