EmailHospital Circular 14/2006
Date Issued: 18 July 2006
Publication: 14/2006
Distribution: Public Hospitals
Attention: Public Hospitals, Extended Care Centres, Metropolitan Health Services, and Regional Offices
Subject: Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA): Changed arrangements for the Booked Car with Driver (BCWD) service for eligible Veterans.
On 28th June 2006, the Minister for Veterans Affairs the Hon. Bruce Billson MP announced an expansion in the booked car service for eligible veterans, war widows and widowers.
From 10 July 2006 eligible persons aged 80 years and over are able to use the service for travel to treatment by the providers shown below and are no longer required to meet the previous medical criteria for using the service. Approved locations for treatment are public and approved private hospitals, providers of prosthetics, surgical footwear and orthotics, medical specialist rooms and radiology, imaging and pathology services and Office of Hearing Services accredited providers.
However the following locations are not approved treatment locations for BCWD services; Local Medical Officers and GPs, dental providers, allied health services (other than those mentioned above), optical dispensers and Vietnam Veterans Counselling services.
Health services can book the BCWD service for Veterans through DVA. As a result of the changes there may be an increase in requests for taxi and hire car bookings from Veterans including requests to treatment locations that have not been previously used by this service.
For Veterans under 80 the health provider must also certify that they meet the medical need criteria.
The information will also be available on the DVA website.
Transport bookings should be made on 1300 550 455 (metropolitan area) and 1800 550 455 (rural areas).
| Lance Wallace Executive Director Metropolitan Health and Aged Care Services |
Dr C W Brook Executive Director Rural Health and Aged Care Services |
