Service coordination overview

Service coordination reform aims to place consumers at the centre of service delivery - ensuring that they have access to the services they need, opportunities for early intervention and health promotion and improved health outcomes. Service coordination is facilitated by Primary Care Partnerships where agencies come together to agree on how they will coordinate their services so that consumers experience a health system that works together.

The reasons why service coordination is being undertaken, the principles that guide service coordination as well as the way to improve service coordination in Victoria have been described in the key document Better Access to Services: A Policy and Operational Framework.

Agencies that have successfully implemented service coordination understand that using the tool templates is one part of service coordination but examining and modifying current practice is equally important. In fact, full implementation of service coordination requires revision of client intake processes, including eligibility and risk assessment criteria, an examination of referral mechanisms and a systematic approach to the management of waiting lists.

A range of Department of Human Services program areas have now implemented service coordination and a number of other Programs will be mandating the use of the tools by 2006. More detail about implementation including published information resources and frequently asked questions is available on this website.

A common set of forms, specifications and guidelines to support their use, service coordination tool templates and guidelines, have been developed to record client registration information, undertake initial needs screening, make referrals and collect client consent to share information between providers.

The tools were developed in 2002 by consultants contracted by the Department to review the extensive range of agency specific forms that were in use and then develop an agreed, common set of tool templates and guidelines. This tool template development involved extensive consultation and collaboration with funded agencies. During the development of the tools it was anticipated that the tools would need to be amended over time to reflect changed practice. To this end, a revision of the tool templates is currently underway to improve the content of the templates and better meet the needs of a variety of client groups.

A cornerstone of service coordination is the collection and sharing of consumer information according to agreed protocols. It is essential therefore, that consumers can be confident that their information will be handled appropriately. PCP privacy resources and a consumer privacy brochure in community languages are available to assist practitioners in their discussions with consumers regarding how their information will be dealt with.

Service coordination implementation requires changes to the way agencies do business and workforce development resources are available to build sustainable capacity in the sector to effect these changes:

• self-paced training module – this is an interactive training package that provides an introduction to service coordination.
• train-the-trainer service coordination orientation program – this is a training package that supports a train-the-trainer approach and provides resources for those wishing to familiarise people with service coordination.

A fundamental component of service coordination is the work done by PCP member agencies to clarify & document how business is done (or will be done) between agencies for consumers they have in common. This work has resulted in manuals that document the shared practices, processes, protocols & systems that support better coordination of services between participating agencies.

PCP implementation of service coordination has meant a substantial level of activity in the sector. Recognising that knowledge can be gained through sharing these learnings, many PCPs have volunteered to share the resources they have developed and these have been posted on this site.

Service Coordination: Achieving tangible benefits through a partnership approach (633kb, pdf)

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