RangeCare’s aim is to ensure respectful, inclusive and culturally safe services are accessible to all our clients regardless of their background or life experiences.

RangeCare acknowledges that every person has unique needs in consideration of their life, culture, and circumstances. In particular, RangeCare recognises the groups that have been identified as diverse when accessing our services. These include:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds (CALD)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex or Asexual (LGBTQIA+) People
People who live in rural and remote areas
People living with cognitive impairment including dementia
People with a disability
Parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal
Care-Leavers
People who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,
Veterans
People who are Socio or economically disadvantaged

We also value equal rights, diversity and inclusion for our workforce.

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Advocacy

RangeCare’s advocacy goal

To ensure that you have access to an advocate of your choice.

RangeCare’s policy statement

It is RangeCare’s policy to ensure that clients have access to an advocate of their choice to represent their interests. An advocate is someone who assists the client to articulate their interests, concerns and issues or speaks in relation to these on behalf of the client. RangeCare will work with a client's advocate to minimise any conflict of interest and solve any perceived problems.

RangeCare’s Advocacy Procedure

1. RangeCare will ensure that you are advised of your right to an advocate.

2. RangeCare will organise a referral to an advocacy service of your choice if requested.

3. RangeCare will accept the involvement of an advocate of your choice or recommend one where it is in your best interest.

4. RangeCare will provide information to the advocate only with permission from the consumer.

How do I find an advocate?

An advocate may be a family member, friend, neighbour, service provider, or a staff member from a professional advocacy service such as Queensland Aged and Disability Advocacy (ADA) or the National Aged Care Advocacy Program (NACAP) for clients receiving Home Care Packages. Refer to the useful contacts provided at the end of this booklet. Organisations such as Carer Gateway can also provide support for carers or those for whom they care.

Information will be provided at assessment on a range of advocacy organisations, including those listed above, as well as the Anti-Discrimination Commission and Basic Rights QLD which specialises in legal advice regarding Centrelink issues.

Advocacy

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Privacy

Privacy & Access

RangeCare’s privacy & access goal

To ensure that your rights to privacy and confidentiality are respected, and that you have access to personal information held by the organisation.

RangeCare’s privacy & access policy statement

As a Health and Community Care provider, RangeCare collects personal information regarding health and living circumstances, for all clients seeking or receiving services. Information is collected in order to determine eligibility to receive Government funded services, to determine a client’s care needs and preferences, and the safest and most efficient way to meet those needs.

All RangeCare staff and volunteers are expected to maintain a high standard of confidentiality in relation to other people’s personal information. Personal information relating to clients is shared within the organisation on a “need to know” basis ie; staff or volunteers receive only such information as is essential for them to provide care safely. Personal information relating to staff or volunteers is also protected.

What will RangeCare do with your information?

Relevant information about a client will be regarded as confidential and will be stored securely at all times.
You will be informed about how your personal information is stored and you have the right to access this information at any time. You can seek correction of your information if required.
The sharing of your information as part of a referral will only take place with your prior consent through a Consent Form.
Your personal information will not be released for any purpose, without your prior consent or an advocate authorised by you or a legal guardian.
Only you or an authorised advocate or your legal guardian will have the right to view your personal information held by the organisation- The advocate or legal guardian will have to present proof of their status or written authority from you prior to the information being released.
Field workers, who may carry clients’ personal information in hard copy in RangeCare folders in their vehicles, are responsible for taking steps to ensure that such material does not fall under casual observance from other persons and is not stolen.
Staff should NEVER have access to your PIN numbers, debit or credit cards.
Personal information will not be kept any longer than necessary (seven years for client files) and will be disposed of in a way that maintains confidentiality.

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Dignity & Rights

RangeCare’s dignity & risk goal

To ensure that each client knows their rights and feels supported to make their own decisions about their care and services, as well as their right to take risks. If a client does make a choice about their care or services that could result in their harm, RangeCare will help the client to understand the risk and how it could be managed.

How will RangeCare ensure your dignity & respect?

Your privacy and dignity will be respected.
You will receive the same support & respect that you would receive from a family member.
You will be treated as an individual and addressed by the title you are comfortable with.
Our staff will take the time to assess and understand your individual needs.
We respect your right to privacy including areas of sensitivity eg; modesty, gender, culture or religion.
Our staff will provide an environment for you to express your grievances, should a need arise, without fear of retribution. You will have access to support about your concerns and complaints from an appropriate staff member.
RangeCare aims to help you develop self-confidence and positive self-esteem to actively promote well-being and independence.
We make it a priority to ensure that you feel a part of a community.
Our staff will work with you to enable you to regain a maximum level of independence. You will be encouraged to and supported to take responsibility for managing your care in conjunction with when needed, care staff and other information and support services.
Our staff will listen and support you to express your needs and choices.
Staff will engage with your family members and carers as care partners. Relatives and carers will experience a welcoming ambience and will be able to communicate with staff, service coordinators and managers as contributing partners.

Dignity

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Open Disclosure

RangeCare incorporates open disclosure principles in the provision and evaluation of clients care and services.

What does this mean for you?

We create an environment in which all staff are encouraged and able to recognise and report incidents. Our open disclosure procedure allows us to identify, acknowledge and communicate with a client when things go wrong. Including:

Providing information about what happened in a timely, open and honest manner Addressing any immediate needs or concerns
Providing support
Apologising as early as possible
Explaining the steps we have taken to prevent it happening again
Treating each situation with confidentiality, empathy, respect and consideration in a manner appropriate to the client’s needs

Open disclosure may also involve the client’s family, carers, and other support people and representatives when a client would like them to be involved.

Honest and timely disclosure to consumers is our first stage in promoting and fostering a culture that through honest discussion, encourages learning needed to improve our care and services.

The information obtained about incidents from the open disclosure process is incorporated into RangeCare’s quality improvement process.

RangeCare places a high value on monitoring, analysing and reporting information about the quality and safety of care and services provided. Open disclosure allows our organisation to identify where things may go wrong and allow a deeper understanding about any systemic causes so we are able to prevent incidents and improve our services.

Transparency

RangeCare will take the following steps when harm or potential harm has occurred to a client as a result of their care and services. This includes:

1. Providing information about what happened and what immediate action has been taken to address the harm caused

2. Providing information about what changes will be made to decrease the likelihood that such an event will happen again; and

3. You will receive an apology

Open Disclosure

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Charter

Charter of Aged Care Rights

Consumers receiving Australian Government funded aged care services have the right to be properly looked after, treated well and given high quality care and services. The rights of consumers are protected by a Charter of Aged Care Rights.

I have the right to:

Safe and high quality care and services; be treated with dignity and respect;
have my identity, culture and diversity valued and supported; live without abuse and neglect;
be informed about my care and services in a way I understand;
access all information about myself, including information about my rights, care and services;
have control over and make choices about my care, and personal and social life, including where the choices involve personal risk;
have control over, and make decisions about, the personal aspects of my daily life, financial affairs and possessions;
my independence;
be listened to and understood;
have a person of my choice, including an aged care advocate, support me or speak on my behalf;
complain free from reprisal, and to have my complaints dealt with fairly and promptly;
personal privacy and to have my personal information protected;
exercise my rights without it adversely affecting the way I am treated.

For more information about the Charter of Aged Care Rights, visit www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights

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Feedback

Feedback is the process of gathering information to the organisation about any aspect of its service, program, and activities. RangeCare proactively seeks feedback to assist us to improve our services to clients and other stakeholders.

Feedback forms are the main source for collection and monitoring of feedback at RangeCare. However, we capture feedback in a variety of ways. Feedback forms when received are categorised into COMPLIMENTS, COMPLAINTS or SUGGESTIONS.

To lodge submit feedback, you can do so by the following:

Contact RangeCare

• Complete a feedback and complaints form at one of our offices

• By email to feedback@brcg.org.au

• Via phone call to your Care Partner or RangeCare’s Services Manager or Corporate Manager on 07 5445 7044

• Through our website www.rangecare.com.au/contact-us

Feedback

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Complaints

Formal Complaint's Process

A formal complaint

A formal complaint is distinguished from a complaint raised as feedback when:

The person states they want to have their concern addressed formally by management
The allegations involve serious misconduct of an employee, volunteer or contractor (eg; serious risk to the health and safety of staff or clients)
The allegations involve criminal activity Where mandatory reporting is required
The concern is raised via an external or government agency eg; ACQSC

The Organisation gives an undertaking to ensure:

Complaints can be made about services provided
The complaints process is easy and accessible to all
Information about how to make a formal complaint is available to all staff, clients and stakeholders and they will be given a copy of this policy upon request
That individuals are listened to and treated with respect
The privacy and confidentiality of all parties will be maintained Complaints are resolved in a fair, efficient and timely manner
The complainant and other stakeholders involved are kept informed of the progress of the complaint
Comprehensive documentation will be maintained throughout the complaints process

The Complainant and others involved in the complaint will be supported throughout this process by:

Not being adversely treated as a result of making the complaint
Being provided with the support of an advocate or support person should they wish Being offered support and counselling
External counselling will be arranged for all employees affected by the complaint if required
All employees have the responsibility to report any behaviour that arouses suspicion

Complaints Process

Considerations for dealing with formal complaints include: Investigating the allegations

Applying natural justice principles
Finding whether the allegations happened or were likely to have happened Making a report and recommending an action
Implementing an outcome
Ensure communication of an outcome and apply open disclosure principles

The usual actions in a formal procedure include:

If an individual wishes to make a complaint they should have the complaints procedure explained to them and if appropriate, receive an advocate to assist and support them through this process which may include a friend, colleague or relative.
The complaint is required to be put into writing by the person or a person supporting and/or representing the complainant
The complaint is referred to the Corporate Services Manager
The complaint is recorded on a complaint form and acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint is made in writing to the complainant
The Corporate Services Manager delegates the appropriate person to investigate the complaint
Individuals who may have a conflict of interest in the matter cannot be involved in the management of a complaint

The delegated person will:

Attempt to take all reasonable steps to resolve the complaint
Ensure any immediate action taken to resolve the complaint is recorded
Interview the person making the complaint and document the allegations
Inform the person the complaint is against of the details, and ask them to respond If the facts are disputed, seek more information including evidence from any witnesses
Report the process, the evidence, the finding and recommend an outcome Implement the outcome or decide on other actions
If a complaint cannot be resolved within 14 days, the person making the complaint is to be provided with a timeframe in which the matter may be resolved
If a person making a complaint does not want the organisation to deal with their complaint, details of external agencies are to be provided
Once an investigation is complete and the circumstances considered, a fair and reasonable remedy or remedies will be offered where appropriate. Written responses to complaints are provided within 48 hours of the resolution of the complaint
If the complaint cannot be resolved, then refer the matter to a mediator, resolution service or legal representative

Reporting of the complaint to higher authorities:

Information and contact details for the government and external complaints management bodies are made available at RangeCare's offices, and provided to the client, their carer or family and/or advocate
Any criminal action or complaints that require reporting to regulatory bodies will be reported by the COO
The COO will report any criminal action or complaints that require reporting to regulatory bodies to the:
- Appropriate government and external complaints management body
- Police
- RangeCare's Board Chair

Monitoring Feedback and Complaints

The Governance Committee reviews reports for feedback and formal complaints quarterly
Appropriate corrective and/or remedial action for an trends identified are implemented through continuous improvement processes

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Cancellation

Cancellation Procedure

When your service is scheduled with BRCG Ltd., a significant amount of time is involved coordinating your service. Last minute cancellations or not attending your scheduled appointment means BRCG Ltd. will incur staff and administrative costs that cannot be recovered, they are not sustainable to BRCG Ltd. in effective service delivery. We ask that if you wish to cancel or reschedule your service you do so at the earliest opportunity and within the guidelines below by contacting our team on 07 5445 7044.

Same day cancellation

You must ensure that you are at your home or at the agreed location to receive your services at the agreed time. If you are absent or decline the services, you will incur the costs for the scheduled service to be provided on that particular day and billed to your next invoice. If you are absent or decline the services on a weekend without 24 hours’ notice you will also incur a 2 hour on call charge, billed to your next invoice.

Cancellation of service within 24 hours

It is your responsibility to give us sufficient notice (no less than 24 hours) in cancelling a scheduled service, so that we do not incur costs that will be charged to your account. You will incur the costs for the scheduled service if 24 hours’ notice period is not given and billed to your next invoice.

Notice to cancellation received outside 24 hours

You will not be charged for the scheduled service if you provide greater than 24 hours’ notice prior to the commencement of the service.

Unavoidable emergencies resulting in cancellation of services

We understand that sometimes unavoidable emergencies happen at the last minute and services need to be cancelled. If it can be shown that the cancellation or reason for not being home to receive your service is due to an unavoidable emergency, the service will not be charged or billed to your invoice.

Unavoidable emergencies resulting in cancellation of services

Suspended services

You may choose to suspend your services for a period of time by providing us at least 2 weeks’ notice where possible. During this period your services will be placed on hold and you will not be charged. We may continue to charge for care management during these periods where permitted by the Aged Care Act.

BRCG Ltd. may choose to suspend your services due to extreme work health and safety concerns. Services will resume once these issues have been rectified.

Terminating services

You may choose to terminate your services for any reason. Where possible 2 weeks prior to you ceasing your service is required.

Cancellation periods that fall over weekend hours

When the cancellation notification period (24 hours) falls over weekend hours, these hours will not be included as hours available to provide sufficient notice to cancel services.

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Learn more about our Social Support Services

The team at RangeCare is here to help you navigate the wide range of in-home services and support programs we have available to our local community.

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What Our Clients Say...

It is more than three years since we joined Rangecare and I want to thank everyone who does something for us. The people who answer the phone and those who deliver meals and take us to Doctors etc. You treat us with dignity, with a happy smile on your faces. We appreciate everything you do for us. The Rangecare Family make life so much easier especially with us not having family close by. We look forward to hearing the doorbell and seeing you. You are here for us on good days and the bad days. We should tell you more often and not take you for granted.
So a big THANK YOU to everyone from us both.

Ray & Shirley