4.2 Home and Yard Maintenance Policy and Procedure

This policy and procedure outline the processes Choice Community Health will follow to provide home and yard maintenance for clients who choose this option under their home care package.

Policy

Choice Community Health is committed to provide clients with home and yard maintenance which meets their needs and requirements. Choice Community Health will provide information on the home and yard maintenance they can provide on My Aged Care.

Procedure

Choice Community Health provides a variety of different services for clients. When a client receives a home care package, they can choose what services they want to receive as part of the development of their budget and care plan.

The list of services that Choice Community Health can provide is published on My Aged Care and the business website.

Considerations

Before a client selects a regular home maintenance activity to add to their budget and care plan, a price quote will be obtained from the provider. The quote will become a budget item if it is accepted by the client. All quotes will provide the client with details of the activities that will be conducted during the maintenance activity.

Workers employed either as contractors or as employees of Choice Community Health are not permitted to engage in heavy yard or home maintenance that may require specialised equipment or more than one worker. Examples include tree lopping of branches thicker than 15cm, gutter cleaning where the worker is required to be standing higher than 1 metre off the ground and mowing any slope that creates a rollover hazard. If a client requires these items, they will need to obtain a specialised contractor.

If there are any concerns about the work that is being requested it will be discussed before it is added to the budget. In accordance with the Risk Management policy and procedure, risk assessments will be performed for each job.

Emergency or Single event maintenance activities

These activities occur when a home item requires an emergency response. Payment for these items is usually covered by the contingency payments in the clients’ home care budget but, on occasions, the amount needed for an emergency maintenance event will require additional funds to be paid. Choice Community Health will inform the client of the anticipated cost of emergency and single event maintenance activities and will obtain consent from the client before the work commences.

If the emergency and single event maintenance activity requires the use of a licensed contractor (such as an electrician or plumber) the work will only be quoted by the business at the market rates for a contractor. If a licenced contractor does the work the client will be given a certificate of compliance.

Equipment

Any equipment used by workers when providing home and yard care maintenance will be provided by Choice Community Health The business will ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose, appropriately maintained and fitted with all safety guards and safety shields. Workers employed by Choice Community Health will not use powered equipment owned by a home care client.

If a client chooses, they can purchase supplies that will be used by the home and yard care maintenance staff. This may include, for example, new shrubs to be planted in the gardens, timber to be used to build a garden bed, timber to be used to replace steps on a stairway. If the client wants to purchase safety critical supplies they should talk about the purchase with the home and yard care maintenance personnel before purchasing supplies and materials to ensure it meets requirements.

Unsafe home and yard maintenance materials

Home and yard care maintenance personnel will not use any hazardous substances or chemicals in home and yard maintenance. If a home or yard maintenance activity requires the use of hazardous chemicals, such as the eradication of pests, the home and yard maintenance personnel will engage a licenced contractor

Supporting Documents