Key Approval Criteria for Equipment

General criteria

• The equipment program will provide disability-specific equipment, not standard household items.
• The equipment will generally be provided for the client’s primary residence only
• Short-term loan of equipment will be provided where it meets the criteria below and is available from existing equipment items in store.
• The equipment item needs to be used frequently. That is, at least 3 to 4 times/week (see Frequency of Use)
• Clients will not be eligible to receive equipment from DHS if they are eligible to receive it from another funding source including Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Commonwealth Home Support Programme, Home Care Package, Residential Aged Care Facility Health@Home or a compensation payment.
• Equipment for use solely at school, work or day program is not provided via DHS.

Eligibility criteria

DHS will provide equipment to enable the client to remain living at home when:

1. Safety: the provision of the equipment item will minimise the risk of serious injury to the client, carer or service provider OR
2. Independence / function: the client, with or without a carer, is compromised when completing tasks of daily living (see Tasks of Daily Living) without the provision of the equipment item OR
3. Need for services: the need for provision of additional carer / community support services (for example personal care / shopping assist) is avoided or substantially reduced by the provision of the equipment item OR
4. Potential for functional gain:  provision of the equipment item will facilitate the person to make improvements in their functional capacity OR
5. Prevention of deterioration: provision of the equipment item will reduce progression of functional and / or postural deterioration OR
6. Risk of hospitalisation / residential care: immediate risk of admission to hospital or residential care would be avoided by provision of the equipment item OR
7. Need for timely discharge from acute care services, transition care programs and rehabilitation programs: provision of the equipment item will allow discharge home or from these programs.

AND all other methods / equipment / intervention and treatment options have been considered and / or trialled with client / carer and provision of the equipment is the most appropriate and cost effective option. Equipment will be provided with the most clinically appropriate, cost effective features to meet the client’s needs.

Frequency of Use

Frequency of Use of a manual wheelchair / stroller / service delivery equipment (for example, shower chair) may be less than 3 to 4 times per week if it is the primary means of outdoor mobility or if provided for service delivery where use is limited by carer availability. Refer to specific clinical criteria for manual wheelchairs for details.

Tasks of Daily Living

Tasks of Daily Living refers to

• eating and preparing meals
• dressing and grooming
• bathing and toileting (including continence management)
• seating and postural needs (including night time posture)
• transfers and bed mobility
• mobility within the home and the community
• functional communication and related technologies for in-scope  items only.

Functional Communication Need

Functional Communication Need broadly relates to language as used to:

• establish interpersonal relationships
• regulate the behaviour of others
• satisfy material needs or desires
• explore and organise environments
• exchange messages and information.

This does not include transport or medication management.