Agreeing to End-of-Life Pathway services

Participants or their supporters will be given a list of the services that will be provided to them through the End-of-Life Pathway to meet their goals and assessed needs, and a pricing schedule. The care plan will also cover who will provide the services, when they will be delivered and how often.

Find out more about the End-of-Life Pathway.

The service agreement will set out information about the contributions framework and how contributions are paid.

Find out more about costs and contributions and managing a budget.

Participants (or their registered supporters) and providers enter into a service agreement as equal partners. Both parties have rights and responsibilities to help manage this partnership.

Providers must give the participant or their supporter a copy of the Code of Conduct for Aged Care and the Statement of Rights, which sets out the expectations for both parties.

Find out more about rights and responsibilities and what to do if you have concerns about a participant’s care.

While a service agreement focusses on terms and conditions of service, the care plan centres around the participant’s needs and choices. It formalises their choice and control over their services.

Providers work with participants and their supporters to develop a care plan. It includes:

• care goals and how these goals will be met
• how the participant would prefer your services to be delivered, such as:
  • the gender of care workers
  • preferred days and times
  • cultural preferences
• the type of services that will be delivered
• who delivers those services, when they’re delivered, and how often
• a summary of any assistive technology the participant may receive (or are already receiving) and their costs (if applicable)
• any extra information or considerations about their care, such as being culturally safe or trauma informed.

The End-of-Life Pathway is designed to complement state and territory palliative care supports. Where appropriate, care plans in the End-of-Life Pathway may include details of services being delivered by local palliative care services, such as specialist palliative care nursing. This will help to plan the right mix of services to meet the participant’s needs.

People who support the participant, such as registered supporters or informal carers, can be involved in the development of a care plan. If the participant’s needs, goals, preferences, or situation change at a later point, their care plan will be updated. Participants or their supporters can request changes at any time.

Participants and their supporters can get help from an aged care advocate to develop an agreement with their provider. Through the National Aged Care Advocacy Program, the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) provides free, confidential and independent information and support to older people seeking or receiving government-funded aged care as well as their families of choice or other supporters. 

OPAN’s aged care advocates can help participants and supporters to understand and exercise their aged care rights, find aged care services that meet their needs, and resolve issues with their government-funded aged care provider. 

Participants and supporters can ask questions or raise concerns by speaking to an aged care advocate. Call the Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600 to be connected with the aged care advocacy organisation in your state or territory. Find out more by visiting the Older Persons Advocacy Network website.

If a participant or their supporter needs a translator or interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450. Tell the operator the language needed and ask the interpreter to call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.  

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interpreting services, call my Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for an interpreter.

For a sign language interpreter, contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS) by selecting the preferred channel on the NRS website and then ask the operator to call us on 1800 200 422.