What is attendant care?

Attendant care services support you or your child in your home and community. The Lifetime Care and Support (LTCS) Authority will pay for attendant care services if you require care as a result of your injury.

How do I make a request for attendant care?

If you think you need attendant care, talk to your coordinator or case manager about organising a review of your care needs. This will be completed by a health professional such as an occupational therapist. 

The amount of attendant care hours provided depends on your individual needs.

The health professional will talk with you about your needs relating to your motor accident injuries. Sometimes attendant care is not the only option or the best option. The health professional will talk to you about your care need and complete a care needs report. If you would like paid attendant care they will complete an attendant care service request. The Authority will assess the request to ensure that you received services that are related to your motor accident injuries, and will help you to achieve your goals. 

LTCS Guidelines Part 8: Attendant Care  (41kb) 

How do I find an attendant care provider?

The Authority has a list of approved attendant care providers on our website. They have been selected for the quality of their service. 

So that you know which providers are likely to be able to meet your needs, the panel is organised into three groups based on each organisation's experience. Some of the providers have skills across all three types of services, and others specialise in one area. Some of the providers also offer registered nursing services.

Click here to use the Attendant Care Finder to search for a provider that delivers the services you require in your local area.

For the regional areas of NSW that each attendant care provider covers refer to the Service Coverage Guide  (134kb).

If you are unsure which region of NSW you live in, a map of the regions of NSW is available at the following link to the NSW Department of Local Government website.

Additional information is available on the attendant care service provider's page.

How do I know which attendant care provider will be right for me?

Deciding which attendant care provider will be right for you depends on where you live and the type of service you need.

Speak to attendant care providers who offer services where you live to help you make your decision. You may also want to speak with your family, your doctor, members of your health team, or your LTCS coordinator.

You may like to ask potential attendant care providers the following questions:

• Tell me about your company and the experience it has? 
• What qualifications and experience do your attendant care workers have? 
• Do you have attendant care workers who are experienced working with people with similar needs to mine? 
• What are your emergency procedures? For example what after hours contacts are available? 
• Can you provide registered nursing services, eg: changing my catheter? 
• How will I be involved in selecting the attendant care workers who will be working with me? 
• What are the working hours? For example what is the latest or earliest time an attendant care worker can come to my home? 
• If I, or a member of my family, have a problem with an attendant care worker, what should I do? 
• How long will it take before the service starts? 
• Are attendant care workers able to assist with shopping or leisure activities? 
• Are there other clients or families who I can contact as referees?

How do services start?

Once your attendant care hours have been approved and you have selected an attendant care provider, the LTCS coordinator will make a referral to the attendant care provider.

The attendant care provider will visit you and develop a care plan with you and your family based on the attendant care approved. This includes information about how and when you will receive care. You can negotiate with the attendant care provider about the times that you would like to receive attendant care services. The attendant care provider will also explain how the service works, such as who to contact if you have any problems or questions.

Before attendant care workers can start, the attendant care provider will need to do a home safety audit. This is to make sure that your home is safe for the attendant care workers to assist you.

What if my needs change?

Your attendant care services will be reviewed regularly, especially when you are first discharged from hospital. If your needs change and you would like a review of your care needs, speak to your LTCS coordinator.