Client Finances
How we demonstrate our fiduciary responsibility towards our clients
Scope
Compliance with this policy is a condition of appointment for all workers engaged to provide services on behalf of HomeWise Health (HWH).
Procedures
A care worker must never under any circumstances, do any of the following:
- Borrow money from a client
- Borrow personal items from a client
- Loan Money to a client
- Loan personal items to a client
- Ask a client to act as a guarantor for them
- Act as a guarantor for a client
- Give advice on financial matters
Disregarding any of the above will lead to disciplinary action and possible termination of employment.
If a client is experiencing financial difficulties, the carer will advise their Manager who will then take appropriate action.
If a client askers you to carry out any financial transactions, for example going to the bank (refer below also), you must first check with the client to see if there is a third independent person, a family member or a friend who could assist them.
If there is no independent person available to assist the client, the worker will then:
If a client is experiencing financial difficulties, the carer will advise their Manager who will then take appropriate action.
If a client askers you to carry out any financial transactions, for example going to the bank (refer below also), you must first check with the client to see if there is a third independent person, a family member or a friend who could assist them.
If there is no independent person available to assist the client, the worker will then:
- Contact the CCM to discuss the situation and follow the directions given to them.
There are some clients who require workers to assist with their banking, bill paying, shopping etc. as part of their normal routine in accordance with their Care Plan. In these cases, the worker must adhere to the following procedure:
- Ensure that all the financial transactions are recorded in a Cashbook. If there is no Cashbook available at the client's home, the Office must be contacted to organise one or the Carer will need to purchase one when doing the shopping for the client.
- Ensure that there are receipts for all bank transactions
- Ensure that tax receipts are obtained and kept when paying bills or doing the shopping.
- Legibly sign and date the receipt once it is obtained and put it into the Cashbook to cross-reference the noted expenditure.
- Make note of the expenditure or transaction in the Cashbook and also in the Shift Notes.
- If there is even the slightest concern, the worker must complete an Incident Report immediately and contact the client's CCM.
Related Legislation
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth).
- Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
- A Quick Guide to Australian Discrimination Laws (AHRC - Australian Human Rights Commission)
Supporting HWH Documentation
- Code of Ethical Behaviour and Duty of Care policy
- Duty of Care policy
- Advocacy Policy and Procedure
- Privacy - Private information Policy and Procedure
- Discipline and Termination of Employment Policy and Procedures
Breaches of this Policy
A breach of this policy is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Ignorance of these procedures will not generally be accepted as an excuse for non-compliance. Only in extreme circumstances and where such ignorance can be demonstrated to have occurred through no fault of the individual concerned will HWH accept such an argument.
Distribution and Review
HWH will ensure all persons engaged to provide services either paid or unpaid will be aware of this policy and will have easy access to it in an appropriate format. All policies are to be reviewed on a bi-annual basis or when legislation or Government Policy determines.