What is care finder? 

The aged care system is complex, with some people finding it more difficult than others to navigate and access the services they need.

The care finder program will connect and engage older people who have significant difficulty accessing aged care services and are at risk of 'falling through the cracks'. 

In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Australian Government is funding Primary Health Networks across Australia to commission service providers to provide specialist and intensive assistance (care finder) which will include: 

• Supporting senior community members to understand and access aged care and connect with other relevant supports in the community 
• Providing specialist and intensive assistance to do the above 
• Specifically assisting people within the target population to access My Aged Care. 

About the Service 

The care finder program takes a holistic approach to a person's needs and other relevant supports in the community that may assist the client to maintain and/or improve their psychological, emotional, and physical wellbeing and/or break down barriers that may impede their access to aged care. 

Care finder will help people to understand and access aged care supports and services by using intensive navigation support and assertive outreach to: 

• find older people who are disconnected from the system, 
• support them to navigate the system and interact with My Aged Care, 
• provide guidance and explain the care assessment process, 
• connect them with the aged care services or other relevant community supports they need, 
• periodic check-in contacts with the client ensuring they continue to have their needs met. 

Care finders will also undertake extensive engagement and network building with the local community, care services and community providers to support both identification and engagement with potential clients and available services. 

Helping older people who are most vulnerable

Care finder is available only for those who are eligible for aged care services and most vulnerable.

Reasons for requiring intensive support may include: 

• Isolation or no support person 
• Communication barriers, including limited literacy skills 
• Difficulty processing information to make decisions 
• Reluctance or hesitance to engage with aged care, institutions or government for any reason 
• Their safety is at risk, or they may end up in a crisis situation. 

Care finder services will complement, not duplicate, the My Aged Care channels that provide access support to people who are able to navigate the system for themselves. 

Services must be provided free of charge to the client, and people will not need a referral to access the service. 

Locations

This tender is open only for the Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kingston, Casey, Mornington Peninsula and Greater Dandenong.

Respondents can apply to be a care finder provider for more than one of these LGAs in one submission. Preference will be given to applicants who currently or have previously delivered services within the SEMPHN catchment. 

How to apply

• All applications must be submitted through SEMPHN’s eProcure.
• All questions about the tender must be submitted through SEMPHN’s eProcure.
• Applicants are encouraged to attend the Tender Information Session. Details below.

Tender Information Session

Victorian PHNs have worked collaboratively to develop consistent contract documents and a common tender response document. A single care finder tender information session will be delivered collaboratively by all participating PHNs, online, on Monday 12 September at 1pm. 

This is your opportunity to learn more about the program, the commissioning and contracting process and to build your understanding of PHNs probity obligations. 

Register here by 11:59pm Sunday 11 September.

Key dates

• 5 September 2022: Tender opens
• 12 September 2022, 1-2pm: Tender Information Session (online). Register here.
• 27 September 2022, 3pm: Questions close in eProcure
• 30 September 2022, 3 pm: Tender closes
• 31 October 2022: Applicants may be interviewed
• Nov/Dec 2022: Contract negotiation and execution
• 1 January 2023: Service commencement
• 30 June 2025: Contract ends