Service agreement

1. Establish a separate written Support Plan with you about the expected outcomes of your services and deliver supports in accordance with this Support Plan.
2. Treat you with courtesy and respect in accordance with our Customer Service Charter.
3. Work with you and your chosen support person (where applicable) to make decisions about the services you receive.
4. Ensure that Novita’s workers comply with Novita’s Code of Conduct and mandatory screening requirements for their positions.
5. Provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice if a service needs to be rescheduled by us. However, where a cancellation is needed due to staff illness as much notice as possible will be given. In these instances Novita will attempt to offer an alternative worker, service or appointment time where possible. Cancellation charges will be in line with Novita’s Cancellation Policy.
6. Protect your privacy and confidential information, and provide you with access to your personal information where you require or request it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
7. Provide supports in a manner consistent with current legislation and keep accurate records of the supports provided.
8. Support you to report incidents or make a complaint to Novita or an external body if you choose.
9. Report any issues relating to our service delivery to regulatory bodies as required.
10. With your consent, communicate with other providers or relevant funding bodies with regards to your services.
11. Provide information to you or an external party when legally required to do so.
12. Comply with the Information Sharing Guidelines to Promote the Safety and Wellbeing (ISG), which means that Novita will work closely with other agencies to coordinate the best support for you and your family. Under the ISG, your informed consent for the sharing of information will be sought and respected in all situations unless: (a) It is authorised or required by law, or (b) it is unreasonable or impracticable to seek consent; or consent has been refused; and the disclosure is reasonably necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the life, health or safety of a person or group of people
13. Keep records of your personal and service information provided, as well as full and accurate accounts and financial records of the supports delivered to you.
14. Raise an invoice for payment for all services provided.
15. Provide a detailed statement of charges.
16. Provide at least 14 days’ notice in writing of termination of services by Novita to enable you, or your funder, to nominate an alternative provider to deliver those support services. 

1. Inform Novita about how you wish supports to be delivered.
2. Talk to Novita if you have any feedback or concerns about the supports being provided.
3. Treat Novita and its staff with courtesy and respect.
4. Pay Novita within the stated payment terms for any services delivered.
5. Notify Novita within 7 days of any changes to your payment, funding or contact details.
6. Inform Novita if there are changes in your individual or family circumstances that might affect who can make decisions or receive information on your behalf.
7. Provide relevant and up to date health information to enable workers to appropriately respond to your health care needs.
8. Disclose any behaviours of concern which may impact on the levels of support and/or the health and safety of workers.
9. Give Novita as much notice as possible if you need to cancel a session or service.
10. Pay for non-attendance without adequate notice in accordance with Novita’s Cancellation Policy. You acknowledge that repeated non-attendance without notice or reason may lead to loss of regular timeslots.
11. Not attend an appointment if you are unwell with cold or flu like symptoms and notify us in advance.
12. Pay for any damage you may cause to Novita property, equipment or items.
13. Give at least 14 days’ notice in writing of termination of services with Novita.

Novita encourages feedback about the services and supports it provides. Any feedback or any concerns about our services can be raised directly with the Novita staff member providing your services or with their Manager. Complaints, feedback and compliments can be provided through the Novita Website which also contains information about how to make an external complaint.

You can also contact our Customer Experience Team by sending an email to services@novita.org.au or calling us on 1300 668 482. You may seek support from family, a friend or an independent advocate in making a complaint. Information about independent advocates can be located on the Novita Website or you can contact Disability Advocacy & Complaints Service of South Australia by calling (08) 7122 6030 or Disability Rights Advocacy Service Inc on (08) 8351 9500.

Novita are committed to resolving complaints and disputes fairly, equitably and as quickly as possible. If you are unhappy with the outcome of our process, you can contact the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission by calling 1800 035 544, visiting one of their offices in person, or visiting www.ndiscommission.gov.au for further information.  

If changes to the supports or its delivery are required this must be discussed between you and Novita and all changes to this Service Agreement will be dated and agreed in writing. 

Where Novita provides you with a quotation for a product or service and you receive that product or attend the service you will be deemed to have accepted the quotation and it will form part of this Service Agreement.

You are required to:

• inform Novita immediately if your NDIS plan is suspended or replaced by a new NDIS plan or if you,  your child or a customer you have guardianship for stops being a participant of the NDIS;
• inform Novita within 7 days if you change the way your NDIS funding is managed including changes to and from self-management, third party plan management and NDIS agency management; and
• keep track of your spending against the NDIS plan, and ensure that there are sufficient funds to pay for the supports provided by Novita at the time they are provided. 

Novita will allow access by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) or third party auditors to our premises, where accounts and records associated with the provision of services to you are stored, and allow those permitted to inspect and copy all records associated with the provision of services to you. 

Novita will provide at least 14 days’ notice of a change of price. Novita’s pricing information is published and freely available on the Novita website. 

Travel to provide supports in your home or away from a Novita office will be charged in accordance with Novita's Services Pricing published on the Novita website. 

It is your responsibility to pay for services at the time of receiving the service if provided at a Novita office, or within the stated terms on your Novita Invoice. 

If you employ a plan manager to process your accounts, please ensure that you notify Novita of their details within 7 days to enable the timely processing of payments. As the customer it is still your responsibility to ensure Novita receives payment for services provided. Accounts will be re-issued to you personally if your plan manager does process your payments.

You are personally responsible for any services provided to you that are not funded by the NDIS or another approved funding source. This includes services consumed once you have exhausted your funding package or NDIS plan.

Payment options include cash, cheque, EFTPOS or credit card (VISA or MasterCard). You can pay for invoices through electronic transfer as detailed on the invoice. You will be kept updated about any changes to payment options. When you pay for Novita services we will provide you with a receipt. 

Non-payment of services may result in your services being cancelled or put on hold until payment is received.

Any products supplied by Novita to you will be covered by the relevant manufacturer’s warranty.

Some Novita services may be provided to you as part of a ‘program of support’ with the aim of meeting a specified outcome. If you agree to participate in a program of support, you will be charged an agreed fixed fee for the multiple services that make up your ‘program of support’. The fixed fee will cover all expenses related to delivering the program of support which may be charged in a lump sum or in a series of payments. Information about our programs of support will be made fully accessible to you along with any associated terms.

Novita supports the development of Allied Health students and facilitates their learning within our organisation. As such there may be occasion where there is an opportunity for a student to be involved with your service provision, if this is the case your consent will be sought before this occurs and the financial implications outlined. 

Novita seeks to ensure the safety and well-being of its customers. In emergency situations, Novita will provide immediate first aid and will call for an ambulance if deemed necessary. Any costs associated with an ambulance call-out will be your responsibility.

Novita undertakes planning that ensures that the risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of participants that may arise in an emergency or disaster are considered mitigated wherever possible to ensure continuity of supports.

In the event of an emergency and disaster, Novita will follow site-based emergency plans, individual care plans, and enact measures to ensure continuity of care wherever possible for participants.

If you have specific requirements or needs that should be considered for an emergency response, please ensure you provide these to Novita for inclusion within your individual care plan.

Digital images may be used to document your progress. This occurs in communication with families. These images are securely stored and will not be used publicly without your or your legal guardian’s consent.