LEHMS Mobile Health Care Management
Department of Veterans'
Affairs (DVA)
Community Nursing Services
What is Community Nursing?
Community nursing is the provision of clinically necessary nursing and/or personal care services to eligible members of the veteran community, in their own home. Community nursing helps to restore or maintain the maximum level of health and independence at home and helps to avoid premature or inappropriate admittance to hospital or residential care.
Community nursing services are provided by a mix of personnel including registered and enrolled nurses, who work within the framework of the relevant national standards, and nursing support staff.
Who is eligible?
For those with a Repatriation Health Card – For all conditions (Gold Card) who have a clinical need for community nursing, (DVA) will pay for all assessed community nursing care.
For those with a Repatriation Health Card – For specific conditions (White Card) DVA will pay for assessed community nursing care if there is a clinical need for community nursing directly associated with:
n an accepted war or service-caused injury or disease;
n malignant cancer (neoplasia), whether war-caused or not;
n pulmonary tuberculosis, whether war-caused or not;
n post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether war-caused or not; or
n anxiety and/or depression, whether war-caused or not.
How does one obtain this service?
A referral is required to access community nursing and/or personal care services, which may be obtained from:
n a Local Medical Officer (LMO – a DVA-contracted general practitioner);
n another general practitioner who is treating the person under DVA arrangements;
n a treating doctor in hospital;
n a hospital discharge planner; or
n a Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) Assessment Agency.
A community nursing referral is valid for 12 months.
How many services can be provided?
The DVA-contracted community nursing agency that receives the referral will arrange for one of their registered nurses to assess the person’s clinical need for nursing and/or personal care services. The registered nurse will determine, in consultation with them, the number, type and frequency of nursing and/or personal care that is needed.
Is there a fee charged?
No. The approved community nursing agency will bill DVA directly for the care provided.
Can a veteran receive a CACP and DVA Community Nursing?
Yes, a DVA-contracted community nursing provider can deliver community nursing services to an entitled person with an assessed clinical need who has a CACP provided there is no duplication in services.
Can a veteran receive an EACH or EACHD and DVA Community Nursing?
NO. A DVA-contracted community nursing provider cannot deliver community nursing services to an entitled person in the EACH program. The EACH program includes the provision of community nursing services to meet all assessed clinical and/or personal care needs.
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