Continence Products

RAP Schedule number

AD00
AD01 – AD28
[refer to RAP Schedule]

Definition

Continence products are a range of products such as pads, pants, catheters and bed and chair protection to manage urinary and /or faecal incontinence. This range of products will help clients manage any leakage and maintain their dignity.

Eligibility

The DVA client must have a clinical need and a:

• Gold Card; or
• White Card with an accepted or non-liability condition relating to the clinical need for the prescribed products.

For clients living in a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF): Please refer to the RAP in Residential Aged Care List to determine items available to residents of aged care facilities.

Prescribing

Suitably qualified health provider

Continence products must be prescribed by a suitable qualified assessing health provider.  For this type of item, these include:

• General Practitioners (GP) or Local Medical Officer (LMO)
• Continence Nurse Advisers (CA) - A continence adviser can be a Registered Nurse or Physiotherapist Continence Adviser;
• Occupational Therapist (OT);
• Registered Nurse (RN);
• Urologists (S for Specialist); or
• Physiotherapist (Physio).

Prior approval

Prior approval is only required for White Card Holders. 

Deciding on the most appropriate item

An assessment needs to be conducted by a suitably qualified assessing health provider to determine the clinical need for continence products and determine the most suitable product/s.

DVA has contract arrangements in place for continence products with a number of national suppliers. As an assessing health provider, you should consider the range of products available through these supplier contracts.  A list of national suppliers and their contact details is provided on the order form. The choice of supplier is to be made by you and the client.

If however, there is a product that is not on the list of contracted items, contact DVA via email RAPGeneralEnquiries [at] dva.gov.au (RAPGeneralEnquiries[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au) to discuss this request. In these circumstances, you will need to provide clinical information to support your request.

To prescribe continence products, complete the D0988 - Continence Products Order Form

The completed Continence Direct Order Form enables the client to obtain the prescribed continence product/s for two (2) years. After which time the client will be required to undertake an assessment by an assessing health provider and submit a new direct order form.

Assessing health providers and clients can order up to three (3) months’ supply of products at one time.

Ordering to avoid running out
Place orders directly with suppliers allowing two (2) weeks for the order to be processed.

Changing orders during the two years of a previous prescription.
If the client’s circumstances change, the assessing health provider, client or their nominated representative needs to inform the current supplier of the change in requirements as soon as possible.

These may include but are not limited to the following situations. The client:

• needs additional items to the items on the current order form
• no longer needs items on the current order form
• has completely new requirements and a new Direct Order Form is to be completed
• has moved to another address and the delivery address needs updating
• has moved into an aged care home permanently and no longer requires the products
• has deceased and the order needs to be cancelled and surplus unused products need to be picked up.

Request for item

The suitably qualified assessing health provider should complete the direct order form as an approved health provider – D0988 - Continence Products Order Form

Initial Orders
The prescriber is to determine the client’s eligibility.

Gold Card - Complete the D0988 - Continence Products Order Form and send it directly to one of the contracted suppliers detailed on the form.

Provide the client with a copy of the direct order form for re-ordering purposes.

White Card – Ring DVA on 1800 550 457 or email RAPGeneralEnquiries [at] dva.gov.au (RAPGeneralEnquiries[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au) to check eligibility under the client’s accepted disability(ies). If the client is eligible, complete the D0988 - Continence Products Order Form and send it directly to one of the contracted suppliers detailed on the form. The supplier will seek prior approval if required from DVA.

Provide the client with a copy of the completed Direct Order Form for re-ordering purposes.

Subsequent Orders
Once the initial order has been completed using the Continence Products Order Form, orders can be made, either verbally or in writing by the assessing health provider, the client or their nominated representative directly with the supplier.

Suppliers will only supply products if they have received an initial order.

Supporting documentation for prior approval request

Supporting documentation is only required when the:

• client has a White Card and the ‘clinical need’ must align with an accepted condition; or
• item being requested is not on the RAP schedule and is not covered under a contract.

White Card holders
The illness or condition that has caused the incontinence.

Requesting a product/s not on the RAP schedule or covered under contract
The reason the item is more suitable than products on the RAP Schedule. Provide information on products trialled and why they are unsuitable.

Additional information

Australian Standards and legislative requirements

There is currently no Australian Standard for continence products.

Health Provider Hotline

1800 550 457
Health Providers can contact DVA for any enquiries by calling the Provider Hotline: (Please press Option 1 when prompted for RAP, or Option 3 for prior health approvals).