News

Dear SWEP practitioners

As you are aware, SWEP uses a credentialing based process to acknowledge practitioner levels of experience and currency in a range of assistive technology and professional areas of practice.

What is re-credentialing?

Re-credentialing is the process of periodically reviewing and verifying credentials to ensure a practitioner continues to meet SWEP's requirements and standards applicable to one or more categories or areas of practice. This includes maintenance of roles, experience, mileage, currency, complexity and ongoing learning.

Dear Practitioner

Currently there are a number of four- and three-wheel scooters available in our reissue equipment pool.

If you have a current application with SWEP or are in the process of applying for a scooter we would encourage you to review the Reissue Database to see if one of the scooters would be a match for your consumer.

You can log into the Chemtronics database via this link: https://cabrini.technology/sc/ess.do  

Dear Practitioner,

Please see below advice from Independence Australia our supplier of continence products.

Dear Practitioner,

The Department of Health has been working with the State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP) team at Ballarat Health Services to provide a centralised process for oxygen supply and ensure we have a secure supply chain. This will be available from Monday the 8^th November 2021. This will support the discharge of Covid positive patients who may still require oxygen and can be safely managed at home in line with the Medium Severity Covid Positive Pathway.

The process will allow for central management of oxygen supply across the state to ensure equitable access in line with the Health Emergency and Preparedness Response principles.

Dear Practitioner

Each year SWEP sends out a Consumer Satisfaction Survey for all our consumers across each of the programs we manage.  This helps us to engage with our consumers and gain feedback on what we do well and what we need to improve on.

Traditionally this is done in paper format and mailed out to consumers.

Dear SWEP Stakeholders,

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak affecting Melbourne and some regional areas throughout Victoria, some of our Suppliers have indicated increased delivery timeframes for some equipment and products.    

Dear Practitioner,

We would like to clarify which application category should be chosen when applying for a swivel bath chair as we are seeing different categories being selected for this item. We also understand that current practice is seeing the incorrect subsidy amount being provided.

This item could come under bathing or transfer but the intention of this item is to assist the consumer to transfer into the bath so please submit these requests on the transfer application/category.  This allows us to apply a subsidy of $200 under basic transfer equipment. 

Dear Practitioner,

We would like to remind our Practitioners the importance of checking the reissue database for equipment.  Under the Victorian Aids & Equipment Guidelines, Practitioners are required to source re-issue as first option on all applications. Reissue applications are not waitlisted for funding and all applications are processed within 10 days of receipt.

Note: no consumer will be placed on the waiting list for the supply of new equipment if it has been identified that a reissue item is available.

We collect equipment daily from consumers which means the database is being updated regularly with new items. Whether you are submitting a new application or have a consumer on the waitlist we encourage you to review what's available.

Dear Practitioner,

From tonight you will notice some small changes to our application portal as follows:

Dear Practitioners,

Currently when a Practitioner applies for Laryngectomy consumables, the quote being submitted with the application is attached as a word document/screenshot.

You may have received phone calls from the SWEP team seeking clarification on quotes relating to itemised items, delivery costs, GST, ABN, Australian Standards compliance and other missing information, that can contribute to delays in orders being placed.

Dear Practitioners

We have received queries about the recent release of information by the Commonwealth Government in relation to the trial of the national provider of Goods Equipment & Assistive Technology (GEAT) and the intersect with our State funded programs.

While the Commonwealth Government has contracted six providers to the GEAT panel including the Statewide Equipment Program (SWEP), we understand that Indigo Australasia has been chosen as the national provider under the outlet name Australian GEAT2GO to supply, install and maintain a range of assistive technology items.

Dear LCGP Practitioner

Please note that we have received unprecedented demand over recent weeks for LCGP garments for your clients. The impact of this unexpected increase in demand, latest covid restrictions and both planned and unplanned leave in our team has resulted in a delay in processing applications. Please bear with us as we process these applications as quickly as we can.

Dear Practitioners

We have recently received some enquiries regarding our recent communications in relation to funding eligibility for consumers who have been accepted for a Home Care Package (HCP).   We apologise for any confusion with our recent communique and provide this up-date as clarification.

We confirm that consumers on a Level 1 and 2 HCP remain eligible for Victorian Aids & Equipment Program (VA&EP) funding, with the exception of the domiciliary oxygen program.

Dear AT Practitioners

A recent audit of applications to the Aids & Equipment Program has identified that a number of practitioners have requested minor home modifications, including rails, to more than one bathroom or toilet. 

As per previous communique's we would like to confirm that SWEP can only fund bed sticks that have a ball point or curved end and will not fund bed sticks that are single point without a ball point end.

We have conducted a review of applications and it appears that we have incorrectly accepted some applications for a Cobra bed stick, which do not meet the criteria for funding.   

The SWEP portal will be unavailable on Saturday 24^th July from 5pm - 10pm. Please ensure you are logged out prior to this time and any work is saved.  

If you are still logged in you will be exited from the portal and any unsaved work may be lost. 

We thank you for your patience. 

Regards

SWEP Management Team

SWEP is seeking expressions of interest from Lymphoedema Therapists and Speech Pathologists to join our expert Clinical Advisory Panel.

We are seeking highly experienced clinicians who can demonstrate a minimum 10 years of experience prescribing lymphoedema compression garments or experience in voice aids, voice prothesis and laryngectomy consumables.  Clinicians should also be able to demonstrate participation in activities that contribute directly to maintaining their clinical competence and expertise.

Dear Practitioners

We have recently received some enquiries regarding home modifications funding in relation to home access points.

Under the Victorian Aids & Equipment Program (VA&EP) Guidelines, it has always been intended to provide a safe entry for one access point only to the dwelling, when applying funding for ramps, step modifications (for two or more steps including platform steps) and rails. Where a request is to allow access to a garage for means of accessing the community, this will also be seen as one access point to the dwelling.