SWEP is seeking expressions of interest from Speech Pathologists to join our expert Clinical Advisory Panel for our consumer cohort.
We are seeking highly experienced Speech Pathologists who prescribe voice aids & laryngectomy consumables regularly and can demonstrate a minimum of 10 years' experience.
You will be a member or an eligible member of Speech Pathology Australia and be able to demonstrate participation in activities that contribute directly to maintaining your clinical competence and expertise.
As a Clinical Advisor you may be required to;
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.
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Remember to order your products before 1st December 2021
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Ensure you have everything you need this holiday season by ordering before December 1st.
Any phone or online orders placed after December 1st may miss out on pre-Christmas delivery. |
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 8th 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 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.
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.
| Each year almost 1,000 Australians are admitted to hospital for a possible mobility scooter-related injury |
Dear Practitioner
Our Continence Program supplier Independence Australia have advised us of the following short term closure due to a system upgrade:
We wish to advise of our closure from: 5pm Thursday April 22 to 8am Wednesday April 28
What's new?
The Victorian Aids and Equipment Program (VA&EP) provides eligible people with subsidised Assistive Technology (AT) to enhance independence in their home, facilitate community participation and support families and carers in their role.
The State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP) is pleased to announce that Pedorthists can now access this funding for eligible consumers in recognition of their expertise in the provision of customised and medical grade footwear, shoe modifications and orthoses in line with other funding agencies. This arrangement commences on 21st December 2020.
Over recent years there has been an increase in the type of mattresses advertised to have pressure relief or pressure prevention properties. SWEP would like to confirm the type of mattresses we can provide a funding subsidy towards.
Under the Victorian Aids & Equipment Program Operational Policies, for all AT categories, SWEP does not fund what would be considered normal household items, including standard mattresses for standard beds. What we do fund is pressure reducing mattresses for hospital beds.
Dear Practitioner,
SWEP have been reviewing our Practitioner online Portal and have made some changes to the Practitioner home page. These changes will take effect on 8th August. The link to login, how to log in and the application process will all remain the same and none of your registration details will change.
The Application tab from the top right hand tool bar has moved and your applications can now be accessed by clicking on the tab on the front home page titled 'Complete and Manage Applications for Assistive Technology'.
