Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd Support Partnership Policy and Procedures
SUPPORT PARTNERSHIP POLICY
Policy area: Support Partnerships
Document type: Policy and Procedure
Applicable to : Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd
Version: 2024-2025
Date approved: 20 March 2024
Approved by: Chris Condon – Managing Director
Next review date: 20 March 2025
Related policies
Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Policy
Duty of Care Policy
Client Feedback and Complaints Management Policy
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Policy and Procedure
Consent Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
Incident Management Policy
Privacy Policy
Authority
NDIS Code of Conduct
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Privacy Act 1988
Corporations Act 2001
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to explain our organisation’s commitment and approach to sourcing and maintaining our Support Partnerships.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all our workers (employees, contractors, and volunteers) and Support Partners.
DEFINITIONS
Support Partner
An organisation, product, service, support, or individual who provides a product, service, support, or type of advice, outside of Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd
Support Partnership
Based on the definition of Support Partner above, a Support Partnership is defined as:
The agreement between Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd and the organisation, product, service, support, or individual who provides a product, service and / or support, for the purposes of advertising that organisation, product, service, support or individual (only)
Pre-Screening
To be eligible, a Support Partner must provide evidence to support some or all the following:
Confirmation of relevant qualifications and experience (where applicable)
Relevant Professional Body Memberships (where applicable)
Relevant regulatory oversight i.e. a NDIS Registered Provider is an Approved Registered NDIS Provider
Products have relevant testing / certification and approval for use / sale in Australia
Acknowledgement of the NDIS Code of Conduct (via signed agreement)
Evidence of Professional Indemnity Insurance
Cessation of Support Partnership
Support Partnership will immediately cease should evidence of Pre-screening on file become unavailable, expired and / or any other relevant information is made available as to why it should cease
Review Period
Pre-screening checks will be reviewed annually, or as needed, at the time of becoming aware of relevant information that impacts on this policy
Gifts and Benefit/s
Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd may receive gifts and financial benefits from Support Partners, in the form of monthly or annual subscriptions to their directory, to facilitate the marketing of their products, services and / or supports. Or, other benefits, from time to time, such as gifts, purchase of Advocacy Apparel and / or other commercial benefits
Conflicts of Interest
Perceived and actual conflicts of interest are proactively managed and documented, including through the development and maintenance of organisational policies and procedures including:
Conflicts of Interest Policy
Conflicts of Interest Declaration Form
Conflicts of Interest Register
Transparent Communication with our clients about the nature of Support Partnerships and is provided in the language, mode of communication and terms that is most likely to understand
NDIS Code of Conduct
act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions
respect the privacy of people with disability
provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
act with integrity, honesty, and transparency
promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability
take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse of people with disability
take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct
without a valid reason, not represent or charge a higher price for goods supplied to a NDIS participant that is higher than the price that would be supplied or charged to a person who is not a NDIS participant
Foundational Partnership
An agreed time period of advertising and marketing by Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd, without payment by a Support Partner
Monthly Subscription
A payment made each month to Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd, by a Support Partner, to be advertised and marketed by Tactical Ability Group
Annual Subscription
A payment made each year to Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd, by a Support Partner, to be advertised and marketed by Tactical Ability Group
CONTEXT
Our organisation recognises and supports the rights of our clients (whether individuals and / or organisations) to access and engage with supports and products of their own choice and control. Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd will only engage with supports, services and products which may be of benefit to people impacted by trauma and disability.
POLICY STATEMENT
1. Expectations and Limitations
We acknowledge the expectations and limitations of our role and will implement processes to manage risk by clearly indicating to our clients (whether verbally, in writing and / or in the mode of communication which best suits them), what Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd.'s role is and how our clients must make their own decisions to engage with our Support Partners and / or use their products, services, supports and / or advice.
We acknowledge the expectations and limitations of our role and will implement processes to manage risk by clearly indicating to our clients (whether verbally, in writing and / or in the mode of communication which best suits them), what pricing structures are for all products, services, supports and advice
We acknowledge the expectations and limitations of our role and will implement processes to manage risk by clearly indicating to our clients (whether verbally, in writing and / or in the mode of communication which best suits them), whether a benefit is received from the advertising and marketing of our support partners
2. Access to alternative supports
We do not replace professional medical, legal and / or other services, supports, products and / or advice
We will never advise an individual or organisation to ignore their medical, legal and / or other professional advice
We recommend consulting directly with medical, legal, financial, and other experts and professionals, in their respective fields of expertise, as Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd does not promote or intend to promote themselves as experts in these fields of expertise
We will always support a client’s right to access alternative products, services, supports and / or advice, then those advertised by Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd
3. Engaging with a Support Partner
It is the independent choice and responsibility of our individual clients/family/alternate decision-maker/nominated Advocate’s, on whether they engage with a Support Partner
We will ensure the client is aware of their right to find alternative products, services, supports and / or advice, at any time and support them to do this, if requested
We will never force any individual and / or organisation to engage with our Support Partners
4. Acting on Concerns and Resolving Issues
We will act promptly to resolve issues, complaints or concerns that arise through our business activities.
5. Information and Record-keeping
We will ensure information and records are accurate and up to date
We will ensure we have a signed agreement with every Support Partner on file, before advertising their product, service, support and / or advice
We will store the information securely to ensure privacy, dignity, confidentiality, and information security
Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd will retain all Support Partnership records for a period of 7 years, from the date of initial signed agreement
This period of record retention may be shorter if required by law to dispose of sooner
All records will be destroyed upon reaching the end those retention periods
6. Worker Training and Supervision
We will maintain a skilled and trained workforce
We will maintain processes to adequately monitor and supervise workers
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Related procedures and forms include:
Official Support Partner Agreement
Conflict of Interest Register
Conflict of Interest Declaration Form
Client Feedback and Complaints Management Policy Procedure
Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Procedure
Incident Management Procedure
Reportable Incident Management Procedure
NDIS Code of Conduct
RESPONSIBILITIES
Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd - Managing Director is responsible for:
maintaining this policy, its related procedures, and associated documents;
ensuring the policy is effectively implemented across the service;
monitoring workers compliance with the requirements of this policy; and
ensuring training and information is provided to workers to carry out this policy.
All workers are responsible for complying with the requirements of this policy.
COMPLIANCE
Deliberate breaches of this policy will be dealt with under relevant misconduct provisions
SUPPORT PARTNERSHIP PROCEDURE
Policy area: Support Partnership Referrals
Document type: Procedure
Applicable to : Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd
Version: 2024-2025
Date approved: 20 March 2024
Approved by: Chris Condon – Managing Director
Review date: 20 March 2025
Policy Sponsor: N/A
Related policies
Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Policy
Duty of Care Policy
Client Feedback and Complaints Management Policy
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Policy and Procedure
Consent Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
Incident Management Policy
Privacy Policy
Authority
NDIS Code of Conduct
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Privacy Act 1988
PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to explain how our organisation to sources and maintains our Support Partnerships.
SCOPE
This procedure applies to all our workers (employees, contractors, and volunteers).
CONTEXT
Our organisation recognises and supports the rights of our clients (whether individuals and / or organisations) to access and engage with supports and products of their own choice and control. Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd will only suggest supports, services and products which may be of benefit, and which may not have been considered.
PROCEDURES
1. Expectations and Limitations of Support Partnerships
1.1 We start from the assumption that an adult has the capacity to research their own information and make their own decisions.
1.2 If an adult does not have the ability to research and / or decide for themselves, we must be completely satisfied, by evidence, a person or organisation, researching and making decisions for another person, have the legal right to do so.
1.3 Be aware that the greater the level of involvement with a client, the greater the risk of conflicts of interest, manipulation, and/or undue influence.
1.4 Implement strategies to minimise risk of perceived conflict of interest, manipulation, and/or undue influence (see Conflicts of Interest Policy and Procedures)
2. Access to Information
2.1 Provide new clients/family/alternate decision-maker/nominated Advocate with information about:
the role of Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd
The Role of our Support Partners
The limitations of each
The need for new clients/family/alternate decision-maker/nominated Advocate’s to carefully consider all available information, alternative information, and advice, to make their own decisions and take their own actions
All new clients/family/alternate decision-maker/nominated Advocates have the right to find alternative products, services, supports and / or advice, should they choose
2.2 Remind new clients/families/alternate decision-makers of their right to ask for clarification about the relationship between Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd and any perceived or actual conflicts of interest with Support Partners:
a perceived or actual conflict of interest (e.g. where Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd receives a benefit for advertising a Support Partner);
a concern regarding undue or inappropriate influence or pressure being placed on the client’s decision-making;
an issue confronting the client which requires a level of ‘advocacy power’ that might be beyond them or their support network;
a concern that the interests of workers or organisational policy conflicts with the interests of the client (e.g. where there is a complaint or grievance which impacts on the client).
Where a client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate requests it, support them to contact an independent advocacy service.
3. Engaging with a Support Partner
3.1 Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd takes no responsibility for any client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate’s decision to engage with a Support Partner and use their products
3.2 Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd takes no responsibility for the advice and / or actions of support partners and we recommend confirming their advice before using it to make personal, professional and / or business decisions
3.3 Where a client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate does not have the capacity to self-advocate, we will not provide any advice, products, or services, without the support of an independent advocacy service involvement
3.4 Where a client is unable to self-advocate and does not have family or friends to advocate for them, make any further necessary arrangements, which may include:
undertaking a needs assessment of the client;
appointment of a formal advocate from a recognised Advocacy Service; and/or
consulting the relevant state/territory Public Guardian.
3.5 If there is a current Public Guardian appointment for the client, we will consult with the Public Guardian
3.6 Make sure the client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate are aware they can find alternative products, services, supports and / or advice at any time. On receipt of a written request (email sufficient) from the client to discontinue with any service provided by Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd, we will cease all communication with the respective parties
4. Maintenance of Records
4.1 Document and retain the name and contact details of the Person of Authority for the Support Partner
4.2 Document and retain evidence of some or all the following:
Confirmation of relevant qualifications and experience
Relevant Professional Body Memberships (where applicable)
Relevant compliance with regulatory oversight i.e. a NDIS Registered Provider is an Approved Registered NDIS Provider – as confirmed by NDIS Provider Search Tool
Products have relevant testing / certification and approval for use / sale in Australia
Acknowledgement of the NDIS Code of Conduct
NDIS Worker Screening (where applicable)
Evidence of Professional Indemnity Insurance
4.3 Documentation is retained for a period of 7 years and then destroyed upon reaching the end those retention periods
5. Acting on Concerns and Resolving Issues
5.1 Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd will be alert to:
actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest
Circumstances, issues and / or complaints raised by any client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate/s
Breaches of the NDIS Code of Conduct
Mandatory reporting obligations
5.2 Reports of concerns in relation to a Support Partner can be made directly to Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd via email on admin@tacticalability.au.
5.3 Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd will take further action, as reasonable and necessary, in the subjective circumstances.
5.4 Where the issue cannot be resolved by Tactical Ability Group Pty Ltd, we will be transparent and indicate where any client and/or their family/alternative decision-maker/advocate, can find relevant regulatory information and support
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Related procedures and forms include:
Official Support Partner Agreement
Conflict of Interest Register
Conflict of Interest Declaration Form
Client Feedback and Complaints Management Procedure
Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Procedure
Incident Management Procedure
Reportable Incident Management Procedure
NDIS Code of Conduct
RESPONSIBILITIES
Tactical Ability Group - Managing Director are responsible for:
maintaining this procedure and associated documents;
ensuring the procedure is effectively implemented across the service;
monitoring workers compliance with the requirements of this procedure; and
ensuring training and information is provided to workers to carry out this procedure.
All workers are responsible for complying with the requirements of this procedure.
