My Aged Care and Referral Management Policy Template

Covers the end-to-end process of managing referrals through the My Aged Care portal, including ACAT assessments, waitlist management, intake coordination, and care type transitions.

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My Aged Care and Referral Management Policy Template

Streamline your intake and referral processes with a policy that governs your facility's end-to-end management of the My Aged Care portal, ACAT assessments, and waitlist obligations.

Overview

My Aged Care is the primary gateway through which consumers access Australian government-funded aged care services. Providers have obligations to manage their service listings, respond to referrals, and maintain accurate capacity data on the portal. This policy template covers the complete referral management lifecycle — from initial portal inquiry through ACAT assessment, waitlist management, intake, and care type transitions — ensuring regulatory compliance and a positive consumer experience.

What This Policy Covers

My Aged Care portal access roles and responsibilities
Service listing accuracy and update obligations
Referral response timeframes and acknowledgement requirements
ACAT assessment process and facility's role
Waitlist management, transparency, and consumer communication
Prioritisation criteria for waitlist placement
Transition between care types (e.g., respite to permanent)
Declining referrals — process and documentation
Consumer-facing communication about entry timelines
Coordination with the Consumer Entry, Transition and Exit Policy

Compliance Alignment

Aged Care Act 1997 – Approved Provider obligations
Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997
My Aged Care Service Provider and Assessor Portal obligations
Aged Care Quality Standard 8 – Organisational Governance
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (waitlist transparency)

Why This Policy Matters

Inaccurate My Aged Care service listings, missed referral responses, and opaque waitlist practices are common complaints to the ACQSC and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner. A documented referral management policy ensures consumers have a transparent, equitable pathway into care — and protects providers from complaints related to access and intake.

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