POAC-Funded Residential Care Placement – Terms of Referral

POAC may fund urgent, short-term placement in a residential care facility (rest home, private hospital, or dementia unit) in the following situations:

• To avoid an acute hospital admission

• To support hospital discharge

• As an interim measure while permanent care arrangements or assessments are pending and the patient is unsafe to remain at home

Referral Timing

• Referrals made after 2:00 pm may be deferred to the next business day

• Weekend referrals:

  • Must be pre-arranged during business hours, or

  • Can be arranged directly with the facility over the weekend

  • Please include the name and contact details of the accepting facility in the POAC referral form

If placing a patient over the weekend, referrers can liaise directly with the facility. POAC will pre-approve funding for the initial weekend or public holiday period, with ongoing funding reviewed on the next business day.

Referral Checklist (Requirements)

Medications and Prescriptions
All medications and signed prescriptions must be provided before the patient is transferred.

Clinical Responsibility
If you are not the patient’s usual GP, you must contact the patient’s GP practice first to confirm and arrange ongoing clinical responsibility.