NDIS Policies and Procedures

ABOUT I HATE COOKING

Mission

Our mission is to provide a compelling alternative to conventional meal delivery services and support workers, aligning seamlessly with NDIS principles. We collaborate closely with families, carers, and support coordinators to not only comprehend the diverse options at hand but also to empower them in making informed choices. Our aim is to offer a healthy, cost-effective, and participant-centric meal preparation service that puts individuals in control of their dietary needs and preferences, ensuring that their NDIS goals and aspirations are fully supported.

Vision

Our vision is to enable individuals across Australia to access our expertise through our dedicated cooks, aligning with NDIS principles to meet their specific dietary requirements and nutritional needs that may otherwise remain unmet. We aspire to offer our customers a gold standard of professional meal support, akin to having a personal chef within their community. Our goal is to empower participants with the freedom to make choices about their meals, ensuring their NDIS journey is centred on choice, control, and high-quality, personalised culinary experiences.

Values

At I Hate Cooking, we hold unwavering integrity in our business practices, aligning steadfastly with NDIS regulations and guidelines. We operate with determination, driven by our commitment to extend our services to as many individuals as possible, ensuring they have the freedom to make choices in their meal preferences. Our dedication goes beyond the ordinary, as we actively go the extra mile to cater to the unique needs and requirements of our customers. We cherish the fundamental principle of choice and control, empowering our participants to shape their own culinary journey within the NDIS framework.

ABOUT THIS MANUAL

This Policy and Procedure Manual outlines the policies and procedures governing ‘I Hate Cooking’s’ NDIS-specific operations and service delivery. Our commitment to adhering to NDIS principles, guidelines, and regulations is at the core of this manual. Policies and procedures within this manual are subject to regular review, guided by a risk management approach to review timeframes, ensuring our continued alignment with the most recent NDIS directions.

The primary objective of this manual is to establish a shared understanding and consistent organisational practices across our services. It serves as a comprehensive guide for our Proprietor and, in anticipation of future workforce expansion, outlines the responsibilities and expectations of our workforce in line with NDIS requirements.

Our commitment to compliance extends to all State & Commonwealth legislation and regulatory requirements. This manual is designed to complement and reinforce legal obligations and regulatory requirements, emphasising our dedication to meeting and exceeding NDIS standards for participant choice and control.

It is worth noting that while I Hate Cooking currently does not employ a workforce or volunteers, we anticipate the eventual recruitment of these roles as part of our organisational growth. Therefore, policies applicable to the organisation once a workforce is employed, have been included to support our ongoing commitment to excellence in service delivery.

GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE.

I Hate Cooking’s Governance and Management Policies and Procedures articulate how the organisation meets its operational, legal, and financial obligations, ensuring compliance with the NDIS.

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure demonstrates I Hate Cooking’s commitment to sound governance, with great care taken to follow and match NDIS rules and guidelines closely. It describes how the organisation’s governance is carried out and reviewed. The aim is to strengthen how the organisation is managed, making sure it works according to NDIS rules and guidelines and keeps providing the best quality services. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, and any additional workforce.

2.0 RISK

This policy and procedure responds to organisational risk related to governance.

Specifically:

Compliance with NDIS and State Regulations: The organisation must define management responsibilities to prevent any deviation from NDIS and State regulations. Lack of clarity in this area may lead to non-compliance, subjecting the organisation to potential misconduct that the NDIS regulations aim to prevent.
Expertise in Management: It is crucial to ascertain that management personnel either possess or have access to the necessary expertise to execute their roles effectively. Any deficiency in this regard can lead to subpar management practices, potentially resulting in the delivery of interrupted, inadequate or non compliant services.
Workforce Continuity: The organisation must establish robust protocols to ensure the availability of a competent replacement workforce in scenarios where key personnel are unavailable. This is vital to prevent any disruption in service delivery to clients, safeguarding their well-being and maintaining the organisation’s reputation as a reliable NDIS provider.
Conflict of Interest: A definitive stance on conflicts of interest must be articulated to shield the organisation from potential misconduct and tarnishing of reputation. Clear governance policies and procedures must be in place to address and mitigate such conflicts effectively.

To manage these risks adequately, the organisation shall implement the following measures:

Formulate and communicate clear statements of the organisation’s governance policy, emphasising the significance of adherence to NDIS guidelines and regulations.
Ensure that the relevant workforce is not only accessible but also well-informed about the policy, ensuring they comprehend and implement it effectively.
Commit to a regular review of the policy, or as necessitated by changing circumstances, to maintain alignment with NDIS standards and respond proactively to any emerging governance challenges.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Governance is the process by which organisations are directed, controlled and held to account. It encompasses a framework through which the organisation’s direction, control, and accountability are maintained.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking has installed robust systems and processes to guide and support its overall direction, effectiveness, supervision processes and internal and external accountability. Accountable and transparent governance arrangements ensure I Hate Cooking:

complies with relevant legislation, regulations and contractual arrangements;
supports and develops its workforce (whether employed or contracted); and
delivers quality and safe services to its clients.

The Proprietor has the experience to deal with issues relating to financial and legal matters, human resources, service management and service promotion and/or business partnerships in place to achieve these requirements.

5.0 PROCEDURE

Overview

I Hate Cooking is run by Bek Daley (Proprietor) who is dedicated to exceptional service delivery.
Casual, Part time or Full time permanent employment may be offered as the business grows. Workforce other than the Proprietor and key personnel , may be employed under the Industry Award, relevant to the services they are employed to deliver.
The Proprietor retains overarching responsibility for all business aspects, encompassing client relations and service delivery. To ensure specialised attention and expertise in key operational areas, we have outsourced several functions. Human Resources management is entrusted to a dedicated external HR manager. Similarly, financial oversight, with the exception of our CFO role, is delegated to an external Account Manager, ensuring robust compliance. Our CFO, Michael Daley, remains an integral in-house member of our team, bringing his expertise and leadership directly to our financial operations.
The Proprietor will ensure that processes are in place to receive feedback about:
- people exercising their rights and responsibilities
- use of advocacy services with clients
- the quality of service delivery.
I Hate Cooking values stakeholder participation and acknowledges the importance of feedback in improving outcomes for people

Responsibilities

The Proprietor is responsible for Hate Cooking’s NDIS specific service delivery, including:

Compliance Monitoring: Vigilantly ensures alignment with the organisation’s core objectives, principles, and constitutional directives.
Organisational Governance: Assertively sets, endorses, and oversees policies, strategic plans, and financial frameworks, ensuring they resonate with the organisation’s goals while tracking performance metrics.
Strategic Planning: Assesses the organisation’s strategic trajectory and key initiatives, guaranteeing they reflect the organisation’s vision.
Regulatory Monitoring: Verifies adherence to all pertinent legal statutes, regulations, and compliance obligations, safeguarding the organisation’s integrity.
Financial Oversight: Together with the CFO, scrutinises the organisation’s budget, oversees managerial and fiscal operations to confirm financial stability, and ensures organisational prosperity.
Financial Reporting: Together with the CFO, diligently prepares, reviews, and approves annual financial statements along with requisite reports, ensuring transparency and accuracy in financial disclosures.
Organisational Structure: Constructs and perpetuates a framework for delegation and internal controls, fortifying organisational architecture and operational efficiency.
Business Continuity Planning: Proactively establishes and maintains strategies to guarantee uninterrupted service delivery, thereby ensuring consistent client support.
Risk Management: Regularly evaluates and refines the effectiveness of risk management strategies and compliance mechanisms, addressing and endorsing policies on matters with potential significant risk implications.
Dispute Management: Competently addresses and resolves internal conflicts, whether among our workforce, clients or other stakeholders, maintaining harmony and upholding the organisation’s reputation.

Through these multifaceted responsibilities, the Proprietor ensures that I Hate Cooking operates with utmost diligence, foresight, and integrity, adhering to the highest standards of service delivery and organisational excellence.

Continuity of Service

I Hate Cooking is dedicated to delivering consistent and reliable services as stipulated in the “Responsibilities of the Provider” section of our clients’ NDIS Service Agreements. Our commitment involves:

Ensuring Reliable Service Delivery: We pledge to provide the agreed-upon cooking supports to our clients punctually and in a manner that complies with all pertinent legislations, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, its accompanying rules, and the Australian Consumer Law.

Maintaining Communication and Scheduling Integrity: We strive to honour all scheduled appointments with our clients. In instances where alterations are necessary, we are committed to providing a minimum of 48 hours’ notice where possible, ensuring our clients are well-informed and can adjust their schedules accordingly.

Recognising the nature of service requirements, I Hate Cooking has instituted robust mechanisms to guarantee the continuity of our services. These include: (but not limited to):

Engaging Alternate Contractors: In scenarios where our regular service delivery might be disrupted, we have arrangements in place to deploy alternate contractors who meet our high standards of service quality within most service areas..
Collaborations and Partnerships: Where other workforce members are not available, we will endeavour to forge partnerships with other local service providers through Memorandums of Understanding, ensuring that there is no break in service provision to our clients.

Note: It is paramount that any alternate personnel or partners represent the values and quality standards of I Hate Cooking. To this end, the Proprietor is tasked with the critical responsibility of verifying that all replacement workforce members have:

Successfully passed mandatory criminal history checks.
Obtained the necessary qualifications pertinent to the service delivery.
Undergone a comprehensive induction process, aligning them with the operational standards and service ethos of I Hate Cooking (refer to our Human Resources Policy and Procedure for more details).

Through these measures, I Hate Cooking affirms its commitment to continuous, compliant, and quality service delivery, ensuring our clients receive the support they need, when they need it.

Conflict of Interest

Failure to respond to actual or potential conflicts of interest can damage the reputation of and community confidence in I Hate Cooking. It may also have legal ramifications.
Workforce must not take advantage of their position or inside information to gain, directly or indirectly, a personal benefit, or a benefit for any associated person (e.g. a family member or another organisation).
When making decisions, the Proprietor should consider:

Do I have any personal or private interests in a matter that may conflict or be perceived to conflict with my duties in the organisation?
Could there be a benefit for me, my family or friends into the future if I involve myself in a matter?
How will my involvement be viewed by others?
Does my involvement in the decision being made appear fair and reasonable?
If a potential conflict of interest arises I Hate Cooking will document the conflict of interest, assess and apply risk treatment processes promptly.

STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy outlines the framework for establishing the organisation’s strategic and operational plans. These plans are instrumental in defining I Hate Cooking’s specific goals and the strategies to attain them, guiding actions, shaping service delivery models, and facilitating the monitoring of progress. This policy is applicable to the Proprietor and, where relevant, to any additional workforce.

2.0 RISK

The absence of a coherent Strategic and Operational Plan poses several risks, including:

Failing to recognise capacity-related problems that are obstacles to

Inadequate recognition and management of capacity-related constraints, potentially impeding:

Safe and dependable service provision
Operational viability and potential for expansion
The organisation’s standing within the NDIS community

Insufficient preparedness to identify and cater to emerging service needs;
Lack of readiness to scale services in response to emerging opportunities;
Challenges in articulating organisational objectives to the workforce and clients, resulting in missed opportunities for valuable feedback;
Difficulty in aligning feedback with a consistent set of objectives.

Risk treatment includes:

Formulation and regular revision of a comprehensive Strategic and Operational Plan;
Transparent communication of organisational objectives to the workforce and clients, as appropriate;
Active solicitation and incorporation of feedback from the workforce and clients;
Regular plan reviews, ensuring alignment with:
Organisational and external risk assessments
Feedback from workforce and clients
Workforce capabilities and resource availability
Legislative and regulatory requirements
Current and evolving service need

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Strategic Plan: A document outlining the organisation’s mission, ethical guidelines, and detailed strategies for achieving set objectives.

Operational Plan: A detailed, actionable plan describing the methods for implementing the strategies outlined in the Strategic Plan.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to working to its vision and values, and to using these to inform planning and service delivery.

5.0 PROCEDURE

I Hate Cooking’s Proprietor develops, works to and annually reviews a three-year Strategic Plan, which identifies the key outcomes that the organisation wants to achieve, in line with the agreed vision and values of the organisation.
In the process of reviewing the Strategic Plan, the Proprietor will actively engage in gathering insights from previous customer feedback, and consulting with other stakeholders as relevant.
Operational Plans are developed annually, setting forth the expectations for the year and undergoing regular assessments to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness. These plans serve as a roadmap, directing the organisation’s activities and resource allocation, and are pivotal in maintaining service excellence and organisational agility.

COMPLIANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy establishes the protocols for I Hate Cooking to ensure adherence to all applicable legislative, regulatory, and contractual mandates. It emphasises the importance of staying current with evolving regulations. This policy is relevant to the Proprietor and all workforce members.

2.0 RISK

Strict compliance with local, State and Commonwealth legislation, and NDIS regulations is crucial for the integrity of our service delivery. Over-reliance on external audits for compliance identification risks overlooking critical issues, which could lead to subpar or unsafe services and potentially result in the de-registration of the organisation. A comprehensive approach to compliance at the service management level, including workforce training and monitoring, is essential to mitigate these risks.

Risk Management Strategies:

Assigning clear responsibilities for compliance adherence with all legal and regulatory requirements.
Implementing comprehensive training and monitoring programs to foster compliance awareness among the workforce, covering:
- Design and implementation of compliance-centric processes.
Data documentation as proof of compliance.
Protocols for reporting non-compliance to management.

Diligent recording, reporting, and rectifying of non-compliance issues.
Periodic review of processes against legislative, regulatory standards, and NDIS Practice Standards to address and preempt non-compliance issues and adapt to changes in compliance requirements.

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is dedicated to upholding compliance with all relevant regulatory, legislative, and contractual obligations, integrating these standards into our planning and service delivery framework.

Specific Compliance Requirements

Adhering to data collection, service delivery, and financial reporting stipulations of all pertinent Queensland and Commonwealth government bodies.
As a NDIA Registered NDIS Provider, adherence to the NDIS Terms of Business and the NDIS Guide to Suitability is mandatory. Regular self-assessment against these standards and relevant state authorities is a critical part of our compliance framework

4.0 PROCEDURE

Responsibilities:

The Proprietor, directly or through delegates, is tasked with:

Continuously monitoring legislative and service standard changes to ensure ongoing compliance
Engaging with relevant government agencies, monitoring their websites, and conducting internal reviews and external audits to keep abreast of compliance changes.
Cultivating a compliance-aware culture through regular updates and information-sharing sessions with the workforce.
Fulfilling all external reporting obligations.
Overseeing internal reviews and external audits as per the Internal Review and External Audit Schedule, documented in the Compliance Register.
Ensuring that all workforce members manage compliance in their respective domains.
Conducting comprehensive induction programs for the workforce, emphasising the importance of understanding and adhering to compliance responsibilities.

Reporting Compliance Issues:

I Hate Cooking promotes a proactive stance in reporting compliance failures, breaches, and complaints.
The workforce is required to notify the Proprietor immediately upon identification of potential or actual compliance issues or complaints.
The Proprietor is responsible for promptly addressing any such issues or complaints to reinstate compliance and safeguard the organisation effectively.

INTERNAL REVIEW AND EXTERNAL AUDIT SCHEDULE

Focus of Review	Course of Action	Accountability	Timeframes
Policies and Procedures	Review for effectiveness and currency Merge, develop or repeal policies and procedures	Proprietor	Between annually and 3-yearly, based on associated risk
Strategic and Operational Plans	Proprietor and Workforce Planning Days	Proprietor and Workforce	Annually: January
Human Resources (where applicable)
Workforce Performance	Performance Reviews	Proprietor	Annually; July
	Workforce satisfaction surveys	Proprietor	Annually; September
Alignment of practice with procedures	Workforce file audits	Proprietor	Annually; March
Service Quality and Improvement
Clients	Client to assess awareness of their rights and satisfaction levels and obtain suggestions for improvements.	Proprietor	Annually, September
	Certification audit against the NDIS Practice Standards	Proprietor and External Auditor	3-yearly
	Self-assessment against the NDIS Terms of Business and Guide to Suitability.	Proprietor	Annually; March
	Review Continuous Improvement Plan and Complaints Register for trends and actions taken for continuous improvement	Proprietor	Quarterly
	Internal privacy audits	Proprietor	Annually March
Reporting Accountabilities
Service Delivery	Preparation and submission of reports required under any contractual arrangements	Proprietor	As per contractual arrangements
Financial	Monthly and End of Financial Year Reporting	CFO	Monthly
Risk Management
Risk Management	Review of Risk Management and Risk Treatment Plans	Proprietor	Annually or as an incident arises.
Workplace Health and Safety
Workforce and Client Safety (where applicable)	Review of incidents to identify risks and areas for improvement. Review of WHS forms in appointments to ensure safety of contractors.	Proprietor / Workforce	Quarterly or as they arise.
	Safety compliance audits against documented WHS/ Food Handling procedures, e.g. kitchen safety	Proprietor	Six-monthly; July and January
Records management
Financial and Client Management Systems	Random survey of financial accounts and client records against policies and procedures.	Proprietor	Monthly
Contractors
Contractors	Review quality of service.	Proprietor	Annually, July and spot checks.
Governance
Policies and Procedures	Review for effectiveness and currency Merge, develop or repeal policies and procedures	Proprietor	Between annually and 3-yearly, based on associated risk
Strategic and Operational Plans	Proprietor and Key Workforce Planning Days	Proprietor	Annually; June
Service Quality and Improvement
Clients	Client requests for feed back following the services.Clients have awareness of their rights and satisfaction levels and obtain suggestions for improvements/recipes.	Proprietor	As per ongoing customer feedback
	Certification audit against the NDIS Practice Standards	Proprietor and External Auditor	3-yearly
	Self-assessment against the NDIS Terms of Business and Guide to Suitability.	Proprietor	Annually; March
	Review Continuous Improvement Plan and Complaints Register for trends and actions taken for continuous improvement	Proprietor	Quarterly
	Service Planning and Delivery days, involving clients and other stakeholders*	Proprietor	Six-monthly; June and December
	Internal privacy audits	Proprietor	Annually March

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND DELEGATIONS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Financial Management and Delegations Policy guides how I Hate Cooking safeguards and makes the best use of the funds it manages by ensuring that financial records are kept to a proper standard and preventing fraud or mismanagement. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor and relevant workforce.

2.0 RISK

I Hate Cooking is responsible to:

Clients: Ensuring the delivery of services as per the Service Agreement.
The NDIS: Accurately representing services delivered in invoices.
Other agencies: Fulfilling financial obligations.
Workforce: Clarifying their responsibilities towards the organisation, the NDIS, and clients.

Fraud, corruption and the mismanagement of funds may threaten:

The financial viability of the organisation.
The reputation of the organisation.
The security of the organisation’s personnel.
The rights of the organisation’s clients.

Risk treatment includes:

Clear assignment of financial responsibilities and authority.
Transparent financial record-keeping.
Accessible and clear policies for relevant staff.
Regular review of records, workforce performance, and risk management strategies.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Fraud – dishonest activity causing actual or potential financial loss to any person or entity including theft of money or other property by workforce members or people external to the entity and where deception is used at the time, immediately before or immediately following the activity. This also includes the deliberate falsification, concealment, destruction or use of falsified documentation used or intended for use for a non-business purpose or the improper use of information or position for financial benefit.

Corruption – dishonest activity in which a Proprietor, executive manager, manager or workforce member of an entity acts contrary to the interests of the entity and abuses his/her position of trust in order to achieve gain or advantage for themselves or for another person or entity.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to effective management of its finances and the prevention of fraud or mismanagement of its funds. I Hate Cooking will maintain financial management and accounting systems that are:

Transparent and accountable.
Capable of maintaining full and accurate records within Xero.
Supportive of budgeting and reporting on an accrual basis within Power BI.
Compliant with Australian Accounting Standards and financial requirements of government funding arrangements.

I Hate Cooking will:

Prepare annual financial statements according to the Australian Accounting Standards.
Have its accounts and records audit ready in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards.

5.0 PROCEDURE

Approvals and Delegations

The Proprietor has responsibility for all expenditure.
I Hate Cooking complies with the Australian Accounting Standards issued by the Australian Accounting Standards Board. The Proprietor or delegates will keep up-to-date with changes to these standards to ensure compliance.
The Proprietor will maintain a Chart of Accounts for the entire business that ensures a consistent reporting structure, meets budget management needs and conforms with the National Australian Standard Chart of Accounts.
The Proprietor will continuously monitor the financial position of the organisation to minimise the risk of fraud and ensure that expenditure complies with the budget, is accounted for correctly, and is properly authorised prior to expenditure being incurred.
The Proprietor will maintain a Register of Bank Accounts for the entire business, containing holding bank details, open and close dates, interest rates, fees, credit and debit card holders and expiry dates for credit cards.
Access to Internet Banking and EFT transfers is restricted to the Proprietor / CFO and controlled by a user ID and password, both of which must remain confidential, and under no circumstances be divulged to anyone else.
Receipts for all expenditure must be provided to and retained by the Proprietor.
The Proprietor will authorise and make reimbursement payments for workforce work related expenses.

Bank Accounts

The Proprietor and CFO are the signatories for I Hate Cooking’s bank account.
The Proprietor (or delegate) will ensure that all debts are settled in a timely manner and will not allow ordinary operating expenses to become undischarged debts beyond a three-month period from the time they were incurred.

Insurances

The Proprietor is responsible for ensuring all people and equipment associated with I Hate Cooking’s operations are covered by relevant insurances.
The Proprietor will maintain an Insurances Register, noting the type of insurance, the name and number of the policy, the annual premium and expiry date of the current policy.
The Proprietor will ensure that costs of insurance reflect the market situation and that policies are renewed no less than 14 days before expiry.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The Proprietor will ensure that all of I Hate Cooking’s financial arrangements regarding NDIS service delivery comply with:
- the NDIS Act 2013, the NDIS Rules, all relevant NDIS guidelines, and all policies issued by the NDIA including the NDIS Terms of Business and Guide to Suitability; and
- any other relevant Commonwealth or State law or other requirements.
The Proprietor will develop pricing structures for I Hate Cooking’s services that align with the price controls and quoting requirements in place for NDIS supports, in accordance with the NDIS VIC/NSW/QLD/TAS/SA /WA Price Guide.
The Proprietor (or delegate) will maintain full and accurate accounts and financial records of the supports delivered to NDIS participants, along with records of all Service Agreements.
All financial transactions, including receipts and payments related NDIS service provision, must be clearly identifiable and easily tracked within I Hate Cooking’s financial accounts.
I Hate Cooking’s accounts and financial records will be maintained on a regular basis and in such detail that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is able to accurately ascertain the quantity, type and duration of support delivered.
Financial records and accounts relating to NDIS service provision will be retained for a period of no less than 7 years from the date of issue.
The retention of all records will also comply with all relevant statutes, regulations, by-laws and requirements of any Commonwealth, State or Local Authority.

Service Agreements

A NDIS Service Agreement will be used to formalise the supports I Hate Cooking will be providing to NDIS participants in the booking process.
Clients have choice over what level of control they have over their funding and this is reflected in their Service Agreement with I Hate Cooking.
I Hate Cooking’s booking system work’s with clients and their supporters to develop their Service Agreement according to the selections they have made.
I Hate Cooking will declare prices to all clients before providing services and include all fees, Service Agreements along with detailed information about the supports to be provided. Fees charged will not exceed the price controls set by the NDIA.
No other charges will be added to the cost of supports provided, including credit card surcharges, additional fees such as ‘gap’ fees, late payment fees or cancellation fees, unless specific requests are altered after a booking is made.
Service Agreements will clearly set out the costs to be paid for supports, when delivery of supports is to be performed and the method of payment required.
The client must initial the Service Agreement before service delivery can commence.

Service Agreements will be consistent with the NDIS’ pricing arrangements, guidelines and the requirements of the A New Tax System (Goods and Service Tax) Act 1999 regarding the application of the GST.
Clients, their supporters and other stakeholders have access to the organisation’s feedback, compliments and complaints processes to raise issues about financial management of their supports without fear of retribution.

Fee Payments

Accounts are calculated and invoices sent within 2-3 business days of the service taking place.
If the service is self-managed, receipts will be provided at time of payment. Requests for self managed receipts should be sent via email. Receipts will be duplicated on request.
I Hate Cooking will not accept cash payments or cover the cost of groceries.

Outstanding Accounts

Where a client’s fees are outstanding for more than 30 days, the Proprietor (or delegate) will contact the responsible party requesting payment.
Where fees are outstanding for 30 days for self-managed and 60 days for plan or agency managed, provision of supports will be cancelled.
Where a client has difficulty paying their fees, they are encouraged to discuss this with I Hate Cooking so that mutually acceptable payment arrangements can be put in place.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Continuous Improvement Policy guides how I Hate Cooking constantly assesses the organisation and services to ensure that they are providing the best possible quality of services to clients and the most efficient and accountable management practices. This policy and procedure applies to all workforce.

2.0 RISK

Without proper attention to continuous improvement, organisations may not respond appropriately to:

Changes in evidence-informed practice.
Changes in client needs, preferences and expectations.
Changes in legislation and regulations.
Workforce and client feedback and complaints.
Changes to client and organisational risk.
Outcome-related data.

Failing to respond appropriately to these factors creates the risk of:

Delivering out-dated services.
Reduction in client satisfaction.
Non-compliance with the NDIS Practice Standards’ requirements.
Increased client risk.
Organisational disrepute.
Reduction in service referrals and financial loss.

Risk treatment includes:

Establishing and maintaining a continuous improvement plan.
Regular review of services in line with:
- Evidence-informed practice.
- Feedback and complaints.
- Outcomes data.
- Legislation and regulation.
- Risk.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Continuous Improvement – describes the ongoing effort of an organisation to improve services, systems, processes or products to maximise benefits for its clients. This also means adapting to changing needs of its community or clients.

Evidence – Information and materials that demonstrate the organisation’s achievements, its openness to client and workforce feedback, and its commitment to improvement.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to quality, innovation and promoting a culture of continuous improvement in its governance, service management and service delivery.
I Hate Cooking values feedback and input from staff, clients and other relevant stakeholders in its continuous improvement activities to ensure services remain of a high quality and continue to meet client needs.

5.0 PROCEDURE

The Proprietor will specifically focus on continuous improvement by reviewing the organisation’s performance annually.
The Proprietor is responsible for instigating, monitoring and implementing internal reviews and external audits, in accordance with its Internal Review and External Audit Schedule.
All continuous improvement issues or opportunities identified will be reported to and tracked by the Proprietor (or delegate) in the Continuous Improvement Plan.
The Continuous Improvement Plan is a ‘living document’, updated as improvements are identified. For any specific improvement identified, the Plan includes the:
- improvement identified;
- action to be taken;
- staff, client or other stakeholder participation required and undertaken;
- date of completion; and
- implementation review date.

The Continuous Improvement Plan will also track improvements identified in regular reviews of:
- feedback, complaints and dispute resolution processes involving clients, their families, carers and advocates, workforce(where applicable), other service providers, the NDIA, as recorded in the Complaints Register;
- feedback and improvement activities offered to clients, families, carers and advocates;
- planning, service delivery, plan review, exit, service refusal and referral information;
- results from internal reviews and external audits;
- specific program and project reviews and evaluations undertaken at the direction of the Proprietor; and
- organisational performance against I Hate Cooking’s Vision, Mission and KPIs as well as the Human Services Standards;
- records of incidents including any involving clients or Workplace Health and Safety;
- analysis of internal reporting and data provided to the NDIA;
- learnings from collaborative relationships with similar organisations and networks; and
- strategic and operational planning.

Where workforce are employed, it will include reviews of:
- learning and reflection opportunities for staff;
- workforce supervision and performance appraisal processes and outcomes;
- on the job and formal training and professional development undertaken by staff.

All service planning, delivery and evaluation activities will include staff, client and other stakeholders and their feedback.
Clients are encouraged to provide feedback in relation to services, in follow up emails after each service. This may include contributing feedback and having complaints heard.

RECORDS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure ensure that the management of both paper-based and electronic information aligns with accountability, compliance requirements, and supports operational efficiency and business continuity. This policy applies to the Proprietor and workforce, ensuring adherence to NDIS recommendations and government regulations in Australia.

2.0 RISK

Personal Information: The organisation recognises risks associated with handling personal information of workforce and clients. Misuse, illegal publication, or destruction of legally required information are key concerns

Risk treatment includes clear policy on the collection, storage, sharing and disposal of personal information (this policy; for client information security, see the Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Procedure)

Document Control: The organisation faces risks where it produces documents and processes determining the organisation’s vision, values, policies, procedures and processes. Risks include:

the unauthorised modification of the organisation’s policies and procedures;
the unauthorised introduction of processes, forms and documents into the system;
the retention of superseded documents within the system;
the failure of the system to prompt reviews of documents.

Risk treatment includes:

clear designation of authority to introduce documents into the system;
clear policy encouraging workforce to contribute to the formulation of documents;
a version control system for all authorised documents;
A Quality Management System register listing all authorised documents and their date for review;
clear policy ensuring the removal of superseded documents from circulation; and
regular review of information management processes as per the Internal Review and External Audit Schedule

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Documents – all manuals, reference books, registers and files in hard copy or electronic data format.

Forms – all single or multi-part paper work that has an approved layout used to record information. When data is recorded on forms they become records. Forms may be computer generated or pre-printed.

Records – Records are generated as a result of some activity and are a statement of facts existing at the time and cannot be revised. Superseded documents (or revised documents) can become records. Records Management – the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposal of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records.

Information – Knowledge communicated or received. The result of processing, gathering, manipulating and organising data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the receiver.

Information management – supports effective and efficient management of information and is concerned with the creation, production, collection, organisation, storage, protection, retrieval and dissemination of information resources that may be in any format and available from internal or external sources.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking commits to maintaining clear, accountable, and compliant information systems that support our operational processes, service delivery, and safeguard the privacy and confidentiality rights of our workforce and clients. We are committed to continuous improvement in data handling and monitoring processes to align with evolving NDIS and government standards.

5.0 PROCEDURE

Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures: Maintain and regularly review a register of policies, procedures, and forms approved by the Proprietor. Encourage feedback and suggestions for improvements from the workforce and clients. Only the Proprietor may amend or approve these documents.
Personal Information: Ensure stringent password protection for documents and records containing sensitive information, with access restricted to authorised personnel only.
Storage and Access: Maintain robust storage conditions for hard copy records and secure, encrypted storage for electronic records. Regular backups are completed.
Archiving: Adhere to statutory requirements for record retention, ensuring financial records and client information are archived securely and for the required duration.
Freedom of Information: We comply with applicable legislation, granting clients and government agencies access to records as mandated by law.
Documents and electronic records: Any documents that contain private and confidential information about clients, workforce, or the organisation, will be password protected, with access restricted to the Proprietor (or delegate). A secure filing system for paper and electronic documents and records will be maintained.

Relevant workforce are encouraged to identify improvements to approved policies. Any suggested improvement will be considered by the Proprietor (or delegate) and where approved, the Proprietor will ensure the policy is updated and all workforce are informed of this change.

The Document Register will be updated to reflect any approved amendments, and maintain version control of approved documentation. Superseded documents will be removed from circulation.

Personal Information

Storage and Access

All hard copy records are kept in appropriate conditions and protected from known risks, degradation and unauthorised access.
Electronic records are stored securely, password protected and are backed up regularly.

Archiving

I Hate Cooking will maintain a secure archive system for records and information no longer in use.
Financial records will be archived in order of financial year in which they occur and kept for a minimum period of seven (7) years.
Client records, files and information will be stored, accessed and used in accordance with I Hate Cooking’s policies on privacy and confidentiality.
Workforce files (including paid workforce) will be stored securely with access limited to the Proprietor. Personnel files of ex-workforce members will be kept on file for a period of seven (7) years.
Obsolete documents containing personal information will be shredded or disposed of in such a way that no identifying information is visible.

Freedom of Information

I Hate Cooking will provide clients and government agencies access to records in accordance with any applicable legislation, including Freedom of Information legislation.

RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure guides how I Hate Cooking assesses and responds to risks which are inevitably encountered in managing and delivering services.

This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, workforce.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Risk – “a possible effect on an expected outcome.” More specifically, ‘risk’ indicates a potential danger to our organisation, to the success of its services, strategies, projects and processes, its financial viability, its reputation, or the health and safety of its clients and workforce and their respective property.

Risk assessment – the process in which risk is identified, analysed and evaluated.

Risk Management – coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to risk.

Risk treatment – a measure, process or system that eliminates a risk where possible or, if not possible, reduces the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.

Workforce – workforce includes both workforce

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to the responsible identification and management of risks which may arise during the delivery of services and the general management of the organisation, including risks relating to compliance, finance, safety and health, environmental risk and operational risk.
The Proprietor is ultimately responsible for identifying and managing risks that impact the organisation. Nonetheless, I Hate Cooking:

– expects all workforce(where employed) to responsibly minimise risks to themselves and others, both person and property, and report hazards and other risks as soon as they are noticed;

– values the risk assessments, evaluations and recommendations gathered from internal and external audits and from stakeholder feedback.

I Hate Cooking’s approach to risk management, including its Risk Management Model and Principles, is aligned with Australian and New Zealand Standards

4.0 PROCEDURE

Overview

The Risk Management Process involves five steps:

Identify: Identify the risk events that may prevent or delay the achievement of strategic goals and objectives.
Analyse: Outline the causes, impacts and existing treatments in order to assess the consequence and likelihood of the risk and determine the risk rating.
Treat: Implement existing and future treatments to prevent or mitigate the risk.
Monitor: Continually monitor and evaluate the risks and treatments to maintain the effectiveness and appropriateness of the organisation’s risk management.
Report: Provide regular reports and updates in order to assure the organisation and its stakeholders that risks are being appropriately managed and treated.

Identifying and Analysing Risk

Identifying risk means considering:

factors that impact positively or negatively; and
factors that make I Hate Cooking’s strategic priorities and goals susceptible to risk.

I Hate Cooking monitors the following categories of risk:

Human Resources and Safety – risks to contractors health and wellbeing, including (but not limited to) workplace safety, workforce turnover etc.
Finance/Assets including (but not limited to) reduced income or increased costs, fraud and corruption, longer term viability, administration and IT
Governance including (but not limited to) business continuity, emergency planning, legal issues
Client care – includes all aspects of service provision to clients, including management and operations, service delivery, damage to property, adverse events that may impact on the trust or credibility of the organisation with clients and other stakeholders.
Strategic – includes any risks of reputation or relationship damage, changes in community/client needs , changes in funding.
Compliance and Legal – including (but not limited to) non-compliance or nonconformance with current policies/procedures; changes in local, State or Federal government regulations/legislation; compliance with industry standards; litigation of liability costs; and any identified risk of impact on contractual or commercial operations.

Workforce are encouraged to identify hazards, note them in appointment details and report them to the Proprietor. I Hate Cooking uses the following 3 Step risk assessment:

Identify and note the degree of risk in a particular sector of operations
Estimate the likelihood of an event occurring

The Proprietor then

Calculates a Risk Rating

Step 1.

Qualitative Measure of Consequence or Impacts

The example table below to estimate the consequence of risks in a particular sector of operation.

Exposure Category: indicates the severity of a negative event.

Consequence Category: indicates the sector in which risk occurs.

Exposure Category	Insignificant	Minor	Moderate	Major	Catastrophic
A. HR	Workforce injury – no lost time. No health effect. No workforce turnover	Contractor treatment required. Lost time (1-3 days). Minimal health effect. Absent for 1 – 2 days Workforce turnover >10% < 15%	Workforce injury Lost time(4-30 days) Short term health effects. Poor workforce performance.	Serious workforce injuries Lost time > 1 month. Permanent disability Workforce stopping work. >20% < 30% workforce turnover	Fatality; significant permanent disablement or permanent deleterious health effect. >30% workforce turnover
B.Finance and assets	Reduced income or increased costs <0.5% No interruption to operations	Reduced income or increased costs 0.5%> <2.5% Minor asset damage. <5 days interruption to parts of the operations	Reduced income or increased costs 2.5%> <5% < 30 days interruption to parts of the operations	Reduced income or increased costs 5%> <10% Major system damage. 30> <60 days interruption to parts of the operations	Reduced income or increased costs >10%. Loss of system or Plant >60 days interruption to operations,
C. Governance	No measurable operational impact. Do not initiate Business Continuity (BC) / Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (E&DMP) No impact on new business/projects.	Minor service interruption localised disruption. May need to initiate Business Continuity (BC) / Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (E&DMP) No impact on new business/projects.	Significant degradation of operations, multiple business areas affecting sustainable operations. Need to initiate Business Continuity (BC) / Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (E&DMP) Some impact on new business/projects.	Significant degradation of operations, multiple business areas affecting sustainable operations. Immediate actioning of Business Continuity (BC) / Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (E&DMP) Delayed Impact on new business/projects.	Widespread or total degradation of operations, cross functional impact. Operational performance Immediate actioning of Business Continuity (BC) / Emergency & Disaster Management Plan (E&DMP) New business / projects lost.
D. Clients	No impact, no profile or no negative publicity item. No/minimal health impact to consumers (residents/clients) Identified areas of need for internal quality Assets, business or services are temporarily unavailable i.e. < 2 hours.	Substantiated, low impact, low negative publicity. Some Community/ Stakeholders / Client impact on trust and credibility of clinical care service delivery. Assets, business or services are not available for > 2 < 7 hours. Minor injuries managed internally Minor incident/recommendation for improvement as a result of an external review.	Substantiated, impact to reputation, moderate impact, moderate negative publicity. Community / Stakeholder / Client impact on trust and credibility of clinical care service delivery is in doubt as a result as evidenced by a formal complaint from a stakeholder. Resident injury requiring medical treatment / interventions. Result of internal audits – 80% of compliance in designated areas. Unmet outcomes in 1 standard. Assets, business or services, including some critical are not available for > 24 < 48 hours	Substantiated, public embarrassment. High impact, high negative news profile. Third party actions. Resident injury resulting in hospitalisation. Result of internal audits – below 70% of compliance in the designated categories. Unmet outcomes in more than 1 standard. Community / Stakeholder / Client impact on trust and credibility of clinical care service is no longer there Critical assets or services are not available for >48 hours < 1 week.	Substantiated negative public media involvement. High impact, high negative news profile. Third party actions. Resident injury resulting in death. Result of internal audits – below 60% of compliance in the designated categories. Sanctions applied. Community / Stakeholder / Client impact on trust and credibility of clinical care service is no longer there Critical assets or services are not available for >48 hours < 1 week
E. Strategic	No damage to reputation & image externally No impact on achievement of strategic objectives / KPIs. No changes in political/customer/ stakeholders expectations Minimal changes in government funding/policy resulting in reduced funding of > .05%	Minimal damage to reputation & image externally Little impact on achievement of strategic objectives / KPIs. Slight changes in political/customer/ stakeholders expectations Minimal changes in government funding/policy resulting in reduced funding 0.5%> < 2.5%	Noticeable damage to reputation & image externally Non achievement of few strategic objectives / KPIs. Changes in political/customer/ stakeholders expectations influencing some elements of Strategic Plan Changes in government funding/policy resulting in reduced funding 2.5%> <5%	Clear & repeated damage to reputation & image externally Non achievement of core strategic objectives / KPIs. Changes in political/customer/ stakeholders expectations influencing core elements of Strategic Plan Changes in government funding/policy resulting in significant reduced funding 5%> <10%	High level and repeated damage to reputation & image externally Non achievement of significant strategic objectives / KPIs. Changes in political/customer/ stakeholders expectations influencing all elements of Strategic Plan Changes in government funding/policy resulting in significant reduced funding >10%
F. Compliance	Non-compliance or non-conformance with current policies/procedures are insignificant in nature with no disruption to performance of operations. Changes in Local, State, Federal government regulations/legislation have no impact. Full compliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation Full compliance with Industry standards. No Litigation, public and professional liability costs. No impact on Contractual and Commercial risks	Non-compliance or regulatory breach with current policies / procedures – requires attention or corrective actions. Changes in Local, State, Federal government regulations/legislation have minimal impact. Minor non-compliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation but non-reportable. Minor non-compliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation but non-reportable Ability to measure nonconformance to best practice or standards and take corrective actions No Litigation, public and professional liability costs. No impact on Contractual and Commercial risks.	Non-compliance or regulatory breach with current policies / procedures requires significant attention or corrective actions. Changes in Local, State, Federal government regulations/legislation have some impact on operations Moderate noncompliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation and/or Moderate noncompliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation hence Reporting required to third parties / external regulators. Non-conformance to best practice or standards will attract attention if subject to third party review (including internal audit) Possible Litigation, public and professional liability costs. Moderate impact on Contractual and Commercial risks.	Non-compliance or regulatory breach with current policies / procedures requires immediate / significant attention or corrective actions. Changes in Local, State, Federal government regulations/legislation immediately impact on business operations Major non-compliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation and/or Major non-compliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation hence Non-compliance, regulatory breach or non-conformance to best practice or standards results in restriction on business and/or notice of prosecution and fines. Lengthy Litigation, public and professional liability costs. Contractual and Commercial risks are not contained.	Changes in Local, State, Federal government regulations/legislation immediately restricts/ceases business operations Serious noncompliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation and/or Serious noncompliance with Federal & State health & environmental legislation hence Non-compliance results in cancellation or loss of business operations. Non-compliance, regulatory breach or non-conformance results in class actions, prosecution and fines. Action being undertaken against Proprietor and/or Officers with possibility of severe penalties.

Step 2.

Use the table below to estimate the likelihood that an event will occur.

Probability	Discriptor	Example of Description	Frequency
A	Almost Certain	The event is expected to occur in most circumstances	Once a week
B	Likely	The event will probably occur in most circumstances	Monthly
C	Possible	The event should occur at some time	6 Monthly
D	Unlikely	The event could occur at some time	Within a Year
E	Rare	The event may occur only in exceptional circumstances	Once a Year

Step 3.

Use the table below to determine the Risk Rating using indicators from Tables 1 & 2

Likelihood Rating	Consequence Rating
Likelihood Rating	1 Insignificant	2 Minor	3 Moderate	4 Major	5 Extreme
A – Certain	High	High	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme
B – Likely	Medium	High	High	Extreme	Extreme
C – Possible	Medium	Medium	High	High	Extreme
D – Unlikely	Low	Medium	Medium	High	High
E – Rare	Low	Low	Medium	Medium	High

I Hate Cookings Gold Standard for accepting risk is nothing above the black Line.

Implementing Controls and Treatments:

With the risk rating determined, it is necessary to consider the effectiveness of the controls that are already in place to manage the risk, and whether additional controls may be required.
I Hate Cooking will accept and monitor lower priority risks.
For those risks identified as moderate or higher, we need to consider the appropriate risk treatment options that will reduce the risk rating to an acceptable level.
Controls are strategies to manage risk balanced against the cost and inconvenience of the control. Common controls include:
- workforce training;
- provision of information;
- the use of safe or safety equipment;
- maintaining adequate insurance;
- changes in procedures or practices; and
- personal checks including referee checks, driver’s licences, motor vehicle registrations, professional registrations, criminal history checks etc.
All identified risks and appropriate controls must be recorded on the Risk Register.

Monitoring and Reporting Risk

Regular monitoring and review of the performance of the risk management system is conducted, and includes changes to business initiatives and other internal processes:

– The organisational risk register is a living document that is updated regularly by the Proprietor

– Risk assessments should be completed quarterly (see Internal Review and External Audit Schedule). Controls are monitored for effectiveness against the impact and likelihood ratings. Risk assessments are also required to be completed for each client on the commencement of service. These risk assessments should be reviewed, at a minimum, quarterly.

Upon commencement, all workforce will undergo Induction, which will include risk management training.
All contractors are responsible for managing risk within their customers homes.
Where workforce are employed, regular Performance Reviews will assess workforce awareness of this policy and procedure and their roles and responsibilities in respect to risk management. Additional on-the-job and formal training will be provided where required.
The Proprietor will ensure that all necessary insurance policies are in place to protect I Hate Cooking, as an organisation, as well as its Proprietor, workforce.

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure provides general guidance on mandatory reporting requirements for ‘notifiable incidents’ under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation. I Hate Cooking must notify the NDIS of certain ‘notifiable incidents’ at work. This information will form the basis to decide when you need to notify the regulator of a work-related death, injury, illness or dangerous incident.

2.0 RISK

The WHS law requires:

A ‘notifiable incident’ to be reported to the regulator immediately after becoming aware it has happened
If the regulator asks — written notification within 48 hours of the request, and
The incident site to be preserved until an inspector arrives or directs otherwise (subject to some exceptions). Failing to report a ‘notifiable incident’ is an offence and penalties apply.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Accident – an unforeseen event that causes damage to property, injury or death.

Notifiable Incident – the death of a person, a ‘serious injury or illness’, or a ‘dangerous incident’ arising out of the conduct of a business or undertaking at a workplace. ‘Notifiable incidents’ may relate to any person, whether an employee, contractor or member of the public.

Serious injury or illness – Only the most serious health or safety incidents are notifiable, and only if they are work-related. They trigger requirements to preserve the incident site pending further direction from the regulator.

Immediate treatment – means the kind of urgent treatment that would be required for a serious injury or illness. It includes treatment by a registered medical practitioner, a paramedic or registered nurse. Fore example, admission into a hospital as an in-patient for any duration, even if the stay is not overnight or longer.

Medical treatment – refers to treatment by a registered medical practitioner (a doctor). For example Out-patient treatment provided by the emergency section of a hospital (i.e. not requiring admission as an in-patient)

Near Miss – any incident that occurred, which, although not resulting in any injury, illness or damage, had the potential to do so.

Reportable incidents under the NDIS Commission – For an incident to be reportable a certain act or event needs to have happened (or alleged to have happened) in connection with the provision of supports or services by the registered NDIS provider.

This includes:

The death of a person with disability
Serious injury of a person with disability
Abuse or neglect of a person with disability
Unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, a person with disability
Sexual misconduct, committed against, or in the presence of, a person with disability, including grooming of the person with disability for sexual activity
Unauthorised use of restrictive practices in relation to a person with disability.

4.0 POLICY

Contractors are required to be vigilant in reporting incidents when they occur so that appropriate support can be provided to those affected and the circumstances can be analysed to reduce the likelihood of a similar event occurring again. All workforce have a responsibility to ensure that details of any incident are recorded and reported to their immediate supervisor (or Proprietor, as appropriate).

5.0 PROCEDURE

Workplace Incidents

Responding to Incidents

Assess the situation to ensure a safe and secure environment. Remove the source of danger or the person from the source of danger if safe to do so.
In urgent cases, Police and other emergency services should be called immediately (e.g., where a crime is suspected or alleged, or where there is ongoing danger).
If any person requires immediate medical attention, a medical practitioner or ambulance should be called, or the client conveyed to the nearest hospital accident and emergency department.
Where injuries do not require immediate attention, support the person to see a doctor for assessment and treatment of any injuries, including psychological trauma.

Notifiable Incident	Examples
Immediate treatment for the amputation of any part of the body	Amputation of a limb such as arm or leg, body part such as hand, foot or the tip of a finger, toe, nose or ear.
Immediate treatment for a serious head injury	•Fractured skull, loss of consciousness, blood clot or bleeding in the brain, damage to the skull to the extent that it is likely to affect organ/face function. •Head injuries resulting in temporary or permanent amnesia. It does not include: A bump to the head resulting in a minor contusion or headache.
Immediate treatment for a serious eye injury	•Injury that results in or is likely to result in the loss of the eye or total or partial loss of vision. •Injury that involves an object penetrating the eye (for example metal fragment, wood chip). •Exposure of the eye to a substance which poses a risk of serious eye damage. It does not include: Eye exposure to a substance that merely causes irritation.
Immediate treatment for a serious burn	A burn requiring intensive care or critical care which could require compression garment or a skin graft. It does not include: A burn that merely requires washing the wound and applying a dressing.
Immediate treatment for the loss of a bodily function	Loss of consciousness, loss of movement of a limb or loss of the sense of smell, taste, sight or hearing, or loss of function of an internal organ. It does not include: •Mere fainting • A sprain or strain.
Immediate treatment for serious lacerations	•Deep or extensive cuts that cause muscle, tendon, nerve or blood vessel damage or permanent impairment. •Deep puncture wounds. •Tears of wounds to the flesh or tissues—this may include stitching to prevent loss of blood and/or other treatment to prevent loss of bodily function and/or infection.

Dangerous incidents including ‘near misses’

Some types of work-related dangerous incidents must be notified even if no-one is injured.

Near Miss
The regulator must be notified of any incident in relation to a workplace that exposes any person to a serious risk resulting from an immediate or imminent exposure to:

an uncontrolled escape, spillage or leakage of a substance
an uncontrolled implosion, explosion or fire
an uncontrolled escape of gas or steam
an uncontrolled escape of a pressurised substance
electric shock:

Examples of electrical shock that are not notifiable

shock due to static electricity
‘extra low voltage’ shock (i.e. arising from electrical equipment less than or equal to 50V AC and less than or equal to 120V DC)

Examples of electrical shocks that are notifiable

minor shock resulting from direct contact with exposed live electrical parts (other than ‘extra low voltage’) including shock from capacitive discharge
the fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or thing

A dangerous incident.

This includes both immediate serious risks to health or safety, and also a risk from an immediate exposure to a substance which is likely to create a serious risk to health or safety in the future, for example asbestos or hazardous chemicals.

Only work related incidents are notifiable

To be notifiable, an incident must arise out of the conduct of the business or undertaking.
An incident is not notifiable just because it happens at or near a workplace.

Incidents may happen for reasons which do not have anything to do with work or the conduct of the business or undertaking.

For example:

a worker or another person suffers a heart attack while at work which is unrelated
to work or the conduct of the business or undertaking
a person driving to work is injured in a car accident (where driving is not part
of their work)
a person with epilepsy has a seizure at work.

These kinds of incidents are not notifiable.

Who is responsible for notifying?

Any workforce conducting a business or undertaking where the ‘notifiable incident’ arises, must ensure the proprietor is notified immediately after becoming aware it has happened.

Procedures should be put into place to ensure work, health and safety incidents are promptly notified to the people responsible for responding to them, for example a manager and then notified to the proprietor if required.

The notice must be given by the fastest possible means—which could be by telephone or in writing, for example by email or phone.

I Hate Cookings internal communication systems ensure health or safety incidents are promptly brought to the relevant persons’ attention. Blank incident report documents are available in the crew files in Dropbox and once complete should be sent to the proprietor.

What information will be requested?

At first, a clear description of the incident with as much detail as possible. This will help the proprietor assess whether or not the incident is notifiable and the need for a follow- up investigation. The following information is usually requested:

What happened?

Provide an overview of what happened.
Nominate the type of notifiable incident—was it death, serious injury or illness, or ‘dangerous incident’ (as defined above)?

When did it happen?

Date and time.

Where did it happen?

Incident address.
Details that describe the specific location of the notifiable incident—for example section of the house or the particular piece of equipment that the incident involved.

What happened?

Detailed description of the notifiable incident.

Who did it happen to?

Injured person’s name, date of birth, address and contact number.
Relationship of the injured person to the entity notifying.

How and where are they being treated (if applicable)

Description of serious injury or illness—i.e. nature of injury .
Initial treatment of serious injury or illness.
Where the patient has been taken for treatment. Contact for further information (if different from above).

Who is the person conducting the business or undertaking? (there may be more than one)

Legal and trading name.
Business address (if different from incident address), ABN/ACN and contact details including phone number and email.

What has/is being done?

Action taken or intended to be taken to prevent recurrence (if any).

Who is notifying?

Notifier’s name, contact phone number and position at workplace.
Name, phone number and position of person to contact for further information (if different from above).

Notify immediately, and provide the information you can, even if you do not have all of the required information.

The proprietor may follow-up with a request for more information later if necessary. Information must be. provided in writing within 48 hours of the request being made.

Can work continue where the incident occurred?

A notifiable incident site must not be disturbed until an inspector arrives at the site or directs otherwise (whichever is earlier). The person with management or control of the workplace is responsible for preserving the incident site, so far as is reasonably practicable. Any evidence that may assist determine the cause of the incident must be preserved—including any plant, substance, structure or thing associated with the incident.

However, preserving an incident site does not prevent any action needed:

to assist an injured person
to remove a deceased person
to make the site safe or to minimise the risk of a further notifiable incident, or
to facilitate a police investigation.

The sooner the regulator is notified, the sooner the site can be released.

An inspector may issue a non-disturbance notice, if they consider that the incident site should remain undisturbed in order to facilitate their investigation. This notice must specify the period for which the notice is to apply—no more than seven days.

Penalties apply if an individual or body corporate fails to preserve a site.

Site preservation requirements only apply to the incident site

Requirements to preserve a site only apply to the area where the incident occurred—not the whole workplace.

If you are unsure about what you need to do, you can ask the regulator for advice or to be excused from having to preserve the site.

Record keeping requirements

Records of notifiable incidents must be kept for at least five years from the date of notification. Penalties apply for failing to do so.

It is useful to keep a record of having made the notification (e.g. confirmation from the regulator), and also any directions or authorisations given by an inspector at the time of notification.

Head Office Keeps records of all Incident reports for the use of the regulators if required, however personal records should be kept also. Please notify us immediately, of any changes to the report.

HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure sets out recruitment and selection, workforce management and exit procedures and demonstrates I Hate Cooking’s commitment to effective, transparent and fair human resources practices. This policy and procedure applies to the workforce.

NOTE: Existing state requirements under the Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme will continue until notified. NDIS providers must comply with both schemes until notified. While current clearances under state requirements remain valid, the risk assessment of all roles may require clearances for previously exempt staff.

2.0 RISK

Multiple risks are associated with employing or contracting staff. These risks, and their risk treatments, include the following:

Risk to clients (injury): Risk of injury to clients can be minimised by ensuring workforce are adequately trained to perform their role (this policy).
Risk to staff: Workforce are at risk of unfair allegations. See the Preventing and Responding to Abuse Policy and Procedure for guidance on procedural fairness and confidentiality in investigating claims of abuse.
Risk to the organisation: Failing to correctly source and manage workforce presents potentially serious risk to the organisation. Risk, here, refers to both the possibility of negative effects (above) and the failure to realise opportunity by appropriately managing talented staff. Workforce monitoring, training and opportunities for advancement (as appropriate) are addressed in this policy.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

NDIS Worker Screening Definitions

Criminal history record check – a full-disclosure, Australia-wide criminal history record check issued by a police force or other authority of a state or territory, or the Commonwealth. It may also be referred to as a National Police Certificate or Police Records Check.

Disability Worker – means a person engaged by a disability service provider who:

Provides, or supervises or manages a person who provides, direct support to a person with a disability; and
has direct contact or access to a person with a disability – namely, those involved in the Cook Eat Repeat Cooking program.

Disability Worker Exclusion List – a list of persons deemed unsuitable to deliver supports to people with disability. A person may be considered for inclusion on the exclusion list if they have been found guilty of an offence that:

involves bodily harm, violence or threats of violence
is of a sexual nature
involves dishonesty, or
involves neglect of a person living in a disability residential service. Individuals who are assessed on reasonable grounds as presenting an unacceptable risk to the health, safety or welfare of people with disability for reasons outside those above may also be considered for inclusion on the List.

Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme:

compliments other pre-employment screening processes, such as police checks and reference checking;
generates the List of people who, because they have been assessed as posing a threat to the health, safety or welfare of people with disability, should be excluded from undertaking Excluded Work in a disability service; and
provides for limited sharing of relevant information between the Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme unit (the DWES unit) and disability service providers or authorised labour hire agencies.

The Scheme applies to every Disability Worker (see definition above) who is engaged in a disability service in the following ways:

full-time, part-time or casual employees;
contractors;
persons engaged through labour hire agencies;
students on placements; and
volunteers.

NDIS Worker Screening Definitions

Child-related work– work in providing respite care or other support services primarily for children with a disability unless the work does not ordinarily involve contact with children for extended periods without other adults being present.

Clearance – a decision in response to an application for an NDIS worker screening check that clears the applicant to work with people with disability in a risk assessed role, when that decision is current and operative. (See also Exclusion)

Confidential Information/data– Records and information about a child are considered confidential if they are of a sensitive nature in relation to their health and well-being and the information has been provided in confidence. Where information held is simply the name, address or other contact details of children they are not considered confidential.

Contact – all ways of interacting with a person with disability, including: physical contact (such as touch), face-to-face contact, oral communication, written communication and electronic communication. (See also More than incidental contact)

Exclusion – a decision (however described) under the NDIS worker screening legislation of a jurisdiction, in response to an application for an NDIS worker screening check, which has the effect that the applicant is excluded from working in a risk assessed role with people with disability. This means that, even if a person is subject to an exclusion, they are not excluded from working with people with disability in roles other than risk assessed roles with a registered NDIS provider. (See also Clearance)

Interim bar – an interim decision made under the NDIS worker screening legislation of a jurisdiction to bar a person from working with people with a disability, while the person’s application for an NDIS worker screening check is being processed.

More than incidental contact– contact with people with disabilities which involves:

Physical contact
Building a level of rapport with the person with disability as an integral or ordinary part of duties
Having contact with multiple people with disability, either as part of the direct delivery of a specialist disability support or service, or in a specialist disability accommodation setting.

Whether contact is more than incidental is often linked to the level of opportunity a role would ordinarily provide to workers or other personnel to harm – including groom – a person with disability. The likelihood that contact is more than incidental increases with the intimacy, frequency, and regularity of the contact with a person with disability.

Risk Assessed Roles – A safeguard based on the opportunities a role provides to do harm. Under the NDIS Quality and Safeguards, service providers are responsible to assess every role in terms of its degree of contact with people with disabilities and therefore the opportunities the role affords (see Definitions: More than incidental contact). Some services and supports are automatically considered Risk Assessed Roles (see Definitions: Specified Supports/Services).

A Risk Assessed Role falls into one of three categories.

Any role which is a key personnel role. “Key personnel” includes those people who are responsible for executive decisions of a service provider.
Any role with duties which involve the direct delivery of particular kinds of services or supports to a person with disability (see Definitions – Specified Supports/Services).
Any role for which the normal duties are likely to require more than incidental contact with a person with disability.

Note: while the NDIS Commission offers guidance, the service provider is responsible to assess the risk posed in any particular role. (See also Definitions: More than incidental contact, and Specified Supports/Services).

Specified Supports/Services – A further clarification of Risk Assessed Roles. All workers engaged in a role for which the normal duties include the direct delivery of specified supports or specified services to a person with disability must have a clearance. Workers providing the following services

Specified supports are:

assistance to access and maintain employment or higher education
high intensity daily personal activities
assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions and supports
assistance with daily personal activities
specialist positive behaviour support
community nursing care
assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement
innovative community participation
development of daily living and life skills
early intervention supports for early childhood
specialised hearing services
interpreting and translating
participation in community, social and civic activities
exercise physiology and personal training
management of funding for supports in participant plans
therapeutic supports
specialised driver training
specialised support coordination
specialised supported employment
hearing services
customised prosthetics
group and centre-based activities
assistance with travel/transport arrangements, (but only if the services are with respect to specialised transport to school/educational facility/employment/ community – i.e., not publicly available services such as taxi, bus and train services, even if specifically modified for use by people with disability).

Worker– any employee; self-employed person, contractor or subcontractor; volunteer; student (other than as a secondary or tertiary student undertaking formal work experience); minister, priest, rabbi, mufti or other like religious leader or spiritual officer of a religion or other member of a religious organisation.

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to recruiting contractors with excellent cooking experience and who have the competence and appropriate qualities to undertake their role within our organisation. Recruitment and selection procedures will be personally overseen by the proprietor..

4.0 PROCEDURE

Continuity of Service

In order to facilitate continuity of service, I Hate Cooking will engage contractors by:
- advertising for suitable workforce to provide services;
- signing Memorandums of Understanding with other local service providers to provide services.
The Proprietor is responsible to check that contractors and other temporary replacement workforce have:
- undergone mandatory criminal history checks, prior to commencing training
- have appropriate qualifications (where necessary) to deliver the service, and
- have been inducted such that they can deliver services on I Hate Cooking’s behalf.

General Recruitment

The Proprietor will confirm the identity (through photo identification) and qualifications (through sighting a copy) of all prospective workforce prior to their appointment.
If qualifications are a mandatory requirement of the role, original qualifications must be copied, certified as being a true copy of the original and dated by the relevant delegate then returned to the applicant.
The Proprietor is responsible for maintaining a record for all I Hate Cooking’s workforce including their qualifications, training and working screening status and WWC check status. The Proprietor must ensure these have been sighted and maintain the details on each workforce record.
Employment contracts will stipulate that all workforce are obligated to:
- advise the Proprietor if they are charged with a criminal offence which is punishable by imprisonment or, if found guilty, could reasonably affect their ability to meet the inherent requirements of their job; and
- disclose any formal disciplinary action taken against them by any current or former employer. This includes any finding of improper or unprofessional conduct by any Court or Tribunal of any kind and any investigations that the workforce member has been subject of by an employer, law enforcement agency or any integrity body or similar in Australia or in another country.

Recruitment and selection

I Hate Cooking contractors will meet the minimum qualification and experience requirements set down by the NDIA for the delivery of supports to NDIS participants.
I Hate Cooking workforce will also meet the minimum experience requirements set down by the NDIA’s Guide to Suitability.
Minimum qualification and experience requirements will be included in recruitment documentation and Position Descriptions.

The Proprietor (or delegate) is responsible for recruiting workforce and will:
- develop Position Descriptions and selection criteria for each position based on the requirements for each position;
- advertise positions through local networks (which may include online job advertisement sites such as ‘Seek’), respond to enquiries and email application forms if requested;
- convene a selection and interview panel appropriate to the position being recruited to;
- contact applicants and arrange interviews (including interview panels);
- speak with nominated referees and seek opinion about the applicant’s qualities, skills and capacity to fulfil the role;
- support selected applicants through the appointment process, including mandatory checks and contract negotiations; and
- notify unsuccessful applicants in writing or verbally, offering feedback on application.

Selection will be fair, transparent and based on merit and have respect to the Equity, Anti-Discrimination and Workplace Harassment Policies and Procedure.

NDIS Worker Screening

Where I Hate Cooking provides services to NDIS-managed clients, it must:
- conduct risk assessments for all positions not automatically prescribed by the NDIS Commission;
- ensure that workers in roles identified in risk assessments hold valid and appropriate employment checks;
- record and store risk assessments and the reasons for requiring checks for any nominated role.

Under the NDIS, service providers are responsible for determining which workers must be screened according to the following indicators:
- All workers providing services in designated specified supports or specified services (see Definitions: Specified Supports/Services) must hold police clearances.
- Service providers must assess the risk to clients presented by ALL roles within the operation.
- All workers in Risk Assessed Roles require clearances. A Risk Assessed Role falls into one of three categories.

Any role which is a key personnel role. “Key personnel” includes those people who are responsible for executive decisions of a service provider.
Any role with duties which involve the direct delivery of particular kinds of services or supports to a person with disability (see Definitions – Specified Supports/Services).
Any role for which the normal duties are likely to require more than incidental contact with a person with disability, including access to clients’ personal and sensitive information.

As a NDIA Registered Provider, I Hate Cooking must screen new and existing workforce who work directly with people with disability before they are employed or appointed.

The Proprietor is responsible for maintaining a workforce record for all workforce including their qualifications, training and criminal history and if required, WWC check status. The Proprietor must ensure these have been sighted and maintain the details on each workforce record.
Employment contracts will stipulate that all workforce are obligated to:

− advise the Proprietor if they are charged with a criminal offence which is punishable by imprisonment or, if found guilty, could reasonably affect their ability to meet the inherent requirements of their job; and

− disclose any formal disciplinary action taken against them by any current or former employer. This includes any finding of improper or unprofessional conduct by any Court or Tribunal of any kind and any investigations that the workforce member has been subject of by an employer, law enforcement agency or any integrity body or similar in Australia or in another country.

Where I Hate Cooking provides services to NDIS-managed clients, it must:

− conduct risk assessments for all positions not automatically prescribed by the NDIS Commission; − ensure that workers in roles identified in risk assessments hold valid and appropriate employment checks;

− record and store risk assessments and the reasons for requiring checks for any nominated role

I Hate Cooking must ensure workers hold valid and appropriate screening checks where required.

Contractors

Where contractors are employed as part of the ordinary activities of service delivery operations, I Hate Cooking will verify, as necessary: − criminal history screening status − insurances − qualifications

Responsibilities

I Hate Cooking will:
- Screen new and existing staff, volunteers, students, self-employed people/contractors and board members (where applicable), who work directly with people with disability before they are employed or appointed, irrespective of how that their labour is sourced or deployed (see Definitions – Risk Assessed Roles).
- Confirm the identity (through photo identification) of all prospective workforce prior to their appointment.
- (Where qualifications are a mandatory requirement of the role) store certified copies of original qualifications documents in the workforce member’s file.
- Determine risk assessed roles by considering:
  - The degree of contact the role affords or requires (see Definitions – Contact and More than incidental contact)
  - Whether the worker provides a Specified Service or Support (see Definitions – Specified Supports/Services) whether the worker has access to confidential client information (see Definitions – Confidential Information/data).

Ensure that all workers occupying risk assessed roles have appropriate clearances:
- At least one referee check and criminal record check prior to employment (for new staff); and
- Subsequent criminal record checks at least once every four years.
Acquire a NDIS Worker Screening Unit clearance for risk assessed roles.
- Maintain a record each workforce member including their qualifications, training and criminal history and WWC check status if required;
- Maintain a record of all risk assessed roles as required – including subcontracted positions (see below – Record Keeping)
- Require workers to disclose circumstances as they arise which may impact on their ability to retain criminal history clearances.

I Hate Cooking will not: − allow a person to work in a risk assessed role if:
- They have been convicted of a “prescribed criminal offence”.
- Their clearances are subject to a bar or interim bar.
- They cannot be located in the online verification process.

Workforce will:
- Update personal details attached to their Working With Children Check within three months of changes in circumstances information;
- Advise the Proprietor if they are charged with a criminal offence which is punishable by imprisonment or, if found guilty, could reasonably affect their ability to meet the inherent requirements of their job; and
- Disclose any formal disciplinary action taken against them by any current or former employer. This includes any finding of improper or unprofessional conduct by any Court or Tribunal of any kind and any investigations that the workforce member has been subject of by an employer, law enforcement agency or any integrity body or similar in Australia or in another country.
- Inform I Hate Cooking within seven days if they have been issued with an Interim Negative Notice or Negative Notice, or if they have a relevant change in circumstances; and
- Not engage in child-related work if they have been issued with a Negative Notice.

Note: penalties may apply where:

Workforce do not update their personal details attached to Working With Children Checks
Organisations do not verify workforce clearances
Organisation do not assess the risk of all roles within their organisation
Organisations do not keep proper records including:
Records of how risks are assessed − records of workforce clearances − records of subcontractor arrangements − organisations do not supply records when requested − organisations employ individuals whose online verification outcome is barred, interim barred or not found.

Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme

Mandatory Checks

The mandatory checks applicable to I Hate Cooking workforce are:
- Referee checks;
- The National Police Records Check;
- The Cook Eat Repeat Contractors relevant Working with Children Check (renewed every 5 years);
- Checks conducted by the Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme against the Disability Worker Exclusion List for all Cook Eat Repeat Contractors

Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme

The DWES is a mandatory additional check on all Disability Workers having more than incidental contact and is required in some states.
I Hate Cooking complies with the requirements of the DWES.
I Hate Cooking will check the names, against the Disability Worker Exclusion List, of:

− All current Disability Workers and their Managers/Supervisors; and

− All prospective employees for positions as Disability Workers.

Where I Hate Cooking’s pre-employment screening, (e.g., a police check), raises issues that may meet the criteria for placement on the List, I Hate Cooking will notify the DWES unit.

Following an allegation:

Where preliminary inquiries identify that an incident meeting the List criteria has occurred and a worker has been removed from excluded work, a notification should be provided to the DWES unit.
An investigation must be undertaken, and the DWES unit should be advised of the outcome of the investigation and any disciplinary process.

Should a worker resign before the end of an investigation:

The DWES unit should be advised if a worker has resigned prior to the investigation being completed. I Hate Cooking should then complete the investigation on the basis of the available information and advise the DWES unit of the outcome.
If the worker does not participate in the investigation or it is otherwise not possible to complete the investigation, the DWES unit may still place a worker’s name on the List. The worker will subsequently be given an opportunity to show cause why their name should not be placed on the List.

Working with Children Check

Where workforce have any direct contact with children in the course of their duties, all I Hate Cooking must have and maintain a clear Working with Children (WWC) check. This requirement applies to all contractors unless:

They are working under the direct supervision of an educator who is over 18 years of age and holds, or is actively working towards, an approved Diploma level education and care qualification;
Parents, family members and guardians closely related to children attending the service.

The Proprietor will:
- Ensure contractors issued with a Negative Notice do not undertake child related work; and
- Periodically check the status of all contractors with relevant Disability Check cards using the relevant worker screening for their state..

Workforce must:
- Inform I Hate Cooking within seven days if they have been issued with an Interim Negative Notice or Negative Notice, or if they have a relevant change in circumstances; and
- Not engage in child-related work if they have been issued with a Negative Notice.

Other Checks

The Proprietor will confirm the identity (through photo identification) and qualifications (through sighting a copy) of all prospective workforce prior to their appointment.
In the unlikely event that qualifications are a mandatory requirement of the role, original qualifications must be copied, certified as being a true copy of the original and dated by the relevant delegate then returned to the applicant.

Personal Information

Personal information may include:

− name,

− date of birth,

− gender,

− current and previous addresses,

− residency status,

− telephone numbers and e-mail addresses,

− bank account details,

− tax file number,

− driver’s licence number,

− Centrelink information,

− photographs,

− race or ethnicity, and

− medical history or information provided by a health service.

Personal information is collected to assist in:

− assessing employment applications;

− processing payment of commissions

− obtaining relevant security clearances;

− contacting family, carers, or other third parties as and if required; and

− ensuring you hold a current drivers licence and private motor vehicle registration as required to perform your role within I Hate Cooking.

Further,

− all personal workforce information will be placed on their personal file, held in electronic formats. Formats will be securely held, with access limited to workforce members where needed in the performance of their roles or duties.

Accessing personal information

Workforce can request and be granted access to their personal information, subject to exceptions allowed by law.

Should access be granted, the Proprietor will contact the workforce member within 30 days of receipt of the request to arrange access to their personal information. Should I Hate Cooking be unable to provide the information in the means requested, the Proprietor will discuss with the workforce member alternative means of accessing their personal information.

Complaints

Questions or concerns about I Hate Cooking privacy practices should be brought, in the first instance, to the Proprietor’s attention. Workforce may directly email the Proprietor at privacy@ih8cooking.com.au. In investigating the complaint I Hate Cooking may, where necessary, contact the workforce member making the complaint to obtain more information.

The workforce member will be advised either in writing, or in a face to face meeting, of the outcomes and actions arising from the investigation.

Training and Development

Records of induction, training provided to all workforce will be kept on each workforce record as well as in their personal Acuity file and HR records.

Induction

Upon commencement and prior to engaging with clients, I Hate Cooking will prepare new contractors or workforce with timely and appropriate orientation to their role, the service and organisation. Where any specific training and/or support needs are identified during the recruitment and selection, I Hate Cooking will ensure these are met for the new contractor.
The Proprietor is responsible for ensuring induction includes (but is not limited to) the provision of the following information. The Proprietor is responsible for delivering training and information in:
- I Hate Cooking’s Mission and Vision and Strategic and Operational Plans;
- I Hate Cooking’s compliance responsibilities, including obligations under relevant legislation, regulations and standards and its Policies and Procedures;
- Contractor roles and responsibilities and I Hate Cooking’s WorkforceCode of Conduct;
- Ensuring Cook Eat Repeat workers complete the NDIS Commission’s Mandatory Worker Orientation module
- I Hate Cooking’s team processes, communication channels, risk management and WHS, including, incident reporting and emergency procedures;
- contractor expectations;
- client rights and responsibilities;
- obtaining feedback and handling complaints;
- safety procedures
- privacy and confidentiality

Ongoing training will be provided in these areas where required.
Feedback on the induction process will be sought to contribute to I Hate Cooking’s continued improvement.

Ongoing Training and Development

I Hate Cooking is committed to ensuring our team have the necessary skills and knowledge to competently undertake their duties.
I Hate Cooking will provide:

− ongoing training and development opportunities for workforce

− opportunities for advancement within the organisation.

Regular workforcePerformance Reviews will:

− identify training and development needs in consultation with their Manager

− encourage workforce engagement in their ongoing development.

The Proprietor will be responsible for overseeing training and development needs for I Hate Cooking.

Performance Reviews and Management

As the company grows, and workforce are employed, Performance Reviews will be conducted for all workforce on a regular basis. These will assess workforce capability to perform their role and their understanding and application of I Hate Cooking’s policies and procedures and provide an opportunity to set future professional goals.
Performance Reviews will seek to:

− clarify any issues relevant to the workforce member’s job description and performance standards;

− identify the workforce member’s strengths;

− identify areas where the workforce member needs to improve and confirm the actions to be taken to maintain, enhance or improve performance; and

− set future professional goals.

Termination of Contract or Employment.

Should a contractor choose to end their contract with the organisation, they are required to give the Proprietor 14 days written notice in advance, or sufficient to give their customers adequate notice according to their service agreement.
The Proprietor has the discretion to pay any (employed) workforce member their notice period in lieu of having them attend work for the notice period.
All salary and entitlements are paid to the workforce member within 14 days of the end of their employment with the organisation, providing all company property has been returned to I Hate Cooking.

Disciplinary Action

Workforce may face disciplinary action if they:

− they are not performing satisfactorily;

− preventing other workforce members from carrying out their duties; or

− are not complying with our Code of Conduct, Policies and Procedures or their Employment Contract.

I Hate Cooking’s management workforce are responsible for identifying problems as soon as they arise and taking action.
If managers identify unsatisfactory performance of a workforce member, they must advise the workforce member.
An opportunity must be provided for the workforce member to improve their performance within a reasonable timeframe. Training may be required to improve the standard of the workforce member’s performance.
If the workforce member’s performance does not improve to the required standard after assistance and training has been provided within the specified time, the supervisor must document specific performance problems.
If misconduct occurs, the Proprietor must document the issues with the workforce member, detailing relevant incidents and behaviours.
The following disciplinary process will then be followed:

− Discussion/Counselling – between the supervisor, Proprietor and the workforce member. The problem will be explained and the workforce member asked to respond. The workforce member is entitled to have a support person present. If misconduct or non-performance is proved, the Proprietor will advise the workforce member of the corrective action they need to take. Where a report is presented by email, the workforce member may acknowledge the report as true by return email.

− First warning – if the incident of misconduct is repeated or performance does not improve, the Proprietor will issue a first written warning. If the case is considered severe enough, the first warning can be regarded as the first and final warning.

− Final warning – if the problem persists, the Proprietor will issue a final written warning to the workforce member. If the issue is not resolved, the Proprietor will take action to dismiss the workforce member.

In all processes the principles of natural justice must be followed. This means the workforce member must have an opportunity to state their point of view before action is taken and that the decision maker must not be biased.

Dismissal

Workforce members may be dismissed on the basis of:
- Their conduct, capacity or performance;
- Operational requirements, e.g. the position is no longer required; or
- Other reasons sufficient to justify termination.
If a contractor engages in serious misconduct so that it is unreasonable for I Hate Cooking to continue their employment, they may be dismissed instantly. Such action must be supported by a high level of evidence. Examples of serious misconduct include theft, assault and fraud.
I Hate Cooking must comply with all States and Federal legislation and the contractor’s Contract in relation to disciplinary action and employment termination.
I Hate Cooking must ensure: − dismissal is not for an unfair reason;
- the workforce member knows the reason for dismissal and has an opportunity to respond in relation to that reason; and
- it gives the workforce member appropriate notice or compensation in lieu of notice.

CONTRACTOR CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure provides ethical guidelines for workforce engaged in I Hate Cookings business. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, and any additional workforce or contractors.

2.0 RISK

Two main forms of risks are associated with workforce conduct: risks associated with work force as representatives of the organisation and the particular risks associated with working with people with disabilities. As representatives of the organisation, workforce conduct can influence public perception, the standing of the organisation within the community and the success of the organisation. Risk treatment begins with clear guidelines for workforce conduct (this policy). This must be reinforced with: a culture of procedural fairness in informal and formal discussions about conduct; a culture of no retribution for responsibly reporting suspected infringements of the code of conduct (Preventing and Responding to Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Policy and Procedure); and a culture that promotes a sense of mutual responsibility between the organisation and its staff. As workers in the disability sector, workforce must be able to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate care between themselves and clients, and be able to express the client/worker relationship appropriately. The guidance this policy provides should be reinforced with a culture of openness and support to assist workers discuss and manage relationships with clients.

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking prides itself on its professionalism and on its staff’s ability to meet client and other stakeholder needs. The organisation strives to be a leading service provider and to provide a safe, healthy and happy opportunity. This Code of Conduct is designed to ensure that all staff, clients and other stakeholders are treated in a manner that reflects the Mission, culture and legal obligations of the service.

4.0 PROCEDURE

NDIS Code of Conduct I Hate Cooking adheres to the NDIS Codes of Conduct for providers and workers. Workforce are required to observe the NDIS Code of Conduct The NDIS Code of Conduct requires workers and providers delivering NDIS supports to:

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

In determining whether a person’s conduct is in breach of this Code, a range of factors, including the nature of the conduct and the circumstances in which the conduct takes place, will be considered.

Supervising workforce are encouraged to ensure that all workforce under their supervision, achieve the highest possible standards of conduct.

Guiding Principles

Guiding principles for the Code of Conduct:

RESPECT – for people and the law
INTEGRITY – all actions are honest and ethical
ACCOUNTABILITY – decisions and actions in all areas of service delivery are transparent, fair and legal
DILIGENCE – workforce carry out their duties honestly and to the best of their ability

RESPECT

Our cooks and workforce will carry out their duties with respect for clients, staff, the organisation and its work. Individuals will refrain from public comments that portray the organisation and/or its work in a negative way.

Respect for the law: I Hate Cooking workforce will observe all the laws of their States and the Commonwealth. Workforce and volunteers must immediately inform the Proprietor if charged with a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment, or if found guilty of the offence and the outcome would significantly affect their ability to perform their normal duties.

Respect for persons: I Hate Cooking will strive to create an environment where all persons are treated equitably and with respect and where people’s rights are upheld. This involves individual and collective responsibilities to:

respect the rights, privacy and confidentiality of clients, staff, office bearers, volunteers, students and agents;
promote a positive public image of people with a disability, and their families and carers;
make decisions which are procedurally fair;
have respect for the opinions of others and approach any differences in opinion in an open and non-judgmental manner.

Workforce should recognise that their obligation to respect the rights and privacy of all persons associated with I Hate Cooking continues after they cease employment with I Hate Cooking. Respect for persons emphasises the obligation of office bearers, staff, volunteers and students to refrain from behaviour which is or may be construed as sexual-, racial- or gender-based harassment. They should never behave towards other persons in a manner which may reasonably be perceived as intimidating, overbearing or bullying. All staff, volunteers and students must ensure that co-worker relationships are dignified and respectful at all times.

INTEGRITY

Workforce are placed in a position of trust when they manage or have access to our resources and information or make decisions that affect the interests of others.

Workforce will not undertake activities for personal gain while conducting business of the organisation.

People who have exited the organisation should not disclose to any future employer or use for their own purposes any confidential information, records, documents or materials they may have had access to during their involvement with I Hate Cooking, as per their NDA and contractor agreement. Workforce should make all reasonable efforts to avoid conflicts between their private and/or professional interests and I Hate Cooking responsibilities and must always avoid situations where there are reasonable grounds for the perception of such a conflict.

Personal relationships: A conflict of interest may occur when a workforce member participates in decisions affecting another person with whom they have a close or personal relationship. Situations where such a conflict may occur include, but are not limited to:

the appointment, supervision or promotion of staff,
decisions being made that are of a nature to directly benefit the other person the awarding of tenders, or
other forms of financial assistance.

I Hate Cooking recognises the right of workforce to engage in personal or intimate relationships with people of their own choosing. However, relationships between office bearers and workforce should be professional at all times. Personal or intimate relationships should not intrude, or be seen to intrude, on the I Hate Cooking environment or the workplace in general. When a personal or intimate relationship creates a clear conflict, the workforce member should withdraw from the situation. Where there is any possibility of a perceived conflict, the workforce member should discuss the matter with a senior workforce member or the Proprietor. Personal or intimate relationships between workforce are not permitted and any deviation from this may be considered a serious breach of conduct and addressed in accordance with the Human Resources Policy.

Workforce should refrain from unnecessary self-disclosure of personal information during their contacts with clients.

External environments: Workforce are presenting I Hate Cooking in public must conduct themselves with propriety and be accountable for their conduct and decisions made on behalf of I Hate Cooking. Where a workforce member is unsure of the capacity in which they are acting, they should seek clarification from a senior workforce member.

Alcohol and illicit drug consumption: During the usual day-to-day conduct of their duties, workforce and volunteers must never consume alcohol or illicit substances and must be free from the influence of any substance prior to commencement of a shift. Any deviation from this practice will be viewed as a serious breach of conduct and will be addressed in accordance with the Human Resources Policy and Procedure.

Whilst alcohol consumption may be permissible, or may be available, at certain business functions, workforce should refrain from excessive consumption of alcohol whilst representing I Hate Cooking. Workforce are encouraged to use commonsense to maintain I Hate Cooking’s interests and professional image, as well as their own welfare.

Dress standards: Dress standards are more a matter of etiquette rather than ethics. However, workforce must present a professional image and maintain an appropriate standard of appearance whilst engaged in I Hate Cooking business. Uniform should be adhered to, in conjunction with their states Food Safety WHS requirements.

Compliance with laws and I Hate Cooking’s governance.

Staff, contractor’s and visitors must comply with all lawful and reasonable directions given by I Hate Cooking. Workforce and where applicable, visitors must comply with I Hate Cooking’s policies and procedures at all times. Staff, contractors and visitors must comply with all relevant legislation, regulations, codes, standards, guidelines and policies that are applicable to I Hate Cooking’s operations irrespective of location.

Company property I Hate Cooking property includes:

intellectual property (including trade and business secrets) of I Hate Cooking or affiliated entity;
information concerning staff, volunteers and any contractors that provide a service to I Hate Cooking; and
any information of a commercial, operational, marketing, business, technical or financial nature relating to the business of I Hate Cooking or any affiliated entity.

On termination of employment, for whatever reason, workforce and volunteers must transfer to the Proprietor all information in their possession, including all material in writing, software or databases on hard drive or any other means of storage. If requested by the Proprietor, office bearers, workforce or volunteers must immediately return all I Hate Cooking property in their possession or under their control.

Outside work behaviour Workforce must conduct their personal affairs in a manner that does not affect their duties and responsibilities to I Hate Cooking. Workforce should be aware that their activities or behaviour outside working hours could damage I Hate Cooking reputation. Workforce must avoid conduct outside of work that breaches this Code. If I Hate Cooking becomes aware of such conduct, and the conduct is of a type that could have an adverse impact upon I Hate Cooking, disciplinary or other remedial action may be taken against the worker.

ACCOUNTABILITY

All workforce have an obligation to carry out official decisions and policies faithfully and impartially.

Senior workforce members have a responsibility to ensure that sufficient, accurate and appropriate information is provided to enable office bearers to make decisions that are procedurally fair, transparent and timely.

Fraud, corrupt conduct and dishonest administration are detrimental to I Hate Cooking and clients. Any workforce member or contractor who reasonably suspects that this may be occurring are encouraged to speak with the Proprietor as soon as possible.

Where disclosure of any of these activities occurs, the person disclosing the information will not be subjected to any acts of retribution.

Unfounded reports that are of a malicious or vengeful nature will not be pursued. Appropriate action will be taken against any person who is found to have made malicious or unsubstantiated claims.

DILIGENCE

I Hate Cooking aims to achieve best practice in service delivery. All workforce and volunteers contribute to achieving this aim by carrying out their duties honestly and to the best of their ability.

All workforce should support the I Hate Cooking’s aims and objectives, and work within policy and procedural guidelines.

I Hate Cooking’s resources are not available for private use or private gain and appropriate care and security of resources should be a priority.

Reporting Breaches of the Code of Conduct

Breaches or suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct, should, in the first instance, be reported to the Proprietor. Trivial, unfounded or vexatious complaints may result in disciplinary action.

Any person who complies with the Code of Conduct in reporting a breach must not be discriminated against and must be protected from reprisal. Confidentiality will be maintained at the highest level possible.

Workforce may face disciplinary action if they are found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct. Disciplinary processes will be enacted as per the Human Resources Policy and Procedure.

Where a suspected or alleged breach has occurred in relation to a client, the incident will be managed and investigated as per the Preventing and Responding to Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Policy and Incident Management Policy.

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure demonstrates I Hate Cooking’s commitment to providing a workplace that is safe and minimises risks to the health and wellbeing of staff, clients, their families and all other stakeholders. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, and any additional workforce .

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Workplace – any place where work is carried out on behalf of I Hate Cooking.

Duty of care – A common law concept that refers to the responsibilities of organisations to provide people with an adequate level of protection against harm and all reasonable foreseeable risk of injury. In the context of this policy, duty of care refers to the responsibility of I Hate Cooking’s workforce to provide clients, contractors and anyone visiting the service with an adequate level of care and protection against reasonable foreseeable harm and injury.

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking will conduct its activities in such a way as to provide an environment which, so far as possible, protects the health, safety and welfare of all people at their workplace and actively encourages safe working practices. To achieve this, every effort will be made in the areas of accident prevention, hazard control and removal, injury protection, health preservation and promotion. These aspects of working conditions will be given priority in organisational plans, policies and procedures, job instructions. No task is so important as to compromise health and safety. Adequate consideration must be given to determine a safe and healthy work method for each activity undertaken.

I Hate Cooking is committed to ensuring that:
- All relevant legislation and statutory requirements, codes of practice and Australian Standards are complied with;
- Health and safety awareness and the development of hygienic and safe work practices are promoted;
- Information, training, instruction are provided;
- Workforce are consulted and cooperated with on health and safety matters and on ways to reduce workplace hazards and improve quality control systems;
- Effective accident analysis and incident and hazard reporting systems are maintained;

I Hate Cooking workforce are not expected to carry out work that is unsafe, and clients are not expected to tolerate unsafe work practices or service environments.

4.0 PROCEDURE

The Proprietor is responsible to ensure:

Relevant health and safety policies and procedures are effectively implemented; all risks to health and safety are identified, assessed and effectively controlled;
The effectiveness of risk control measures are regularly monitored and deviations from standards are rectified;
Workforce members have adequate knowledge and skills to carry out their health and safety responsibilities;
Workforce members are consulted on any proposals for or changes to the workplace, work practices, policies or procedures which may affect the health and safety of Workforce Members;
All incidents within their area of control are reported and investigated and basic cause and control strategies are identified.

The Proprietor will:

Promote health and safety awareness and the development of healthy and safe working procedures;
Provide information and where appropriate, training and/or instruction;
Consult with workforce on health and safety issues as well as identify and implement ways to reduce workplace hazards and improve control systems;
Maintain effective accident analysis procedures and hazard reporting systems;
Set and regularly review health and safety objectives;

Workforce members are expected to:

Comply with all relevant legislation and statutory requirements, safe working procedures, codes of practice and industry standards;
Report, and where appropriate, rectify hazards, and participate in the analysis of accidents/incidents; and
Accept responsibility for protecting themselves and others. All workforce and volunteers are responsible for ensuring that all plant, equipment and substances are safe and without risk to health when used in accordance with standard operating procedures.
I Hate Cooking has a no smoking policy. Staff, contractors, clients and visitors are not permitted to smoke indoors, within the office, or on any covered patio area that is part of or attached to a building.
If Workforce have any health problems or medical conditions requiring medication or that may require emergency assistance, it is advisable to notify proprietor
Guidelines on procedures for dealing with critical incidents or handling of blood and other body fluids can be obtained from senior staff.
All workforce and volunteers are advised to take adequate breaks during the performance of repetitive tasks.
All workforce and volunteers should be aware of the location of the First Aid Kit, incident reports and emergency numbers.
If a Position Description states that a current Senior First Aid Certificate is required, this must be organised by the workforce member concerned.
Whenever cooking, cleaning and/or other chemical substances are used, contractors should have adequate knowledge and understanding of their safe storage and application.

Any workplace accident or incident (dangerous occurrence) which has the potential to result in injury or damage to property must be reported in the same manner as an incident or accident that results in injury or damage. All accidents or incidents that result in an injury or illness at work must be reported to the Proprietor within 24 hours of the incident occurring.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

To ensure that management of personal information for clients meets all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. This policy and procedure applies to current and potential clients, their carers and family members.

2.0 RISK

Because people with disabilities are more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse than others in the community, workers with access to client information automatically occupy risk-assessed roles under the NDIS Commission. The primary risk to privacy and confidentiality arises from the collection, storage and sharing of client information. Access by non-authorised persons may expose clients to risk. Safe storage and access policy protects clients from abuse and exploitation. This policy addresses these issues. Social media platforms may allow clients to be identified.

This risk may be minimised by:

Raising workforce awareness of privacy and confidentiality
Ensuring consent is obtained before gathering data (including audio and photographic data)
Ensuring that consent is specific to the use of data, and that consent is current
Encouraging clients to provide feedback and complaints about the use of their information.

These issues are addressed in this policy.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

Personal information – Recorded information (including images) or opinion, whether true or not, from which the identity (including those up to thirty years deceased) could be reasonably ascertained.

Sensitive information – Information or an opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political party, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preference or practices, or criminal record. This is also considered to be personal information.

Health information – Any information or an opinion about the physical, mental or psychological health or ability (at any time) of an individual.

Information Privacy – refers to the control of the collection, use, disclosure and disposal of information and the individual’s right to control how their personal information is handled.

4.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to the transparent management of personal and health information about its clients and staff. This commitment includes protecting the privacy of personal information, in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. I Hate Cooking’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Procedure is made publicly available.

5.0 PROCEDURE

Personal information

Personal information may include:
- name,
- date of birth,
- gender,
- current and previous addresses,
- residency status,
- telephone numbers and e-mail addresses,
- photographs,
- race or ethnicity, and
- medical history or information provided by a health service.

Client information is used to:
- assess and provide services;
- administer and manage those services;
- evaluate and improve those services;
- contact family, carers, or other third parties if required; and
- meet our obligations under the NDIS.

Client Consent

Clients are to be provided with login details at the time of commencing service with I Hate Cooking. Client has fun access to this information by logging into their secure account.

Updating Client Information

There will be no charge for any correction of personal information.
- I Hate Cooking collects information:
  - directly from clients orally or in writing; − from third parties, such as medical practitioners, government agencies, client representatives, carer/s, and other health service providers;
  - from client referrals; and
  - from publicly available sources of information.

I Hate Cooking will only collect sensitive information:
- only with client consent,
- directly from client, if doing so is reasonable and practicable;
- only where deemed necessary to support service delivery to clients;

I Hate Cooking takes all reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, interference, misuse, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. I Hate Cooking will destroy, or permanently delete personal information that is
- no longer needed;
- unsolicited and could not have been obtained directly; or
- not required to be retained by, or under, an Australian law or a court/tribunal order.

Should a breach in privacy occur, potentially exposing client information (e.g. computer system hacked, laptop stolen etc.) the Proprietor will immediately act to rectify the breach in accordance with organisational policy and processes.

Disclosing information

I Hate Cooking respects the right to privacy and confidentiality, and will not disclose personal information except:
- where disclosure would protect the client and / or others;
- where necessary for best service practice; or
- where obligated by law.

For these purposes, I Hate Cooking may disclose clients’ personal information to other people, organisations or service providers, including:
- medical and allied health service providers who assist with the services we provide to clients; − a ‘person responsible’ if the client is unable to give or communicate consent e.g. next of kin, carer, or guardian;
- the client’s authorised representative/s e.g. legal adviser;
- our professional advisers, e.g. lawyers, accountants, auditors;
- government and regulatory authorities, e.g. Centrelink, government departments, and the Australian Taxation Office;
- organisations undertaking research where information is relevant to public health or public safety; and − when required or authorised by law.

Any information released for evaluation or research purposes will be de-identified. Accessing personal information
Clients can request and be granted access to their personal information, subject to exceptions allowed by law.
Requests to access personal information must state:

− the information to be accessed

− the preferred means of accessing the information,

− and should be forwarded to the Proprietor either verbally, or in writing to: 73 Clarke St, Hendra. 4011

The Proprietor will assess the request to access information, taking into consideration current issues that may exist with the client, and whether these issues relate to any lawful exceptions to granting access to personal information.
Should the Proprietor decide that access to personal information will be denied, they must, within 30 days of receipt of the request, inform the client in writing of:

− the reasons for denying access and

− the mechanisms available to complain or appeal.

Should access be granted, the Proprietor will contact the client within 30 days of receipt of the request to arrange access to their personal information.
Should I Hate Cooking be unable to provide the information in the means requested, the Proprietor will discuss with the client alternative means of accessing their personal information.
Reasonable charges and fees, incurred by I Hate Cooking in providing the data as requested, may be passed on to the client.

Breaches of Privacy

I Hate Cooking are required to disclose a data breach to the Office of Australian Information Commissioner if the data contains personal information that is likely to result in “serious harm”, which includes any of the following: physical, psychological, financial or harm to our reputation. Personal information is information about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.
Any workforce who identify a potential breach must immediately inform their manager, who must report to the Proprietor for further action.

SERVICE DELIVERY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The purpose of this policy and procedure is to describe person-centred principles that guide the service delivery to clients of I Hate Cooking. This policy and procedure applies to all potential and existing I Hate Cooking n clients, their family members and carers, and other relevant stakeholders.

2.0 POLICY

All aspects of I Hate Cooking’s service delivery supports clients to develop and maintain independence, problem solving, social and self-care skills appropriate to their age, developmental stage and cultural circumstances.
I Hate Cooking recognises the importance of carers, and respects the carer as an individual with his or her own needs; and that the carer has special knowledge of the person in his or her care.
I Hate Cooking is committed to the involvement of carers in the services provided to the client.

Service Delivery Principles:

Where possible, I Hate Cooking services should support clients to develop and maintain independence, and skills, appropriate to their age, developmental stage and cultural circumstances.
Workforce will work with clients and adapt to their individual needs as they change over time, regardless of the frequency or cause.
I Hate Cooking will take all practicable measures to ensure that carers are involved in service delivery to the client.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Specific Service Delivery Principles

I Hate Cooking is committed to supporting clients from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds to maintain and strengthen their connection to their community, their spiritual and language connections.

WORKING IN CLIENT HOMES POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure seeks to minimise risk to workforce health and wellbeing whilst in client homes. It also outlines our commitment to implementing infection prevention and control standard precautions across all settings within our cooking business. It encompasses measures to safeguard the health and safety of our workforce, clients, and the broader community, particularly during situations such as pandemics like COVID-19.This policy and procedure applies to all workforce.

2.0 RISK

Risks to workforce working in client homes are increased due to an unfamiliar (and sometimes unsuitable) work environment. As workforce might not be apprised of changes to the environment, workforce need to exercise caution and conduct risk assessments prior to beginning each task.

3.0 POLICY

Where I Hate Cooking delivers services in clients’ homes it is responsible to minimise risk to workforce providing supports. I Hate Cooking will conduct an initial risk assessment in consultation with clients, and other support persons (as appropriate) and identify potential hazards and put appropriate controls in place prior to commencing service delivery.

Risks will change over time: I Hate Cooking workforce should assess risks as they deliver services; they should report any risks as they emerge.

4.0 PROCEDURE

Responsibilities, safety and wellbeing are shared mutual responsibilities. I Hate Cooking and clients, their carers and their families should work together to provide a safe environment for workers.

I Hate Cooking should:

Clearly communicate and understand what services are to be provided;
Assess additional services before delivery;
Ensure contact with the client has been made by the cook, prior to the service taking place.
Request an extra support worker if there are any concerns.
Review an activity that may have changed to ensure the controls are still working or need to be altered;
Maintain, monitor and update if necessary, the safety procedure for cooks who feel they are suddenly in a risky situation.

Clients and/or carers (and landlords – where appropriate) should:

Maintain a safe work environment (e.g. repair broken steps, mow long grass, restrain animals, provide adequate lighting, clean kitchen)
Look after their own in-home safety (e.g. maintain electrical equipment and install smoke alarms and safety switches to switchboards)
Cooperate with service providers and workers to ensure safe work procedures and a safe work environment (e.g. move furniture to allow adequate work space, use lifting equipment based on assessed needs)
Keep their equipment safe, well maintained and in good order
Inform service providers and others of any known hazards.

Risk Assessment (Pre-service)

Where I Hate Cooking delivers services in clients’ homes contractors should conduct an initial assessment of possible domestic hazards, prior to commencing service delivery. The risk assessment can be conducted in consultation with (as appropriate):

Clients,
Their families and carers
Landlords and other stakeholders

I Hate Cooking will see that adequate controls are put in place prior to commencing service delivery.

Identify hazards
Analyse: Assess and prioritise risks
Treat: Implement controls to eliminate or mitigate the risk
Monitor and review: Continually monitor and evaluate the risks and treatments to maintain their effectiveness and appropriateness

If the assessment shows that workers are exposed to significant risks, I Hate Cooking will determine whether they need to modify or suspend that particular service until the risk has been adequately controlled.

Risk Assessment (On-going)

Responding to changes:

Changes will sometimes occur which can affect workplace health and safety. Changes which may affect workforce health and safety include the following:

Changes in client’s health Illness, injury and other changes to a client’s health status, should be monitored as a potential source of risk to workplace health.

Contractors should:

Regularly monitor the client’s kitchen status
Inform their supervisor and initiate the need for a review
Reassess their activities to ensure the risks are controlled
Discuss the need for changes with the client and their families.

Changes to the home environment A client’s home environment can change between visits. Changes may include:

Positioning of furniture and electrical equipment.
Inoperable electrical equipment
People or animals are now present
Altered storage patterns
Spills or leaks
New equipment or furniture
Obstructed access.

Workforce need to:

Determine at each visit the safety of the client’s home as a workplace before commencing duties;
Undertake a visual scan of the client’s home immediately on arrival, and of the equipment before use.

Changes to service arrangements could include:

Changes in the service required
Requested workforce change by client or by worker
Changes in alternate service provider.

Where time does not allow normal assessment and planning, I Hate Cooking will:

Make interim arrangements
Follow up with long-term arrangements.

I Hate Cooking will indicate its expectations for managing risk prior to commencing service delivery.

Reporting incidents:

All incidents involving workforce and clients will be reported as per the Incident Management Policy and Procedure.

Reportable incidents include:

Injuries to clients or workers
Emergency situations
Near miss incidents where there is no injury but requires preventative action.

Workforce induction will include training in I Hate Cooking Incident Management procedures .

I Hate Cooking will include all incidents recorded in the Incident Register in its WH&S review as regulated in the Internal Audit Schedule

Electrical equipment

Workforce should:

Report issues, faults and suspected faults immediately
Avoid using the client’s electrical equipment (i.e. electric kettles, vacuum cleaners, extension leads etc) if possible, as I Hate Cooking is not in control of the electrical condition of this equipment.

Covid 19 Infection Prevention and Control

Standard Precautions:

We adhere to standard precautions at all times to prevent the transmission of infectious agents. These precautions include practices such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when required.

Hand Hygiene:

Proper hand hygiene is essential. All personnel must wash their hands prior to cooking and then frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Respiratory Hygiene:

Any member of our workforce who is coughing or sneezing due to illness should contact the client to reschedule. We promote respiratory hygiene by covering mouths and noses with tissues or elbows when coughing or sneezing happens incidentally. Used tissues should be disposed of properly, and hands should be washed immediately with soap and water.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

When providing services in situations where there is a risk of exposure to infectious agents, our workforce is trained to use appropriate PPE, including masks, gloves, and aprons.

Cleaning and Disinfection:

We maintain a rigorous cleaning and disinfection schedule for all equipment, workspaces, and common areas to minimise the risk of contamination.

Social Distancing:

In accordance with relevant government guidelines, we implement social distancing measures within the workplace and during client interactions to reduce the risk of transmission.

COVID-19 Specific Measures:

We have developed COVID-19 policies specific to each state and jurisdiction in which we operate. These policies detail additional measures, guidelines, and procedures that align with local health regulations and best practices. It is the responsibility of all personnel to familiarise themselves with and adhere to these policies.

Implementation and Training:

All personnel receive training on infection prevention and control measures, including the proper use of PPE and adherence to standard precautions.Regular refresher training and updates are available to ensure ongoing compliance with these measures.

Reporting and Monitoring:

Any incidents or concerns related to infection prevention and control should be promptly reported to management for appropriate action. We continuously monitor and assess our infection prevention and control practices to ensure their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments when required.

Conclusion:

We are committed to maintaining a safe and hygienic environment for our workforce, clients, and the community. This infection prevention and control policy, in conjunction with our COVID-19 policies for each state and jurisdiction, serves as a foundation for our efforts to minimise the risk of infection and provide a secure culinary experience for all involved.

FEEDBACK, COMPLIMENTS AND COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy and procedure delineate the structured approach of I Hate Cooking in actively soliciting, receiving, and addressing feedback, compliments, and complaints regarding our services and operations. We recognise the value of feedback in driving continuous improvement and maintaining the highest service quality standards. This policy ensures transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in our feedback and complaint handling processes.. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, workforce and all potential and existing clients, their family members and other supporters. We are committed to aligning our feedback and complaint resolution procedures with the principles and requirements set by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, ensuring that our practices not only meet but exceed the standards expected by our clients and regulatory authorities.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Compliment – an expression of praise, encouragement or gratitude about an individual workforce member, a team or a service.

Complaint – an expression of dissatisfaction made to or about an organisation, related to its products, services, workforce or the handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected. For the purpose of this policy and procedure, a complaint is defined as an issue of a minor nature that can be resolved promptly or within 24 hours, and does not require a detailed investigation. Complaints include an expression of displeasure, such as poor service, and any verbal or written complaint directly related to the service (including general and notifiable complaints).

General complaint – addresses any aspect of the service e.g. bad tasting food or the service’s fees. The complaint must be dealt with as soon as is practicable to avoid escalation of the issue.

Grievance – a formal statement of complaint that cannot be addressed immediately and involves matters of a more serious nature e.g. the service is in breach of a policy or the service did not meet the care expectations of a family.

3.0 POLICY

Compliments, complaints and other feedback provide:
- valuable information about client satisfaction; and
- an opportunity to improve upon all aspects of its service.
I Hate Cooking records and handles feedback effectively in order to:
- identify areas for improvement;
- coordinate a consistent approach to complaint resolution;
- reduce the potential for future complaints; and
- allow for reporting and efficient allocation of resources.
I Hate Cooking’s feedback, compliment and complaint handling system addresses the principles of:
- visibility and accessibility;
- responsiveness;
- assessment and investigation;
- feedback;
- continuous improvement; and
- service excellence.
I Hate Cooking seeks to build a responsive, efficient, effective and fair complaint management system. Resolving complaints at the earliest opportunity in a way that respects and values the person’s feedback can:
- aid in recovering the person’s confidence about I Hate Cooking’s services;
- help prevent further escalation of the complaint.

I Hate Cooking’s approach to feedback, compliments and complaints management ensures:
- people understand their rights and responsibilities;
- information on the feedback, compliment and complaint management process is easily accessible;
- increased satisfaction of clients in the management of their compliments and complaints;
- the recording of data to identify existing or emerging trends or systemic issues;
- workforce demonstrate an awareness of I Hate Cooking’s feedback, compliments and complaints management processes;
- workforce develop the range of skills and capabilities required to manage compliments, complaints and feedback; and
- an organisational culture that is focused on effective, person-centred complaints resolution and utilising feedback for continuous improvement.

4.0 PROCEDURE

I Hate Cooking will promote best practice, continuous improvement and an open, supportive, respectful culture that encourages and supports staff, clients and other stakeholders to make complaints and report concerns without fear of retribution.
I Hate Cooking’s booking process and follow up emails provide clients, their families and carers and all other stakeholders with opportunity to address issues, in an easy to understand format. This will include information on how feedback and complaints will be addressed and who to contact to provide feedback and complaints to external agencies, including external advocacy and support agencies. Information will be clearly displayed in I Hate Cooking and provided by workforce when requested.
Information about providing feedback and making complaints is provided on the FAQ section of the website.
I Hate Cooking will provide all clients, their families and carers with this policy and procedure when they first access the service and, remind them of the policy and their right to make a complaint without fear of affecting their service.
All personal information I Hate Cooking collects to manage feedback or complaints will be handled in accordance with privacy legislation and the Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Procedure. Feedback and complaints will be dealt with in a confidential manner and will only be discussed with the people directly involved. All information regarding feedback and complaints will be kept securely in accordance with the Records and Information Management Policy and Procedure.
Complaints and feedback can be lodged by a third party on behalf of another person, if their consent has been provided.
The Proprietor will track and analyse feedback and complaint data to identify any ongoing issues and opportunities for service improvement.

Feedback

Provision of feedback to I Hate Cooking is voluntary.
Feedback can be collected regularly:

− by head office after each provision of a service

− by each individual contractor as part of the follow up procedure.

Customers can provide feedback at any time through:

Feedback and Complaints;

− phone: 0410526477, email: admin@ih8cooking.com.au or post: 73 Clarke St. Hendra 4011

− feedback link on the website: ih8cooking.com.au/ndis OR ih8cooking.com.au/feedback/

— where feedback is provided verbally, the receiving workforce member will pass the feedback onto the proprietor.

Complaints Management Process

I Hate Cooking’s complaints management process can be simplified into five steps:
- Receive;
- Record;
- Acknowledge;
- Resolve; and
- Communicate resolution.

Receive

To lodge a complaint, individuals are encouraged to speak directly to a workforce member first, in an attempt to resolve the matter without recourse to the complaints procedures.

Workforce will:

Listen – openly to the concerns being raised by the complainant.
Ask – the complainant what outcome they are seeking.
Inform – the complainant clearly of the complaint process, the time the process takes and set realistic expectations.
Be accountable – and empathic towards the affected person and action all commitments made.
Assess – situations that pose an immediate threat or danger, or require a specialised response.

All complaints will be referred to the relevant supervisor (or Proprietor) for resolution.
The relevant supervisor will discuss minor complaints directly with the party involved as a first step towards resolution.
If the complaint cannot be resolved promptly or within 48 hours, the Proprietor will treat it as a grievance (advising the individual of their right to lodge a grievance if they have not already done so, with the assistance of a support person or advocate if they wish).
A Feedback and Complaints Form will be made available to the individual to lodge their grievance, however it is not mandatory that they use the form. The Feedback and Complaints Form can be used to make anonymous complaints.

Grievances can be lodged:

− directly with a workforce member, either verbally or by providing a completed Feedback and Complaints Form;

− by email to: info@ih8cooking.com.au

− by phone on 0410526477; or

− in writing to: 73 Clarke St Hendra. 4011.

At any time, individuals can make a complaint directly to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) when needing to make a complaint in regards to the plan

To the NDIS quality and safeguard commission if needing to make a complaint in regard to the service provision. Phone: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677. Interpreters can be arranged. National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544. 285 Or writing to; NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission PO Box 210 Penrith NSW 2750 To find out more visit; https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/complaints-feedback/complaints

All clients making a complaint will be encouraged to use an advocate of their choice to act on their behalf if they wish. The advocate may be a family member or friend, or sourced (with the assistance of a workforce member if required) through the National Disability Advocacy Program.

If a complaint alleges actual or possible criminal activity or abuse or neglect, it will be referred to the Proprietor immediately. The Proprietor will follow the Incident Management Policy and Procedure, reporting the complaint and working with the relevant authority to investigate the allegation.
Workforce will take all reasonable steps to ensure a complainant is not adversely affected because a complaint has been made by them or on their behalf.

2. Record

The Proprietor will:
- Record – all information that is relevant to the complIment or complaint, in its original and simplest form, in I Hate Cooking’s Complaints and COMPLIMENTS Register.
- Store and protect – the Complaints and Compliments Register in a secure file, accessible only to the Management Team.

3. Acknowledge

The Proprietor will:
- Acknowledge – receipt of the grievance within 2 working days to build a relationship of trust and confidence with the person who raised the complaint.
- Provide anonymity – a person may request to remain anonymous in their lodgement and therefore contact may not be possible or expected.
- Seek desired outcomes – provide realistic expectations and refer the matter to other organisations where identified as being more suitable to handle.
- Avoid conflict of interest – by appointing a person unrelated to the matter.
- Provide timeframes and expectations – to the complainant where possible.

4. Resolve

In resolving a complaint or grievance, the Proprietor will:
- Involve the complainant – keep them informed of the progress of the complaint and discuss any disparities identified in the information held;
- Request additional information – when required but apply a timeframe that limits when it is to be provided by;
- Consider extensions – only where necessary and always communicate any additional time requirements to the complainant with an explanation of the need;
- Record all decisions or actions of the complaint investigation in I Hate Cooking’s Complaints Register; and
- Focus on the identified complaint matters only. A complaint is not an opportunity to review a whole case.

Investigation of complaints will not be conducted by a person about whom a complaint has been made. If required, the Management Team will determine the appropriate person to undertake the investigation.

5. Communicate resolution

I Hate Cooking will respond to all complaints and Compliments as soon as possible and within 28 days from acknowledgement.
If a complaint cannot be responded to in full within 28 days of acknowledgement, an update will be issued to the complainant. The update will provide the date by which a full response can be expected. The update should be provided verbally in the first instance, then confirmed in writing.
The Proprietor (or delegate) will:
- Discuss the outcome – with the complainant, providing written advice and allowing them the opportunity to make further contact following receipt of the written advice.
- Include information on recourse – further action available to the complainant at the conclusion of the complaint investigation. An action of recourse may be to escalate the matter further with an external agency or for a further review within the organisation.
- Provide a further review – to enable the first investigation to be reviewed for soundness and allow additional information not available in the first complaint to be included.
- Identify opportunities – relay complaint outcomes to the appropriate area within the organisation for action to improve service delivery
Options for actions responding to a complaint may include but are not limited to:
- explaining processes;
- rectifying an issue;
- providing an apology;
- ongoing monitoring of issues; and
- training or education of staff.

I Hate Cooking’s Complaints and Compliments Register will be used by I Hate Cooking’s Proprietor (or delegate) to record every complaint, track investigation progress and outcomes and how the outcomes have been communicated to stakeholders.

Procedural Fairness

Procedural fairness:
- is impartial;
- requires a response proportionate to the complaint, accusation and likely remedial action;
- ensures that a complainant or participant is not disadvantaged by the complaint or the process of resolving a complaint;
- ensures that persons who are likely to be adversely affected by a complaint process are given the opportunity to present their views and have them heard.

The precise requirements of procedural fairness can vary from one situation to another. The required steps can vary according to:
- the nature of the matter being dealt with;
- the options for resolving it;
- the time-frame for resolution;
- whether facts in issue are in dispute;
- the gravity of possible findings that may be reached; and
- the sanctions that could be imposed based on those findings.

NDIS: Complaints Escalation and Dispute Resolution

If a complainant remains dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint or grievance they will be provided with the details of other agencies they can use to assist them to achieve a resolution.
Escalated complaints will be tracked in the Complaints and Grievances Register in the same manner as other complaints and the same communication processes as outlined above will be applied.

Complaints to the NDIA can be lodged:

− by email to feedback@ndis.gov.au

− by post to: National Disability Insurance Agency, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601

− by phone on 1800 800 110

Or to the NDIS Commission by:

Phone: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677. Interpreters can be arranged.
National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544.
Completing a complaint contact form at the following address;

The NDIS Commission can take complaints about:

services or supports that were not provided in a safe and respectful way
services and supports that were not delivered to an appropriate standard −
NDIS participants purchasing products and services also have rights and protections under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), including provisions on client guarantees and unfair contract terms.

Client responsibilities

NDIS CANCELLATION POLICY AND PROCEDURE

1.0 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy provides a framework for I Hate Cooking’s processes and obligations, should a client or carer request a cancellation of services. This policy and procedure applies to the Proprietor, staff, contractors and all potential and existing clients, their family members and other supporters.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Cancellation – Refers to an individual notifying I Hate Cooking, in advance, that scheduled service is not required or unable to be received. Cancellation can also refer to I Hate Cooking cancelling the service contract. This may occur if client responsibilities are breached.

There are two categories of cancellation:

Short notice – where less than a minimum of 48 hours notice is provided.
Reasonable Notice – where 48 hours or greater notice is provided.

No Show – Refers to an individual not attending or being unavailable without notice for a booked/scheduled service, or where the individual is not at the agreed location at the agreed time for the service.

3.0 POLICY

I Hate Cooking is committed to transparent processes by which services can be cancelled.
This policy complies with NDIA and NDIS Policy on the management of cancellation of services by a client.

4.0 PROCEDURE

If a participant makes a short-notice cancellation, which is after 48 hours prior to the service, the provider may charge up to 100% of the agreed price for the cancelled appointment. A fee may be charged against a participant plan up to 12 times per year for personal care and community access supports. Beyond this threshold, the NDIA will require the provider to demonstrate they are taking steps to actively manage cancellations.
For other cancellations, where the participant has provided notice of cancellation prior to 48 hours before the scheduled service, providers may not charge a cancellation fee
Individual NDIS Service Agreements, booking request and/or other confirmation documentation provided to clients/parents/guardians will outline requirements for service cancellation notification.
Where the client attends for only part of the scheduled service, without notice, payment for the entirety of the booked service may be charged.
Where the client fails without notice to attend for the planned service, I Hate Cooking will make every effort to contact the client and/or Carer/guardian to confirm the planned attendance.
Where notice is given with less than 48 hours (short notice), I Hate Cooking will try where possible to offer and book the scheduled service to an alternative client.
Where the service cannot be offered to an alternative client, the hours of service may be forfeited by the original client and I Hate Cooking will be paid as per the scheduled fee as if the service had occurred.
For instances where I Hate Cooking initiates the cancellation of a service due to operational reasons, the service will be rescheduled at no penalty to either party.
Should either party wish to end the Service Agreement they must give one month’s notice. If either party seriously breaches this Service Agreement the requirement of notice will be waived.
All new Service Agreements between clients and I Hate Cooking will include details of advice periods for cancellations and possible forfeit of the booked service.
If a client breaches their responsibilities under the service agreement and policies I Hate Cooking will provide information and feedback to the client involved with the aim to prevent further breaches.
- This will include providing the client with written details of the incident/breach and a copy of the policy involved. This will constitute a first warning to the client.
- I Hate Cooking will provide the client with a 7 day period of right to reply.
- I Hate Cooking will offer and arrange independent professional mediation on client agreement.
- If I Hate Cooking’s policy and procedure is not upheld by the client after the first warning and following independent mediation (if agreed upon) I Hate Cooking will exercise its right to cancel service provision.
- In the instance of cancellation of service I Hate Cooking will follow its exiting client’s policy.

Notice Period before Scheduled Service Action Fee

Where Reasonable Notice is provided, there will be no penalty and I Hate Cooking will reschedule the service with the client.
Where the client provides Short Notice the client forfeits the service if it cannot be offered and booked to another client and I Hate Cooking is paid as if the Service occurred. As per scheduled service fee.
Where the client provides No Notice (No Show) the client forfeits the service and I Hate Cooking is paid as if the Service occurred. As per scheduled service fee.