Who can get DVA Community Nursing?
Community Nursing is for veterans who need nursing or personal care at home because of their health. Having a Veteran Card doesn’t mean every kind of home support is covered. Your eligibility depends on your card and on what care you clinically need.
Veteran Gold Card
You may be able to get Community Nursing for any assessed clinical need for nursing or personal care.
Veteran White Card
You may be able to get Community Nursing if the care you need relates to a condition DVA has accepted. Eligibility has to be confirmed before care starts. If you’re not sure, we can check with DVA for you.
Other veterans
Some veterans who have Provisional Access to Medical Treatment (PAMT) or Non-Liability Health Care (NLHC) may also be eligible, depending on DVA’s rules.
What does “clinically needed” mean?
It means the care is needed because of your health or a medical condition. A Registered Nurse assesses this and records it in your care plan.
Who can refer you?
You need a written referral before care can start. It can come from:
- your GP
- a treating doctor in hospital
- a hospital discharge planner
- a nurse practitioner working in a community nursing field
You can ask them to send the referral to QuestCare. Health professionals can find everything they need on our Make a referral page.
How long does a referral last?
- GP referral: usually valid for 12 months
- Hospital referral: usually valid for 6 weeks
- Nurse practitioner referral: usually valid for 6 weeks
You'll need a new referral when an episode of care ends, including if you've been without Community Nursing services for more than 28 days.