What happens if my support worker doesn't show up?
If your aged care support worker doesn't show up, immediately contact your service provider to request an urgent replacement or find out if the worker is delayed.
Key points
- Ask for details in writing and compare more than one option where possible.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
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01Guide sectionWhat should I do if my home care worker does not show up?
Contact your provider immediately if a worker is late or does not arrive for a scheduled visit.
Call your care partner, service coordinator or the provider’s after-hours number and ask:
whether the worker is delayed
whether the visit was cancelled
when a replacement can arrive
what temporary arrangements can be made
who will contact you with an update.
Do not assume the worker is still coming unless the provider confirms it.
02Guide sectionTell the provider if the missed service is essential
Clearly explain if the missed visit leaves you without necessary support, such as:
help getting out of bed
showering or toileting
medication assistance
meal preparation or help eating
transfers or mobility assistance
nursing or wound care
support needed to remain safely at home.
Ask the provider to treat the matter as urgent and arrange a suitably trained replacement.
A registered provider remains responsible for the quality and safety of services delivered on its behalf, including services delivered through contractors or other organisations.
03Guide sectionWhat if medication is involved?
The right response depends on the type of medication support that was missed.
If you can normally take the medication yourself, follow the instructions provided by your doctor or pharmacist.
Contact your pharmacist, doctor or healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice if you are unsure.
Call 000 if the missed support has created an immediate medical emergency.
04Guide sectionCheck the provider’s backup arrangements
Your service agreement or care plan should explain:
how the provider manages worker absences
whether replacement workers are available
who to call outside ordinary hours
how you will be notified of delays or cancellations
what happens when an essential service cannot be delivered.
Ask for these arrangements in writing if they are unclear.
For people who rely on essential daily support, the care plan should include a practical contingency plan rather than dealing with every missed shift from scratch.
05Guide sectionShould I call My Aged Care?
My Aged Care does not normally organise an immediate replacement for a worker employed or arranged by your existing provider.
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 if:
your provider has stopped delivering services
your care arrangement has broken down
you cannot resolve the problem with the provider
your needs have changed and your current support plan is no longer adequate
you need help understanding your options or changing providers.
My Aged Care is generally open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. It is not an emergency service.
06Guide sectionCan Carer Gateway arrange emergency respite?
Carer Gateway may help when an unpaid family carer becomes unexpectedly unable to continue providing care-for example, because the carer becomes ill or an existing informal care arrangement breaks down.
It is not normally a replacement staffing service for every missed provider shift.
Carers can contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 to discuss eligibility for emergency respite and other support. Availability depends on the person’s circumstances and local services.
07Guide sectionWhat if the worker repeatedly fails to arrive?
Keep a written record of:
the scheduled date and time
the service that was meant to be delivered
whether you were notified
who you contacted
how long you waited
whether a replacement was supplied
any harm, distress or additional expense caused.
Then raise a formal complaint with the provider.
Ask for:
an explanation of what happened
a written backup plan
a more reliable worker or schedule
a review of your care plan
confirmation that missed services were not charged
information about how future absences will be managed.
Your provider should listen to concerns, take appropriate action and maintain a process for handling complaints.
08Guide sectionCheck your monthly statement
A provider should not charge your Support at Home budget-or charge you a participant contribution-for a service that was not delivered.
Check that the missed visit does not appear as a completed service on your statement.
Ask the provider to correct the record if you see:
a charge for an undelivered visit
an incorrect service duration
a cancellation fee you did not expect
both the original and replacement visit being charged incorrectly.
A legitimate cancellation fee may sometimes apply where you cancelled without the notice required under your agreement. That is different from the provider failing to supply the scheduled worker.
09Guide sectionWhat if the provider does not resolve the problem?
You can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s Complaints Commissioner on 1800 951 822.
The Commission accepts complaints about providers, workers and responsible persons who may not be meeting their obligations or acting consistently with the Statement of Rights. Complaints can be confidential or anonymous.
You can also contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network on 1800 700 600 for free and independent assistance communicating with the provider or making a complaint.
10Guide sectionCan I change providers?
Yes. If missed visits, poor communication or inadequate backup arrangements continue, you can change Support at Home providers.
Before ending your existing agreement, confirm that the new provider:
has workers available in your area
can deliver your essential services
has reliable replacement arrangements
can begin on the required date
has explained its prices and service conditions in writing.
Coordinate the final date with the old provider and the commencement date with the new provider so essential care is not interrupted.
The practical response is:
Call the provider immediately, explain any safety risk and request a replacement. Check that the missed visit was not charged. If failures continue, document them, complain formally and consider moving to a provider with stronger workforce and backup arrangements.
11Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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