TranslateMedical aids and equipment (TasEquip)
What is TasEquip?
TasEquip is the Department’s state-wide equipment scheme that has warehouses in all regions.
We provide a range of assistive technology to eligible Tasmanians to improve their ability to safely engage in basic, everyday tasks, to transition home from acute care or to access mandated education settings.
TasEquip provides equipment options for eligible clients who require equipment to support basic, everyday tasks which cannot be met by a non-assistive equipment solution and do not have access to other funding sources to support them in their home environment or at school (Equipment Library).
Equipment you can access
TasEquip uses a refurbishment model and not all items will be new when issued.
Access to TasEquip resources is only through prescription by an authorised prescriber. Clinical priorities apply, and there is a funding cap for new equipment purchases.
More information
Who can access TasEquip?
We provide equipment to:
- permanent Tasmanian residents
- who have proven financial need for assistance to access the range of equipment we offer.
To be eligible, clients need to be:
- A Centrelink benefit recipient – Health Care, Pensioner Concession, and
- Living in the community, and
- Ineligible if living in Residential Aged Care Facility, on Homecare Package level 3 or 4, NDIS participant, DVA (gold card holder), receiving funding from MAIB or from Workers Compensation.
Those who do not meet the above eligibility criteria may, in certain restricted circumstances still be able to access equipment through TasEquip. If they are unable to source the equipment privately and if either of the following apply:
- Equipment is required for discharge from public hospital or public bed in private hospital
- Have a palliative diagnosis and need equipment to stay at home for “end-of-life care”.
If you are not eligible for TasEquip, you should always consider the option to privately hire or purchase.
* DVA Health Cardholders
Should contact DVA to check their potential eligibility.
**NDIS Participants
- Contact the NDIS for all repair, replacement and modification to any disability-related equipment, even if that equipment was originally sourced from TasEquip.
- If you are under the age of 65 and have a disability it is essential that you contact the NDIS to determine your eligibility.
- You can contact the National Disability Insurance Agency, (NDIA) on 1800 800 110 or [email protected]. They can provide advice about eligibility for the NDIS, how to access the scheme or answer any questions about an NDIS plan.
Services for NDIS participants discharging from hospital
TasEquip provides assistive technology to NDIS participants discharging from hospital who need it to do basic, everyday tasks in their home environment as a short-term solution, while waiting for long-term assistive technology funded by the NDIS.
The assistive technology will come from existing stock and may not be exactly the same as the long-term item funded by NDIS.
Not all equipment will be new when issued.
TasEquip will invoice your plan each month for the rental fee. The maximum rental period is 6 months, during this time you need to work with your planner or support coordinator to arrange your permanent equipment.
TasEquip responsibilities:
- provide assistive technology that works as planned and has been checked and cleaned prior to use
- work with the NDIS to have as smooth and efficient rental process as possible
- work with the therapists to locate the most suitable equipment within the TasEquip stock
- provide a quote for rental services to the therapist to forward to your NDIS planner
- if rental item requires repair / maintenance TasEquip will try to provide you with a different item if one with the same features is available
NDIS Participant agrees to:
- keep the item of equipment in good order and repair
- not lend, give or sell it to anyone else as the item was provided for your use only
- use equipment only for its intended use
- not modify the item
- have rental fees accessed from your NDIS plan
- return assistive technology to TasEquip warehouse as soon as no longer required
- if repairs are needed, follow the NDIS process which is funded from your plan.
Learn more about equipment for NDIS participants
How do you access TasEquip?
How to access equipment
Access to TasEquip resources is only through prescription by an authorised prescriber. Clinical priorities apply, and there is a funding cap for new equipment purchases.
Authorised Prescribers
Authorised Prescribers are health professionals who have undertaken the required TasEquip training, who prescribe within their professional scope.
Clinical decision making when prescribing equipment is the responsibility of the prescriber.
To become an Authorised Prescriber please contact TasEquip for access to the required training and paperwork.
How much does it cost?
Clients are required to pay the following fees, as of 1 July 2017:
- Loan fee - $50 for one or more items for any period up to a year.
- Repair fee - a one off $50/a year towards any new replacement part.
- Replacement cost of wheelchair batteries, tyres and tubes when they need replacing.
Contact us
Call us on 1300 827 378 between 8:00am and 4:00pm, Monday to Friday (closed on weekends and public holidays). You can also contact the regional warehouses directly using the details below.
North
63 Dowling Street
(Old Becks Hardware Building - entry off Henry Street)
Launceston 7250
Phone: (03) 6777 4336
Email: [email protected]
North West (by appointment only)
Mersey Community Hospital
Moriarty Road
Latrobe 7307
Phone: (03) 6478 5599
Email: [email protected]
South
Repat Centre
90 Davey Street
Hobart 7000
Phone: (03) 6166 7393
Email: [email protected]
Equipment library (Education Facilities only)
Repat Centre
90 Davey Street
Hobart 7000
Phone: (03) 6166 2707
Email: [email protected]
Frequently asked questions
There are three possible invoices that you can receive from TasEquip.
Loan fee
TasEquip operates a loan scheme and most invoices are the annual loan fee. This loan fee applies to all clients who have TasEquip equipment. It is $50 for one or more pieces of equipment for up to a year. Each year at the anniversary of your loan, if you still have equipment, you will receive another invoice.
If you no longer need the equipment loaned to you please return it to TasEquip.
Repair fee
Should expensive replacement parts be required for a complex piece of equipment that you have on loan from TasEquip (such as power wheelchairs, hoists and electric beds) TasEquip will invoice you a $50 repair fee towards those parts. This fee can only be invoiced once a year and is a flat fee regardless of the cost of the replacement part.
This invoice does not apply to all equipment. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call your local warehouse.
Tyres, Tubes and Batteries
The replacement costs of tyres, tubes and batteries are the responsibility of the user. If TasEquip arranges the replacement of them for you, TasEquip will pass on the purchase price of tyres, tubes and batteries to you. No labour costs are included.
You can pay by credit card, on line, or take your invoice to any Australia Post or Service Tasmania outlet. TasEquip is no longer able to accept cash or cheques.
It is strongly advised that when you no longer need your equipment, please return it to TasEquip as soon as possible.
If you return your equipment within 7 days of initially receiving it, we can cancel your invoice. However, if you have had it longer than 7 days, the loan fee applies.
If you have had the equipment for longer than a year, a new invoice for the next year is generated on the anniversary of the date when you first received the equipment.
It is advised that, if you no longer require your equipment, you return it prior to that date to avoid another invoice.
TasEquip does not manage CPAP machines, oxygen nebulizers or suction units. It is recommended that you contact the respiratory clinic at your regional hospital or the hospital that arranged the equipment for you.
Pharmacy and ambulance account enquiries can be addressed by the finance department on 6166 3865 and selecting the correct option at the prompt.
Crutches are no longer a loan item subject to a loan fee. They are now a sale item from the hospital. Please direct all crutches invoice enquiries to the hospital that issued you with the crutches.
This can occur in two possible instances:
- You have several pieces of equipment on loan, and have returned some but not all of them
The $50 annual loan fee applies for one or more pieces of equipment. You will continue to receive this invoice until all items of equipment are returned to TasEquip.
- You have returned all of the equipment but the record is incomplete
TasEquip has recently changed computer systems and there has been some discrepancy in data. TasEquip is correcting the discrepancies as they come to light but it may take some time.
Please contact the warehouse where you returned the equipment. It is useful if you can identify the equipment you returned and the approximate date. This will then be investigated and if appropriate the invoice cancelled.
Having different items of equipment listed on your invoice has no impact on the loan amount. The $50 loan fee is for one or more items of equipment for up to one year. Regardless of what items are listed on the invoice as long as you have equipment, you are being invoiced the correct amount. Please pay your invoice as per normal.
TasEquip has recently changed computer systems, and there has been some discrepancy in data. TasEquip is correcting the discrepancies as they come to light, but it may take some time.
TasEquip is now only able to provide health related equipment and not disability related equipment for NDIS participants.
Contact the NDIS for all repair, replacement and modification to any disability related equipment, even if that equipment was originally sourced from TasEquip.
If you are under the age of 65 and have a disability it is essential that you contact the NDIS to determine your eligibility now.
You can contact the National Disability Insurance Agency, (NDIA) on 1800 800 110 or [email protected]. They can provide advice about eligibility for the NDIS, how to access the scheme or answer any questions about an NDIS plan.
Please see the TasEquip/NDIS fact sheets on the main page of this website.
When you no longer require the equipment, please clean and return it to any of the sites listed below.
If you are admitted to an Aged Care Facility please return the equipment.
North
TasEquip warehouse
Hospitals:
- Deloraine District Hospital
- Beaconsfield District Health Service
- Georgetown District Hospital
Community Health Centre:
- Campbell Town Multi-Purpose Service
- Flinders Island Multi-Purpose Service
South
TasEquip warehouse
Community Health Centres:
- Sorell Community Health Centre
- Huonville Community Health Centre
North West
Hospitals:
- North West Regional Hospital, Burnie
- Queenstown, West Coast District Hospital
- Roseberry
- Smithton
Community Health Centres:
- King Island District Hospital
- Zeehan Community Health Centre
- Ulverstone, Central Coast Community Health Centre
- Burnie Community Health Centre
Equipment can be returned by you or a member of your family or support team. If however you have no ability to return equipment please contact your local warehouse to discuss other options.
