Care plans: FAQs

This article brings together the most common questions about care plans in one place. If the dedicated care plan articles haven't answered your question, you'll likely find it here.

Why has the "Help plans" tab changed to "Care plan"?

From 1June 2026, the navigation tab on Member profiles changed from "Help plans" to Care plan for all organisations - regardless of whether the new care plans feature is enabled. This is a navigation change only; your existing data is not affected.

What happens to my existing help plan data when the new care plans feature is turned on?

All your existing care plan entries and templates from the old system are automatically converted into the new flexible system in the background. Your data is preserved, there's no manual migration needed.

Can I go back to the old Help plan workflow?

No. Once the new care plans feature is enabled, the previous Help plan workflow is no longer available and can't be reverted to.

Editing and managing care plans

Can I delete a care plan?

Deleting an entire care plan isn't part of the normal care planning workflow, and most staff won't see a delete option. If you need to correct a care plan, edit the relevant sections rather than starting again - every change is captured in the plan's history. If you believe a care plan genuinely needs to be removed, contact your administrator or our Support Team, as deleting a plan removes it and all its contents and cannot be undone.

Why can't I reorder the categories on the left of a care plan?

The categories listed on the left of a care plan can't be reordered - that order is set in the template. You can, however, reorder the sections within a category on a live care plan: open the category, click Reorder, use the grab handle to move a section, and click Update. If the category order itself needs to change, an administrator within your organisation can adjust it in the template settings for future care plans only. The original order will stay for any existing care plans.

Why can't I reorder categories or items in a template?

Once a template's categories and items are in use, their order is fixed and can't be dragged to rearrange. It's best to add them in the right order when building the template. To adjust an item's position afterwards, delete it and re-add it; new items are placed at the bottom.

Who can see the changes I make to a care plan?

Changes publish in real time. As soon as you save a section, it's immediately visible in the app to the Member, their loved ones with care app access, and the Helpers currently supporting them — with no manual resending. Always be sure you're happy with a section before saving.

Can read-only users edit a care plan?

No. Read-only users can view a care plan but can't make changes. Editing requires workflow or care management permissions.

Lookout Assist

Which Lookout Assist agents do I need enabled for care plans?

You'll need Lookout Assist enabled for your organisation and the Care Plan and assessments agent turned on in your Lookout Assist settings. If you use Lookout Assist to support third-party suppliers through purchase order workflows, you'll also need Connected Care enabled and the Handover Summaries agent turned on.

Does Lookout Assist ever publish a care plan automatically?

No. Lookout Assist only ever creates drafts and proposes updates - it never publishes on its own. Every draft and update must be reviewed and published by a staff member, keeping a human in the loop.

How do I send an incident to the care plan so Lookout Assist can propose an update?

Open the incident ticket, go to the corrective actions step, and select Action. While completing the corrective action, tick the Update care plan checkbox and set the date it took place, then save. This sends the incident action to the care plan as an event, which you can then review from the Member's Care plan tab.

Why did my manual edits to a draft disappear?

If new events (such as observations, incidents, or completed forms) occur after a draft was generated, adding those new events regenerates the draft — and this overwrites any manual edits you'd made. If you want to keep manual edits, publish them before adding new events.

The generated draft has mistakes - is that normal?

Yes, a draft is a starting point, not a finished plan. Lookout Assist can make mistakes, so review every section (and any risks) carefully, edit what needs adjusting, and only publish when you're satisfied it's accurate.

Risks

Why don't I see any risks for a Member?

Risk detection is only supported for Members on Home Care Package (HCP transition), Support at Home, or CHSP funding schemes. For NDIS, DVA, VHC, and Private, a banner may indicate that the care plan won't display risks aligned to the Strengthened Aged Care standards. Risks are also detected from patterns in care data, so if there's little data yet, there may be nothing to surface.

Can I change a risk that Lookout Assist detected?

Yes. Detected risks are proposals for you to review. Select edit on a risk to adjust its category, level, context, or mitigations before publishing.

Visibility

Who can see a Member's care plan?

Admins and care staff can view and manage it from the Member's profile. Helpers currently supporting the Member can view it in the app (including risks and summary on the visit screen). Members and their Authorised Representatives have full access to it in the care app. Billing Recipients and Sharers have limited access and can't see the care plan.

Why isn't a care plan showing on a Helper's app?

There are a few common reasons:

• It's the Helper's first visit with the Member and it's still more than 7 days before the scheduled visit - plans become available within 7 days of a first visit.
• The Helper hasn't completed a visit in the past 30 days and has none upcoming with the Member.
• The Member has multiple memberships, but the care plan sits on a different membership than the one the visit is under.

Still need help?

If you're still experiencing issues, please contact our Support Team and include:

• Screenshots (if possible)
• The Member's name
• The exact steps taken
• Any error messages received