DVA is at an important juncture: we seek to transform ourselves into an organisation that will meet the needs of the veteran community in the future. We are focused on ensuring that DVA serves all veterans and their families in a way that suits them and caters to their specific circumstances.

Wellbeing model

Veteran wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do. Our wellbeing model (see Figure 3), based on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare approach, has seven domains: health, recognition and respect, income and finance, education and skills, social support and connection, housing, and employment.

We acknowledge we are not primarily responsible for the delivery of services for all aspects of veterans’ wellbeing. However, we do have a responsibility to represent veterans’ needs and collaborate with other agencies and organisations to ensure these are considered.

We work closely with Australian Government departments, service providers, state and territory governments and other organisations to ensure our veterans are serving, living and ageing well.

Figure 3: Wellbeing model

Client experience strategy

DVA's client strategy ensures that we are creating experiences that are consistent and aligned to the needs of veterans and their families.

The vision behind this strategy is that veterans’ service is recognised and respected and that both they and their families have a clear understanding of their entitlements and can access the right services and support, how and when they need it.

DVA's client experience strategy is guided by the following principles:

• Client-centric service—all services put the clients first and incorporate client co-design and feedback.
• Simple and seamless access—clients receive a relevant and intuitive experience with DVA that is consistent across all channels.
• Make it easy to get it right—interactions with DVA are so simple and efficient that a resolution and/or way forward is reached at the first point of contact and clients only need to provide information to DVA once.
• Support client to self-manage—clients are empowered with clear and relevant information to effectively self-manage their interactions with DVA as they see fit.
• Whole-of-life services—DVA is able to provide clients and their families with appropriate services and entitlements across all stages of their lives.

Service Charter

The DVA Service Charter:

• describes the service that people can expect from DVA, including our standards and service delivery commitments
• provides guidance about people’s rights in dealing with us
• outlines how people can provide feedback about their experiences with DVA to assist us to continuously improve service delivery.

The charter is available from the department’s website (www.dva.gov.au/about-dva/overview/dva-service-charter).

Information services for veterans

DVA provides services to clients, their nominated representatives, ex-service organisations and service providers through a number of channels, including face-to-face, telephone and online.

In 2018–19 the Veterans’ Access Network (VAN) responded to over 500,000 calls; 40,000 emails; almost 30,000 counter visits; and 7,000 online call-back requests.

DVA operates services out of 15 DVA offices and six co-located arrangements with Services Australia.

DVA offers services to more than 40 ADF bases through the On Base Advisory Service. Demand for the service continued during 2018–19. In total, On Base Advisers conducted over 10,800 interviews, delivered 199 presentations and liaised with more than 840 ADF personnel.

The service ensures that serving members can access information about DVA support, entitlements and services directly from DVA staff. As part of the service, On Base Advisers also assist ADF members to access DVA’s online services.

MyService, DVA’s online platform, gives veterans and their families access to DVA support services when and where they need them.

Veterans and their families are now able to lodge their claims online and, in some circumstances, receive an almost immediate decision on a claim. MyService also enables veterans to go online to apply for free mental health care, update their details and view digital versions of their Veteran Card with a list of accepted conditions.

At the end of June 2019 there were 80,473 registered users and 53,104 claims lodged online through MyService.

As part of DVA’s focus on being connected and responsive to veterans and their families, we use feedback received through multiple channels and fora to guide improvements to the delivery of services by DVA and contracted service providers.