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Oracle Ability Services put together this guide on how to become a DVA community nursing provider in Australia, covering the requirements, the application process, and what it means to hold a DVA provider number, along with the current status of DVA’s open invitation for new providers.
Is DVA Currently Accepting New Community Nursing Providers?
As of this article’s last verification date, DVA’s standard open invitation for new Community Nursing providers, known as CNS16, closed to new applications on 30 June 2026. DVA’s own guidance states no further applications to that open invitation will be accepted after that date.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the door is permanently shut. DVA has historically reopened provider invitations periodically as service needs across regions change. If you’re considering becoming a DVA nursing provider, the most reliable next step is checking AusTender directly for any current or upcoming Community Nursing Services invitation, rather than relying on older guides that may describe a process no longer open. The requirements and application steps below remain useful groundwork regardless of the current status, since they reflect what DVA has consistently required of providers.
What Is a DVA Contracted Community Nursing Provider?
A DVA contracted community nursing provider is an organisation approved by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to deliver clinically required nursing and personal care to eligible Veteran Card holders in their own homes. DVA funds this care to help veterans stay independent at home for longer, avoiding early admission to hospital or residential care.
Being a DVA nursing provider means agreeing to, and consistently complying with, DVA’s Terms and Conditions for Community Nursing Services, the accompanying Notes for Community Nursing Providers, and the Community Nursing Schedule of Fees, all of which DVA describes as non-negotiable.
Why Become a DVA Community Nursing Provider?
For nursing businesses already delivering home-based clinical care, becoming a DVA community nursing provider extends that work to a client group with genuine, ongoing need. It’s worth being realistic about what this involves, however: DVA does not guarantee any level of business, and contracted providers are responsible for sourcing their own referrals. This isn’t a program that hands over a client base, it’s a funding and compliance framework that sits on top of a provider’s own referral relationships with GPs, hospitals, and nurse practitioners.
Requirements to Become a DVA Community Nursing Provider
DVA community nursing requirements centre on an organisation’s ability to deliver safe, clinically sound care within DVA’s framework. In practical terms, DVA provider requirements typically include:
- An established, appropriately structured business, generally with a current ABN
- Appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- AHPRA-registered nursing staff capable of delivering the required scope of clinical care
- Documented clinical governance, policies, and procedures aligned with the Notes for Community Nursing Providers
- The operational capacity to service your nominated geographic area
- Agreement to, and compliance with, the non-negotiable Terms and Conditions and Schedule of Fees
DVA generally expects applicants to already be a functioning nursing business, not a start-up applying before service capacity exists. This is the core reality behind how to become a DVA community nursing provider in Australia: it rewards established clinical operations, not new ventures built around the funding itself.
How to Apply: The DVA Community Nursing Application Process
When DVA’s invitation is open, the DVA community nursing application process generally follows these steps:
- Register with AusTender and search for the current Community Nursing Services invitation
- Download and review the invitation documents, including the Terms and Conditions and Notes for Community Nursing Providers
- Confirm your organisation genuinely meets the requirements outlined in Section 7 before applying
- Complete the required documentation, including the Terms and Conditions acceptance and the Community Nursing Pro Forma on Administrative Information
- Submit your DVA nursing provider application to DVA’s Community Nursing agreements team for review
- Respond to any requests for further information DVA may raise during assessment
- Wait for formal approval before delivering any services to DVA clients; providers must not commence care before being approved
Because the current open invitation is closed (see Section 4), step one currently means monitoring AusTender for the next invitation round rather than applying immediately.
Understanding Your DVA Provider Number
A DVA provider number is issued once your organisation is approved as a contracted provider, and it’s what allows you to claim for services delivered to DVA clients. Without a current provider number, an organisation cannot claim payment for community nursing services, regardless of the care actually delivered. Claims are processed and paid through Medicare on DVA’s behalf, typically in 28-day claim periods, using item numbers listed in the Schedule of Fees. Keeping your provider number current, and checking each client’s eligibility before providing care, is an ongoing responsibility, not a one-off setup step.
What Services Can DVA Community Nursing Providers Deliver?
DVA community nursing services cover clinically required nursing and personal care within the scope defined by the Community Nursing Program, generally including:
- Wound care and dressing management
- Medication assistance and management
- Continence and catheter care
- Chronic disease monitoring
- Palliative care support
- Personal care such as hygiene, showering, and dressing, where clinically required
A DVA nursing services provider must assess each client’s clinical and personal care needs, develop a documented care plan, and deliver only services within the Community Nursing Program’s defined scope, with the client’s GP retaining ongoing clinical oversight throughout.
Ongoing Obligations for DVA Contracted Providers
DVA provider registration isn’t a one-time achievement. Contracted Community Nursing providers are required to take part in ongoing performance monitoring, including contract management activities, quality and safety audits, and post-payment monitoring. Providers must ensure every staff member delivering care understands and complies with the current Notes for Community Nursing Providers, and must keep documentation, claiming, and clinical governance practices aligned with DVA’s requirements on an ongoing basis, not just at the point of initial approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Become a DVA Community Nursing Provider in Australia?
You apply through DVA’s open Community Nursing Services invitation via AusTender, meeting the eligibility and compliance requirements, then wait for formal DVA approval before delivering care.
What Are the Requirements to Become a DVA Community Nursing Provider?
An established business structure, appropriate insurance, AHPRA-registered nursing staff, documented clinical governance, and agreement to DVA’s non-negotiable Terms and Conditions and Schedule of Fees.
How Do I Apply to Become a DVA Nursing Provider?
Register on AusTender, review the current invitation documents, complete the required administrative forms, and submit your application for DVA’s review when an invitation is open.
What Is a DVA Contracted Community Nursing Provider?
An organisation formally approved by DVA to deliver funded nursing and personal care to eligible veterans at home, operating under DVA’s Terms and Conditions and Schedule of Fees.
Do DVA Community Nursing Providers Need a Provider Number?
Yes. A current DVA provider number is required to claim payment for services delivered, and providers must keep this number active and valid at all times.
What Services Can DVA Community Nursing Providers Provide?
Wound care, medication management, continence and catheter care, chronic disease monitoring, palliative care, and clinically required personal care, all within the Community Nursing Program’s defined scope.
Can a Private Nursing Business Become a DVA Provider?
Yes, provided the business meets DVA’s eligibility requirements and applies during an open invitation period. Established private nursing providers, including Oracle Ability Services, operate under this framework.
Where to Go for Official Information
This article summarises how to become a DVA community nursing provider in Australia, but DVA’s own published guidance is the authoritative source, particularly given the current closure of the CNS16 invitation. Check AusTender directly for the latest Community Nursing Services invitation status before starting an application.
Oracle Ability Services operates as a DVA contracted Community Nursing provider delivering veteran nursing services across Adelaide. You can read more about that side of our work on our DVA Community Nursing page.
