The COLOSTOMY ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA (CAV) is a not-for-profit, non-government, self-help organisation registered with the ACNC.

CAV’s dedicated volunteers are ostomates, or they are family of ostomates, so they are focussed on the needs of our members. They are supported by a team of contracted STOMAL THERAPY NURSES (STNs) who provide non-emergency stoma care, by appointment.

CAV supports the wellbeing of our members, their families and carers. We do this by:

• Purchasing and distributing the stoma appliances and pharmaceuticals ordered by our members.
• Providing access to non-emergency STN support (T&Cs apply).
• Linking our members, their families and carers with local ostomy support groups.
• Distributing the OSTOMY AUSTRALIA magazine.

CAV is one of 19 Australian stoma associations that form the AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF STOMA ASSOCIATIONS (ACSA). CAV is registered with the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, DISABILITY AND AGEING (DoHDA), SERVICES AUSTRALIA, MEDICARE and the STOMA APPLIANCE SCHEME (SAS).

ELIGIBILITY FOR THE STOMA APPLIANCE SCHEME

To be eligible for the SAS, the following criteria must be met:

• An Australian ostomate must hold a valid Medicare card or DVA card and reside in Australia.
• A New Zealand or Republic of Ireland citizen residing in Australia must hold a valid passport.

To register for the SAS and CAV, the following must be completed and submitted to CAV:

• SAS APPLICATION FORM
• CAV MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

To receive Medicare subsidised stoma products, the following criteria must be met:

• CAV MEMBERSHIP must be current.
• An order must be submitted in writing.
• All charges, such as AUSPOST dispatch, must be prepaid.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The CAV ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is held at 12 pm on the last WEDNESDAY of NOVEMBER at the Block Arcade, Level 2, 98–100 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.