INTEGRATED LIVING –QUEENSLAND

IL Queensland Planning Initiatives

Author: Steve Anderson (FISM)(MA Soc., MSc Spt Man., Adv Dip Counsel Psy., Cert 1V T&A; Dip Spt)

11/8/2012

This presentation is a precursor to an intended Strategic Plan for the Queensland Operation. This document is in draft form and will be utilized as a platform for discussion at the interview process for the newly created position of Queensland Manager integrated living.

Integrated Living’s Queensland Objectives:

1. Develop a strategy for our QLD regional age care services with a focus on meeting the continuum of custom needs.

2. To be considered first-choice provider of professional care services throughout our regional & remote constituents in QLD.

3. To provide a professional community human services that facilitates the wellbeing of individuals and families in regional QLD.

Introduction

Integratedliving’s (IL) core business vision is to expand and grow funded community care services of the organisation. This document provides a brief outline of how IL-Queensland’s business direction can work to identify a ‘point of difference’ in our working model keeping in line with current aged care and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reforms and our organisation’s Strategic Plan.

For this to occur I have considered the ‘point of difference’ of our service-model initially in the context of our current form in an attempt to provide a more holistically direction recognising that our current (generic) service delivery of care services has negligible variances in terms of delivery; and to be recognised as a preferred provider of services.

My synopsis briefly looks beyond generic service delivery models as the ‘point of difference’ suggesting for example that the provision of a range of services linked to non-core business elements would provide and support the aging population to live independently in their own home for longer.

I have also considered ‘growth’ and ‘training’ as outcome driven and have examined the possibility of expanding our Register Training Organisation (RTO) as an avenue to bolster both brand and income through external training opportunities. Business development must be outcome-driven where continuous improvement for front-office and staffs, although critical in terms of governance, is output based and should only be one element supporting our business development.

Central to this paper are suggested ‘pathways for growth’ that offer clear and definable avenues to expand our ‘reach’ through social enterprise; partnerships and internal opportunities. I offer ‘business development’ as a critical component of Queensland’s ability to compete within human-services sector in an effort to be recognised as a preferred provider. As a point of reference ‘business development’ must work closely with care services in expanding and growing holistically so as to enhance service deliverable variances. As a result of a deliberate marketing strategy we will then maximize our exposure of those points of difference.

Business-development' will also a play major role in expanding and growing the RTO business profile through relevent internal and external workforce development initiatives. Relevent third (3rd) party business opportunities will also play a critical role in profile; exposure and generated revenue of our immediate business programs.

When considering the business as “IL-QLD” I have also discussed various Strategic Opportunities that will need to be supported by an ability to attract a work force that is attuned to working in competitive environments. Work Force Capacity will play a major role in the context of our recruitment and retention of staffs; and our ability to compete and grow. Culture and Change Management issues have been briefly discussed as focus points for essential change to meet the expectations of our new-age customers. Creating a customer focussed culture is imperative in this era of human-service reform and cannot be understated.

The following material is broken into 2 Parts namely: - Part 1: Preliminary &- Part 2: Queensland’s Potential- (Appendix)

Part 1: Preliminary

In this section I have conducted a competitive analysis based on knowledge acquired from internal discussions with staffs across Finance; Business Development and Care Services.

I have attempted to provide a background of our operational model that currently exists within our business that will need to support Queensland’s future path. This detail is broad and is by no means an operational plan – but does provide an account of what I consider to be immediate tasks in forming a workable solution for the current circumstances in integratedliving-Queensland.

I have attempted to capture what our organisation will look like based on factual information that has been procured by the federal government and how best we can take this information and develop a sustainable business in Queensland.

Part1 (Preliminary) provides a transitional body of work that is necessary in the context of ‘implementation’ of various concepts and theories I have presented in Part 2 (QLD’s Potential). Importantly some material is neither validated nor proven but is merely statements of accounts that will create discussion in the current climate of ‘restructure’ for Queensland’s business.

Competitive Analysis

Immediate Tasks

- Create a team environment (73 Staffs) between our regional offices (X4) built on strategic engagement; positive relationships and teamwork.

- Create a ‘high-achieving setting’ that is driven by our consumers reflecting ‘responsibility & accountability’ for our actions. (e.g. feedback; appraisals etc)

- Foster creative thinking and a responsive, innovative service delivery program of operation. (e.g. develop working ‘teams within teams’)

- Ensure integratedliving’s organisational systems for effective resource application are connected in principle and operation. (e.g. eKey system)

Strengths

- Integrated Living is representative of a network of caring organisations across NSW; QLD & VIC supporting the needs of aging Australians.

- IL- QLD is relatively small (comparatively) but has a well supported ‘reach’.

- Current regional IL-QLD services are supported by $2.8M in annual turnover

- IL- QLD currently serves a total of 630 aged care clients.

a. 347 packages with services less than $5,000 per annum b. 21 packages with services valued between $5,001 and $10,000, and c. 13 with services valued above $10,000 per year

- Our team will / is supported by approximately 72 staff across locations in Mackay & Whitsunday Regional Councils; Rockhampton Regional Council; Gladstone Regional Council; Fraser Coast / Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast Regional Councils.

Internal Issues

- IL- QLD financial viability is currently under review as a component of an organisational restructure.

- While IL- QLD regions share common branding with our NSW branches, we still are in need of a commitment to a designated marketing strategy. (Note: National Marketing plan is currently in draft)

- IL- QLD aged care operation is small in comparison to its closest competitors with our brand still developing across our service area.

- Of the 630 clients served by IL- QLD, 587 receive only the most basic service available (i.e. average value of $5k per person per year), with only small numbers of EACH (21) or EACH-D (13) packages currently on offer.

- It will be difficult to implement change because of our comparatively small business size, the flatness of the organisation’s management structure and the lack of a permanent full-time workforce (38 Casual; 26 Part Time CCPs).

- Currently our operation is still working in ‘silos’ or department-approaches that present many challenges in delivering on outcomes. (restricted will foster inter-staffing dialogue)

- While the staffs are hard-working, turnover has been high and our staffs are ageing (e.g. 45-62 years IL – NQ). The high turn-over of staffs has settled over the past 6 months.

Strategic Opportunities

- The Aged Care & NDIS Reforms offer opportunity to reinvigorate; develop and provide IL-QLD financial stability.

- The reforms provide opportunity to establish a ‘human-services hub’ through diversification of our services (e.g. providing services that sit outside our core business in a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach).

- While we will grow through higher HACC-type funding but we will still be a minor player in comparison to other providers unless we move to offer higher-value services.

- Integrated Living has access to funding (through reserves) and potential partnerships which may be used for assets purchase and ‘seed’ potential growth / research projects (e.g. Central Queensland University research linkages).

- IL-QLD has an opportunity to financially grow by offering higher-value packages in the future (i.e. Levels C & D formerly known as EACH)

- Our investment in Business Development; Sector-Innovation and marketing will increase IL- QLD’s ability to deliver increased revenues & importantly promote our ‘reach’.

- Recruitment with a strategic intent to employ a more diverse and multi-disciplinary staffs will make IL- QLD more attractive to potential employees looking for careers in care services. (Sadly recruitment & retention of skilled staffs is problematic in northern; western and central regions due to the mining resource boom).

What we will look like…

- A vibrant and revamped IL-QLD approach and organisational structure that is financially sustainable into the future.

- A network of care service providers that is recognised for its caring ethos and branding at local; state and national levels.

- An organisation that grows not just in revenue but also in its ability to serve the full continuum of care needs of Queenslanders as they age.

- A recognised and valued organisation delivering care services to Queenslanders.

- An innovator of human service precincts and infrastructure in line with IL’s organisation strategic plan.

- A business that facilitates a willingness to partner with commercial entities; volunteer groups, other human-service agencies and a staff that reflect consumer-focus for the benefit of our customers.

Important Triggers

- Consumer Directed Care will become a key element on all new packages from 1 July 2013

- HACC transitional funding will only be available until 30 June 2015 (or 30 June 2014 for some service types)

- Consumer Directed Care will become a key element of all existing packages from 1 July 2015

Part2: Queensland’s Potential

Potential Growth

The Commonwealth’s Aged Care Reforms were first proposed by the Productivity Commission in response to a growing phenomenon in Australia – the ageing of the population. It is projected that by 2050 10.3% of the population will need aged care services of some description. (Source: National Aged Care Alliance; NACA Advice on Phase One Development.)

In response, the Commonwealth Government is proposing to increase the number of aged care packages by 80% from 25 packages per thousand of population aged 70 plus to 45 packages. IL- QLD, with a population of approximately 825,086 and 19.8% or 163K between the age of 60-84 years, this equates to an increase from 630 packages in 2012 to 834 packages in 2021 (Projected Population 1.093M). (Source: June 2011 Office of Economic and Statistical Research)

Even if IL- QLD maintains’ its current client mix, it will grow in the future. However, we are unlikely to grow enough to secure financial future simply by standing still. Research from overseas has shown that aged care clients would prefer not to switch providers and so they will increasingly look for organisations that can serve the full continuum of their care needs from retirement until death.

The Commonwealth Government has already warned providers of the coming trends and advised that smaller operators will need to occupy a niche speciality or they will not likely be in business for long. This presents opportunity to partner and amalgamate with the smaller human-service agencies particularly in the remote areas of Queensland (e.g. Central Highlands; Central West; North & South Burnett etc)

The government has also said that it will increasingly deal with a small number of larger providers, sending an unmistakeable signal that growth is needed that further supports IL-QLD’s intention to seek partnership and potential amalgamations.

Below I have identified several areas of concern that will challenge our potential to grow.

Our issues:

- Presently, IL- QLD is small comparatively to our competitors & realistically face challenges to remain competitive if we do not invest on growth opportunities.

- We offer a small range of services but we doesn’t specialise either – this can be a benefit if we are supported to grow outside the core business that will further develop our brand.

- Approximately 94% percent of our aged care clients receive the most basic community care services consisting of housekeeping service and social support.

- Only 6% percent receive higher level care including limited services to clients with complex needs including dementia.

- Our competitors (Blue Care; OZ Care etc) are large and growing.

Of note large national church-based organisations such as Uniting Care’s Blue Care are among the largest providers in the country. Unless IL-QLD grows in terms of the breadth and depth of the services it offers, it is unlikely to be able to compete. Rather than recommend a niche specialty, IL-QLD planning proposes that we grow in client numbers, the range of services it offers and the sophistication of those services.

The strategic question is, ‘How can we grow in a competitive market?’

Below I have identified possible ways of facilitating growth for our Queensland offices. These are conceptual and will require detailed feasibility studies to support intended ‘pathways for growth’

Pathways for Growth:

- Grow by offering a broader range of services. (E.g. provide services outside our Core Business).

- Grow through partnering to meet the full continuum of care needs. (E.g. allied health specialists).

- Grow through an affiliation with ‘like’ organisations either through a ‘services organisation’ or through a ‘marketing alliance’.

- Grow through the development of commercial or Social Enterprise arms.

Suggested Pathway:

As an initial recommendation, IL-QLD should pursue the first two pathways to growth simultaneously. Offering services across human and allied services would allow for naturally occurring growth providing supplementary revenue to our core business of age-care.

Additionally this revenue (e.g. External training; Life skills training; Indigenous health etc) would complement our business direction and co-exist with our core business. Partnering with other agencies in human-services would also facilitate a natural growth in both brand and revenue.

Offering a service and brokering that service is not new but partnering with approved providers in allied health as an example will facilitate local growth in brand advocacy and by default enhance growth of our service ‘reach’.

A third but not necessarily mutually-exclusive alternative is to form a closer relationship with the other ‘like’ organisations in Queensland. While this option allows for some services like training, marketing and government relations to be delivered more professionally and cost-effectively at an IL-QLD level, it does little to improve OUR customer appeal. This process does have benefits and merit but lacks the value-add principle of options 1&2.

Lastly, the idea a social enterprise is ‘recommended’ but presents several areas of concern namely:

- Our management focus would come at the expense of the attention needed to grow our core business of ‘aged care’.

- Second, it would (may) ‘challenge’ our NGO not-for-profit status of the organisation and may threaten our ability for tax concessions. (Although this is under review by the federal government in regard to tax-concessions)

- Lastly, unless it was a very large and profitable operation, it would be unlikely to provide a revenue stream that could rival the revenue growth that is potentially available through growing the core business of ‘aged care’?

Workforce Capacity

- Aged Care

Workforce capacity is a hindrance to growth and impacts on the human-service sector. For this reason, the Commonwealth is investing a significant amount of funding ($1.2 billion) to help grow the capacity of the aged care workforce. The aim of the government’s policy is to not only increase the number of people working in the sector but to also improve their productivity.

IL-QLD will focus on both these areas as a precursor to supporting our strategic objectives but also to keep pace with our regional competitors. The fact that our offices are spread across major eastern seaboard regional councils compounds the workforce constraints particular due to the mining industry growth across Queensland.

With close proximity to the resources sector, the workforce is transient resulting in high turnover of staffs (Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research). Getting qualified staffs and or senor managers to relocate to high income areas such as Northern & Central Queensland is and will be a challenge over the coming years for our business.

Given the high rates of turnover, the first step in developing a workforce-strategy is to retain current senior managers (inc. Case Mangers and such) and secure strong stable leadership. IL-QLD planning strategies will require the support of our Head Office and in particular our People & Culture and Business and Marketing Department.

The need to develop and implement a workforce strategy is essential for (QLD) regional specific challenges and for business development. Below I have identified 3 key essential recommendations that will provide IL-QLD with a change of culture; improved service delivery and staffing diversity that will benefit our ability to attract credible human services practitioners.

Recommended Strategies:

- (Culture) Adopt a campaign to attract ‘change makers’ into key roles to lead and manage the change-process. These are skills that an organisation the size of IL-QLD might otherwise have difficulty in attracting and retaining. However the challenge of transforming and growing an organisation like IL-QLD may be incentive enough to attract the right people. The people who next occupy key roles will determine if the change process succeeds or not. The candidates to fulfil those mandates are not likely to be the ones to manage the programs long term.

- (Service Delivery) The second phase will involve building long-term capacity to deliver a higher level of service than IL-QLD has provided under previous regional structures. Securing staffs from ‘other’ like organisations such as nursing; disability carers and other allied health professionals will bring necessary experience to delivering aged care at the coalface. This process has commenced in Central QLD with the appointment of a Case Manager RN to improve our service delivery. While it may be costly to attract staff away from our competitors, this is a strategy which could yield the right skills profile in a tight labour market particularly in our northern branches such as Mackay and Rockhampton.

- (Diversity - RTO) Workforce capacity issues will be relieved only if potential candidates believe that IL-QLD provides exposure and training in the most innovative practices in the sector and offers a positive organisational culture? A multi-disciplinary environment will encourage cross-fertilisation and enhance quality assurance principles.

- Disability

IL-QLD (as well as other Disability Organisations) is facing major reform which will have far reaching implications for our organisation.

The demand for disability services is growing at a rate of about 7.5% per annum in real terms.1 Demand is far out weighing supply resulting in people with disabilities not receiving support or is receiving support at inadequate levels. With the introduction of NDIS and CDC there will be an expected influx of customers with disability wanting assistance (see appendix 3). IL-QLD needs to be able to initially change to meet these demands and secondly have the resources to enable reforms to be accepted into our organisational path.

In Central Queensland for example there is minimal service for ‘at home recipients’ allowing those affected to remain at home which is a significant opportunity for IL-QLD to service. Both Sunshine Coast and Central QLD have suitably qualified staffs at present to in-service these demands but other providers are more commonly know in these localities. Additionally remote western QLD is a market that could be serviced upon demand for NDIS / CDC.

As previously mentioned we (IL-QLD) are a small service provider but have the potential and intent to grow; capitalise and develop our ‘reach’ into the disability sector. To enable this intent and stay competitive in the disability sector we need to direct recent & on-going reforms towards a change-focus on the rights; choices and perceptions of people with disability. IL-QLD has the opportunity to assist in increasing numbers of customers with a disability into the workforce by offering training; skills development and support as a strategic alignment with workforce strategy objectives and to expand our service profile. Il-QLD has the potential to do all this by building stronger partnerships with the government; Queensland NGOs and importantly with employers in local & remote communities - if we invest in developing our suite of human services (e.g. training initiatives; life skills etc)

Once again obtaining an experienced, multi talented workforce is a major issue. It is reassuring though that IL-QLD is not alone with the demand for skilled staffing in the mining regions affecting all service providers. Population ageing and economic growth—particularly as a result of the uneven demand for workers in various sectors across the economy (e.g. the mining industry) will continue to restrict the supply of disability support workers. That is, due to Queensland having significant mining activity, recruiting and retaining workers is increasingly difficult while maintaining quality service provision in this environment is also a significant challenge.

Of significant importance our age profile of our QLD based staffs is 40-62 years while our current aged-care student’s age profile is 45-55 years suggesting our workforce is aging and will present staffing issues in the near future. Alternatively the profile of people with disability being supported is changing where a growing proportion of customers having complex health needs, dual disabilities, drug and alcohol problems and challenging behaviours. Supporting these people well require skills not commonly held by a general disability support worker and will challenge our work place and sustainability without a strategic plan supporting our work-force capacity.

Service User Introductory Offer (Concept)

1 Disability Investment Group 2009, ‘The way forward: A new disability policy framework for Australia’, FaHCSIA, Canberra, p.13

Human services are different from other kinds of services. They involve a high degree of trust; respect and integrity from the carer. It is a relationship that is not easily made or quickly broken. Research shows that care recipients do not change providers randomly if at all. Service users generally are even reluctant to accept an alternative care assistant for small tasks such as house cleaning.

Once a potential client has an opportunity to try out a service, the chances are that they will continue with the same provider. When they require additional services, they are likely to ask their current service provider first if they can offer that service too.

IL-QLD plans to implement a number of strategies that rely on experience with a service to market it effectively. Whether it is a social outing or whether it is a ‘trial offer’ as in access to emergency respite for carers, experience (from the recipient) can be a powerful inducement to purchase.

Finding the right time to invite potential consumers to experience a service will contribute to its marketing appeal. For example; offering home-support to a couple many years off from requiring care needs may be a possible means of introducing them to our service?

Being the first service provider following a hospital stay may mean that IL-QLD is the only service provider that is considered? Because relationships are delicate things, it is important to protect that link as intent to foster and develop the bond between customer and our service.

While it will be necessary to broker some services, attention should be paid to the impact the arrangement may have on the customer relationship. How often a brokered service is delivered and how personal the service, are considerations that should factor into the decision making.

Creating a customer-focused culture

Creating a customer-focused culture will be one of the biggest challenges facing IL-QLD - it will need to develop an ability to be responsive to customers’ tastes; likes and dislikes. IL-QLD proposes a number of initiatives to enhance and develop this process.

The current demographic of consumers is being replaced by a generation that has significantly different interpretations of care support and is obvious that w need to alter how we operate and perceive aging in this context. In particular, they are looking to do more with their time (activity) and are more informed of their choices. Experience and current Intel on existing recipients already suggests change is needed in how we support our customers as we enter the next decade and beyond.

Understanding our consumer’s needs and perceptions is more about adapting our systems for our service user’s views within flexile delivery models, than a new concept for new services! It will involve engaging with the potential consumers then planning; adapting and trialing. Trialing concepts and innovative models of service delivery will become essential to attract new customers and audiences in our immediate regions – local knowledge of recreational pursuits; social engagement etc will play a significant role in shaping the customers support services. ‘We must understand our consumers first before we can create a customer focused culture in our approach and business ethic.

Another area that will be vital to customer-focused approach will involve managers leading the way by being visible and available to customers and frontline workers alike but

critical to change will be ‘customer service training’ to bring about our desired change. This has commenced with our recent training for staffs in ‘Person-Centered’ mentoring but our recruitment and selection processes in choosing the ‘right person’ to work in the human-services field will need to accompany all facts of this new approach to customer service.

Our current survey and feedback process is robust where customer feedback process is one of two essential elements to any customer-focused service. The first involves an induction process that is designed from the customer’s, not the provider’s, perspective. The other is to have a feedback process that elicits customer compliments and complaints (and colleagues’ observations) so that they can be acted upon as an opportunity for continuous improvement. Currently we have survey process that is ‘paper; pen and response’ driven and is appropriate the healthier and more independent customer (only).

Our recommendation in consultation with our customers and our Quality department is to develop a data collection process (e.g. face to face) to stay in touch with changes in customer sentiment as well as the broader demographic changes to ensure that our services keep pace with local community developments and their needs. This type of survey and research, although intensive, requires is essential considering current client-focused models of operation. Trust; relationship building and customer-carer respect becomes consistent with the ‘face to face’ approach.

Change-Management

IL-QLD has until recently consisted of Northern and Southern QLD offices but due to current restructuring is to be collapsed into a state managed program that suggests ‘change’ on many fronts. In order to compliment and facilitate these intended changes for QLD’s structure, we will need to operate on 2 fronts:

- We must continue to operate all programs with a reduced management structure that will require a full support from our organisation’s Head Office.

- Intended changes may require further staffing changes while managing our structural changes. This process may require the recruitment of multi-skilled staffs (e.g. disability & mental health practitioners) that have operated in fluid environments.

To facilitate and build a relationships between regional offices and to accommodate intended recommendations for change I am suggesting, that a Steering Committee be selected that is representative of staffs (including representatives from all geographic locations and functional units e.g. Sunshine Coast; Central QLD and Mackay) and possible representatives from an independent agency that has experience in the human-service industry. This committee would meet regularly over the next 12-18 months and report back to the Executive Committee on issues; initiatives and potential areas of growth via the QLD Manager.

Also it may be necessary to increase the organisational capacity for change in a planned and business approach (i.e. to accommodate growth). Additionally our care staffs report being overwhelmed by the workload associated with the constant turnover of CCPs and the necessary changes to facilitate cost savings. If growth from other sectors such as external training occurs then suitably qualified staffs will need to be recruited.

Our proposed workforce strategy will hopefully offset these imposts.

Appendix One: Queensland Staff

 (Program) EACH EACHDCACPS/HACC VHC TC CARER SAC

PRV PAID

PVT OTHER Tot

Sunshine Coast 9 7 303 110 6 0 2 4 5 441Fraser Coast 12 1 29 14 0 0 0 0 0 56Central QLD 0 5 15 6 1 86 0 1 0 114Mackay 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24TOTAL CLIENTS 21 13 347 130 7 110 2 5 5 640

STAFFCCP

CasualCCP PPT CM FT

CM/ RN

Care Cord

CARER SUPPORT TOT

Sunshine Coast 29 14 4 0 1 0 48Fraser Coast 5 7 1 0 0 0 13Central QLD 4 4   1 0 1 10Mackay 0 1 0 0   1 2TOTAL STAFF 38 26 5 1 1 2 73

SC/FC Av/hr hrs/ft Tot/FnCasual $18.58 325 6038.5Perm Part-Time $19.00 420 7980Total $18.81 745 $14,019

Interpretations:

- ACAR Tender able to apply for new packages (Central Highlands; Banana; Mackay; Rockhampton and Gladstone)

- Small packages (TC; VHC & CACPs / HACC) are generating majority of our QLD income

- Staffing localities dictates where we can service our customer

Cost Analysis (Project):

NQ Investigations:- Budget = $680K / projected $33k Deficit- Cost / Hr = $94.07- Travel Cost = $3372 saving- Wages CCP = $14,928 saving- On Call Cost =$9,081- Direct CARE Salaries =Projected: $11,224 / Mth (113K pa) / Actual: 125K pa = $12K - Clients Fees: End of 1st Quarter F/Y = Projected $14,952 Actual Recouped: 8676 =

Outstanding $6276 (18k to be recouped)

Appendix 2: TASK Matrix QLDTASK 1:Improving Service-Delivery Concepts

TASK 2:Develop Marketing & Branding themes

TASK 3:Focus on Customer Options

TASK 4:Develop Customer-Focus services

TASK 5:Facilitate Change Management processes to accommodate our consumers

Support ‘ageing in place’ by developing a suite of allied health and support services to diversify and expand our reach.

Ensure that il’s-QLDs identity is linked with national objectives but representative of our local communities. (Develop consistent branding across all service outlets in the QLD)

Market 4 packages of basic services corresponding to the 4 levels of community care outlined by the Commonwealth

Communicate; Develop and promote a new suite of care options that will provide customer appeal commiserate with the new generation of consumers.

Investigate the need to form a Steering Committee to provide advice to EMT regarding any issues or changes that may occur as a result of pending finance and management changes.

Seek; engage and partner with ‘like’ community agencies including residential care facilities (forge potential partnerships with care facilities with like philosophies)

Develop il-QLD’s branding benefits within the context of our organisational marketing plan. (Plan in draft)

Opportunity to trial and sell ‘packages’; survey clients and interpret findings. This is a project and could be an internal program for il-QLD and the organisation? (Marketing project?)

Promote senior staffs in our regional ensuring they are available to clients and staffs at all layers of our regional offices.

With this document’s proposal and our national strategic plan in mind, further investigation is required on the benefits and issues of potential linkages between state and national objectives.

Explore the ‘gaps’ in residential accommodation with the intent to investigate the

Engage with our consumers with the intent to expose; recruit and retain potential consumer to

Embark on forums and workshops on ‘How to live better longer’ offering education & support for families

Link with RTO to ensure competencies of all staffs are reflective of new aged care reforms. If

A comprehensive and detailed costing of the potential impost of any change is to be completed to ensure

potential to develop ‘care accommodation’ (Units?)

our organisation before they require higher level support

and older generation. necessary external training may be required to up skill and develop our staffs in line with new reforms?

the consumer is not inconvenienced.

Promote recovery in community by offering / developing our capacity in high care situations (e.g. stroke) in partnership with local hospitals(Develop links with hospitals)

Ensure our staffs are educated on all available services with the intent to promote our core competencies to potential consumers. (we are all marketeers)

Opportunity to develop a web module/website to complement the ‘How to live better longer’ selling our workshops that will guide clients; their options and choices of services.

This period is an opportunity to closely analyse customer survey outcomes and refocus on our consumer’s needs & expectations

As a component of IL-QLD’s potential planning initiatives, ‘Work-force’ objectives that have been identified such as: improved skilled personnel; recruitment and retention concepts must be at the forefront to keep pace with age care reforms & client focus.

Develop case management capacity and expand our ability to provide brokerage services

Promote il-QLDs care services through various communication mediums etc (newsletters; TV; social media and presentations)

Develop a concept offering clients to trial day-support and respite services.

This is an opportunity to reconfigure our client induction process moving from client-compliance to consumer feedback and support.

Ensure all Aged Care Reforms processes are continually reviewed through various links inc.: QLD Health; CQ Primary Care, GP Links; newly formed Medicare Locals and relevant HACC forums.

Continue to trial workforce productivity enhancements including Information Technology; social media and a home care ‘buddy system’

Develop; expand & Promote il’-QLDs care-services in our current regional service areas to enhance our community reach to new locations.

This period may also enable us to investigate and engage with an external agency to gauge customer satisfaction at a local level?

Ensure continuity of care between hospital and home by integrating in-home nursing services into our suite of services

We need to extend the potential for staffs to meet out-of-hours personal care and nursing services. We need to be flexible and able to cater for this area of operation.

Investigate & report back to Head Office the potential & further need for services for CALD clients.

APPENDIX 3 – Disability Statistics

PERSONS AGED 60 AND OVER, Need for assistance by age– Queensland

Estimates (‘000) 60–64 years 65–69 years 70–74 years 75-90<Self-care 8.7 10.9 9.9 36.8Mobility 11.7 14.0 13.8 61.4Communication 0.9 0.5 2.2 19.9Cognitive or emotional 11.0 8.3 8.4 25.5Health care 17.1 17.3 23.6 78Personal activities 30.0 24.7 29.5 92.3Reading or writing 3.4 4.0 6.7 31.8Transport 11.5 10.4 15.6 66.9Household chores 19.5 18.6 20.3 72Property maintenance 30.4 22.7 28.2 87.3Meal preparation 3.6 2.7 6.1 21.9Needing assistance with one activity 48.8 39.5 45.6 141.6Assistance not needed 186.0 132.0 83.1 99.4Total 234.8 171.5 128.7 241.1

Australian Bureau of statistics: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) conducted throughout Australia from April to December 2009. (Released Feb 2012)