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Plenary one - Day one

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Hugh Mackay, Psychologist, Social Researcher and Novelist Biography: Hugh Mackay has made a lifelong study of the attitudes and behaviour of Australians. He is the author of 12 books, including five bestsellers. He is a fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and has been awarded honorary doctorates by Charles Sturt, Macquarie and NSW universities. In 2004, he received the University of Sydney’s alumni award for community service. Hugh is a former deputy chairman of the Australia Council, a former chairman of trustees of Sydney Grammar School, and was the inaugural chairman of the ACT Government’s Community Inclusion Board. A columnist for over 25 years, Hugh now writes occasionally for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Session information: A video presentation of Hugh MacKay will be a feature at this event. The video examines the changing nature of attitudes and behaviour of Australians. Hugh will discuss the dramatic ways Australian society is changing and will stimulate thinking about the way aged care facilities and services may need to adapt in response to these societal changes. Top |
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Professor Ian Forbes, Director, DesignInc and Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney Biography: Ian Forbes is an architect and health services planner, responsible for health architecture at DesignInc Architects. Previously he was the Head of School of Health Services Management in the Faculty of Medicine at University of NSW. He is a Director of the research unit GHAAP (Group for Health Architecture and Planning) at UTS. He has been planning and developing health facilities for over 35 years in Australia, Canada, Africa, Asia and various Pacific countries. He has been a regular consultant to the World Health Organisation, Asian Development Bank and AusAID. Session information: Small changes around a home can reduce stress on residents and staff. Professor Ian Forbes will discuss how the simple and inexpensive changes to the built environment can reduce stress and increase the quality of life for residents. “I am the chief investigator behind Lyn Chenoweth, working with a research team from UTS undertaking a three-year dementia research project funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Professor Forbes said. “This project involves interventions (simple but important changes) to 20 residential aged care homes. 40 homes were originally audited and we’re currently focusing on 20 aged care homes to implement inexpensive environmental changes to reduce stress for residents.Professor Forbes has over 35 years experience in managing health facility development and health services planning. His research interests involve examining the issues surrounding planning and development for healthy, safe and resilient environments within health facilities, especially in aged care and dementia specific facilities. Presentation: Forbes, Professor Ian - Plenary.pdf Top |

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Brian Herd, Partner – Carne Reidy Herd Lawyers Biography: Brian is an ageing Partner with the Brisbane law firm, Carne Reidy Herd. His firm is a corporate subscriber to Aged Care Qld and he is a member of the Queensland Law Reform Commission, the Queensland Law Society’s Elder Law Section and an international member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys of America. He acts for not for profit and for profit aged care providers across the full spectrum of site development, sales of places and facilities, establishment and operational issues, structural change, complaints resolution, corporate governance, legal compliance as well as risk and reputation management. Session information: The presentation will examine the legal and practical tension between the rights (& responsibilities) of residents and the responsibilities (& rights) of providers in aged care. In particular, it will look at how the law attempts to balance these sometimes competing interests and then scrutinise how well these principles have been applied in every day life in aged care. Experience from the complaints investigation scheme suggests that aged care authorities may not have a clear appreciation of the subtleties and implications of the conundrum between residents’ rights the providers’ responsibilities. Presentation: Herd, Brian.pdf Top |
Plenary two - Day one

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Professor Rhonda Nay, Director ISP/ACEBAC/AIPC - La Trobe University Biography: Rhonda Nay is Foundation Professor of Interdisciplinary Aged Care and Director of the Institute for Social Participation (ISP); TIME –the Victorian and Tasmanian Dementia Training Studies Centre; the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care (ACEBAC) and the Australian Institute for Primary Care (AIPC) at La Trobe University. She also leads the Victorian hub of the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre. Rhonda has chaired the Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Aged Care and has been a judge for the ACSA Awards. Her research is focused on getting evidence based, interdisciplinary, person-centred care into practice. Rhonda is a Director of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd. Session information: Assessment is fundamental to quality care; it is essentially the first action required of health professionals and care workers within their scope of knowledge and practice. Assessment is not for funding – never has been, never will be! It is not burdensome paperwork, but exciting and can be fun if approached as it should be. We can learn a lot from those popular forensic shows like CSI and House. Assessment has to be futuristic, not just a task we do for today, government, or managers. It requires evaluation and a cyclical approach with the data feeding into the care we plan and provide. In the end (indeed from the beginning) it is for the resident and integral to person centred, evidence based care. Presentation: Nay, Professor Rhonda.pdf Top |
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Plenary three - Day two

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Michael Goldsworthy, Principal Consultant - Australian Strategic Services Pty Ltd Biography: Michael Goldsworthy is widely known throughout the Aged & Community Services Industry for assisting boards, chief executive officers & senior management teams in strategic planning, performance management, governance, mergers, risk management, organisational development and ideas and innovation tours and workshops. Working in a framework of change management, strategic planning and project management, Michael has worked with over 5,000 Community Businesses (Not For Profits) throughout Australia. As his clients can attest, his unique analogies, models, tools and templates provide a powerful approach to recognising the past, understanding the present and creating the future. His many case studies and a national network of clients who are willing to assist other organisations provide additional benefit and value. Michael has a profound understanding, practical experience and proven track record in assisting leadership groups (boards, chief executive officers and senior management teams) address the challenges and opportunities of growing and developing their aged & community care organisation. Over the last twenty years Michael has regularly presented at a wide variety of international, national and state conferences and seminars. He is well known for his unique, graphic models, clarity of thought and his sequential and practical presentations. Session information: Developing An Effective Working Relationship With Your Governing Body; Common Challenges, Practical Solutions Whilst the framework and principles of governance are increasingly well understood by boards and chief executive officers of aged care organisations, the practical implications for some CEOs/DONs remains a challenge.This presentation is squarely focused on identifying and discussing the common challenges faced by CEOs/DONs and the practical solutions to these challenges, and is the second part of a three part session which includes Sharon McGowan, Benetas “Clinical governance and its role in monitoring quality of care” and an interactive session facilitated by Sandra Hills, Chief Executive Officer of Benetas. Attendees at this presentation will leave with a clear understanding of: - the typical challenges and practical solutions
- several tools/techniques that could be used
- other participants issues, ideas and solutions
Presentation: Goldsworthy, Michael.pdf Top |

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Ron Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, RSL LifeCare; and Associate Clinical Professor, ACU National Biography: Ron Thompson is Chief Executive of RSL LifeCare and a Clinical Associate Professor. RSL LifeCare is a leading organisation that provides care and service to over 4,500 senior Australians. Mr Thompson has over 20 years general management experience in Health and Aged Care. He initially trained as a Chartered Accountant and also has a Masters in Business Administration and is a qualified Aged Care Assessor. A key point in Ron’s career has been leading RSL LifeCare to two Commendable Accreditations, five Better Practice in Aged Care Awards, plus receiving two Aged Care Minister’s Awards. In prior roles Mr Thompson has been Chief Executive of five hospitals, including a 400-bed tertiary hospital. Mr Thompson has a strong focus on accreditation and quality standards as well as ensuring financial and strategic success of all operations he has managed. Session information: Innovation in Aged Care is sometimes ‘Creative Genius’ – but more often the common-sense combining of things that make life better for our Residents. Today, more than ever, we need Innovators. Every nursing home is trying to deal with a plethora of issues including finding staff, making budgets stretch even further, manage rising expectations, a changing workforce and of course staying ‘one step ahead of theAgency and CIS”. As well as the care and passion of the team, it is be the creativity of nursing home leaders and staff that will develop new and better ways of caring to be effective in the future. This talk provides practical examples of innovative care and service that really improves the lives of those for whom we care. Presentations: Innovation in Aged Care - Plenary session Encouraging Innovation - Concurrent session Top |

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Jennie Della, Director Better Practice Section, Quality Policy Program Branch - Department of Health and Ageing Biography: Jennie Della is the Director of the Better Practice Section in the Quality Policy Program Branch of the Department of Health and Ageing. Jennie has been working in the health portfolio for 8 years and prior to that in adult education, working for the national peak body.
Session information: Delegates will learn about the Encouraging Best Practice in Residential Aged Care program (EBPRAC) which is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Health and Ageing. This will include an explanation of how the program operates, information on individual projects, some outcomes to date and planned activities for the future. Presentation: Della, Jennie.pdf Top |
Plenary four - Day two

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Tim Cox, ABC radio presenter Biography: Coming up for 20 years with the ABC, Tim Cox has presented Statewide Mornings since 1999; which means he has spent more than half his radio career getting up very early. In that decade (and then some) he has covered everything from the Beaconsfield mine rescue to bushfires here and in Victoria, local, state and federal elections and thousands of your stories from across Tasmania and beyond. He has also been a columnist and is a highly sought-after speaker and raconteur. Top |
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Dr Lynn Arnold OAM, Chief Executive - Anglicare SA Biography: Lynn Arnold is responsible for SA’s largest non-government agency promoting ‘justice, respect and fullness of life for all’. Half of the work of Anglicare SA is directly involved with older people. Lynn is currently National co-chair for Anti-Poverty Week and is one of three inaugural South Australian Reconciliation Ambassadors. He holds a PhD, as well as a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the University of Adelaide. In 2004, he was awarded the Order of Australia (AO) for his services to Australia through the South Australian Parliament as Premier, and internationally through development and humanitarian aid assistance. In 2001 he received the Centenary Medal for his services to the Australian community. Session information: Justice, respect and fullness of life for all CEO of Anglicare SA, Dr Lynn Arnold AO will bring a wealth of knowledge as well as local and international experience to this year’s Better Practice Adelaide program. Speaking at the end of day one, Lynn will bring his own perspective on issues including the future landscape of aged care; leadership and change, governance and innovation. His local insights are sure to provide food for thought at the end of a day of intense discussion and debate. While Lynn has extensive experiences to share, he said his presentation is about bringing together the vast knowledge and experiences from other speakers and making it all relevant to everyday activities in aged care.“Whether we are from small, large, rural, remote or metropolitan homes, we can all learn from each other. While the experiences of others might seem a million miles away from our own day to day environment, I’m looking forward to listening to other speakers and demonstrating how we can all learn from their experiences – and that despite our varying challenges, we have one common goal, to provide justice, respect and fullness of life for all our residents.” As CEO of Anglicare SA, Lynn is responsible for overseeing the state’s largest non-government agency involved in aged care, welfare delivery and community development, with more than 1400 staff and an annual budget of over $85 million. The organisation provides a range of community services including six nursing homes, emergency assistance, affordable housing and counselling services amongst others. Lynn is a former Premier of SA, and served for 15 years in the Parliament of SA. He has held various roles including CEO of World Vision Australia and has served on a number of professional boards including the Australian Council for Overseas Aid. His work with World Vision focused on the welfare of children, disaster relief and providing health care, education and clean water for millions of people. Presentation: Arnold, Dr Lynn.pdf Top |
Concurrent sessions - Day oneConcurrent session 1a Thursday, 24 June 2010 Connecting with residents 
| Dr Julie Ellis, Director of Research, Aged Care Services Australia Group Pty Ltd;and Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University Biography: Dr Julie Ellis is a nurse academic and is currently the Director of Research at Aged Care Services Australia Group Pty Ltd, as well as continuing as Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University. She is conducting several research projects at ACSAG homes, including a project on "Relocation into residential aged care", for which she received a Nurses Board Victoria Grant in 2009. She has taught aged care to nurses and other health professionals for approximately 25 years.
Session information: Relocation into residential aged care Research tells us that the first 4 weeks are the most stressful for an older person when relocated (admitted) into a residential aged care home. My organization wanted to improve the process for the new residents and their relatives. In this presentation you will learn about the steps we took to identify policies, procedures and processes that would improve the process for residents, the relatives and the staff. You will hear about the education program that was developed and presented to the majority of staff and the evaluation that showed that we were making a difference to the relocation. Presentation: Relocation into residential aged care homes Top |
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Hans Schmid, Project Officer - Migrant Resource Centre Inc Biography: Hans Schmid is the Project Officer for the 'Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care' (PICAC) program in Tasmania. The aim of the program is to identify and address the specific needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and to deliver culturally appropriate care to older people from CALD backgrounds. This is realized through staff training, dissemination of information to the aged care sector and policy makers and the development of resources. Hans has a comprehensive training background within the aged care sector, the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services. Session information: Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Older People Who Have Experienced Trauma It is now recognized that as people age and their physical and mental health is challenged they may experience the recurrence of post traumatic symptoms which could be misdiagnosed as dementia or other conditions related to ageing. This presentation will raise your awareness about the symptoms and impact of trauma on CALD clients/residents, how to recognize & manage trauma in older CALD people and recognizing possible triggers for behaviour of concern. It will assist you in the provision of appropriate support and care to people from diverse backgrounds who have experienced trauma. Presentation: Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Top |
Concurrent session 1b Thursday, 24 June 2010 Built environment 
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Richard Fleming, Director Dementia Services Development - HammondCare Biography: Richard Fleming is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with the elderly for more than twenty five years. While occupying the position of Regional Coordinator of Mental Health Services in the S.E. Region of N.S.W. he played a major role in the development of the CADE units (Units for the Confused and Disturbed Elderly) for the NSW Department of Health. Nine of these were built to replace services that used to be provided by psychiatric hospitals. In 1995 he joined the Hammond Care Group and established the Dementia Services Development Centre. The DSDC is currently providing training in the essentials of care for people with dementia to 9,000 aged care services staff and leading an Encouraging Best Practice in Residential Aged Care project on the management of behaviours of concern. He has published books and papers on environmental design, reminiscence therapy, reality orientation, depression and spirituality in aged care services, assessment of the elderly and service evaluation. He is the principal author of a major book of care plans for staff caring for people with dementia and a manual written to assist residential care staff to “Challenge Depression”. Richard is currently a Chief Investigator on 2 NHMRC funded projects dealing with environmental design and person centred care (Professor Lynn Chenoweth project leader) and humour in residential aged care (Professor Henry Brodaty project leader) and, through his involvement in the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres based in UNSW and QUT, is continuing his research in environmental design, assistive technology and development of assessment tools. He was recently appointed Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Services and Behavioural Sciences in the University of Wollongong. Session information: A substantial evidence base that can inform the design of physical emvironments forpeople with dementia has been established ober the last 30 years. This presentation willorganise the evidence base according to a set of easily understood principles, describe thestrength of the evidence for these principles and provide some practical guidelines fordesign based on the strongest evidence. The use of an environmental audit tool designed to assist managers to evaluate theirenvironment and identify areas for modification will be described. Examples of its use,drawn from an Encouraging Best Practice in Residential Aged Care project, will be given. Presentation: The built environment and people with dementia: principles of design and their application to modifying facilities Top |
Concurrent session 2a Thursday, 20 May 2010 Measuring corporate performance and outcomes for residents |
Suzanne Groves-Donaldson (nee Cullen), Clinical Care Coordinator - Uniting Aged Care Vic & Tas Biography: I am currently the Clinical Care Co-ordinator at Aldersgate Kings Meadows. I hold an International Diploma in Aesthetics, 1988, Degree in Nursing, 2003 (Uni of Tas), Professional Certificate in Wound Management 2005 (UniSA), Post graduate Diploma in Wound Care, 2009, (Monash University) and currently studying for my Post graduate Diploma in Nursing specialising in Aged Care. I presented at the RCNA National Conference in 2002 and did a poster presentation at the Australian Wound Management Association in Darwin in 2008 based on skin care. I would eventually like to produce or oversee the production of a skin care hygiene range for the Aged Care sector that is effective and economical. My passion for skin care has further developed since my interest and education in Wound Management. Session information: This presentation is about raising awareness to care providers within the Aged Care sector. Too often do we continue using products that are harmful to ageing skin. We become regimented in our hygiene practices without "using our brains before we bubble". We need to think more and question the manufacturers and the message that they send across to us. It is the opportunity to spread the word of "over cleaning", to change our habits in skin care and network with other professionals. Presentation: Skin Integument Risk Scale Top |

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Dr Cathy Balding, Director – Qualityworks Pty Ltd Biography: Cathy is the Director of Qualityworks, a business dedicated to building the capacity of health services and quality managers for improving the governance and quality of their care. With 20 years industry experience, Cathy has focused the past 5 years on reviewing the aged care quality systems in Victoria, and has been involved with the development of the Victorian and South Australian Safety and Quality Frameworks, the Victorian Cancer Services Clinical Quality Framework and the Victorian Mental Health Quality Framework. This year, Cathy has commenced a series of clinical governance workshops in SE Asia for the Asia Business Forum. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor in Health Management at La Trobe University, an ACHS Accreditation surveyor and a Fellow of the College of Health Service Executives. Session information: This workshop session explores the importance of measuring resident outcomes within the broader context of a home’s strategic pursuit of quality care. Concepts critical to understanding and outcomes measurement – and helping staff to embrace it – are discussed. These include: - Understanding outcomes measurement as a way of answering questions and achieving goals, rather than as an end in itself
- The dangers of not measuring outcomes
- The importance of defining SMART goals for quality care – both at an organizational level and for individual residents
- How data must be differently presented and expressed at different levels of the organization to ensure action.
Participants will take away an increased understanding and examples of outcomes measurement as a dynamic, interesting, positive process that achieves goals for residents and the organisation. Top |
Concurrent session 2b Thursday, 24 June 2010 Balancing rights with obligations 
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Dr Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh, Deputy Director/Senior Research Fellow - Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care
Biography:
Deirdre is the Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care (ACEBAC) at La Trobe University in Victoria. Her research focuses on: the translation and implementation of research evidence into practice; the ethical implications of clinical practice and research; and the conceptualisation and operationalisation of person-centred care. Her PhD research involved a longitudinal study exploring informed consent and decision-making in a cohort of older people with end-stage kidney disease. Deirdre is a member of three human research ethics committees. Session information: For evidence-based care planning and assessment to be person-centred providers and practitioners need to incorporate the preferences of those for whom the care is being provided. How should busy practitioners understand informed consent and shared decision-making and how can they incorporate these essential ethical requirements into assessment and care planning? This presentation will explore these questions. In addition it will assist aged care staff to determine when residents’ preferences are important considerations in everyday care planning and assessment. Presentation: Balancing rights with obligations: Resident choice and decision making Top |
Concurrent sessions - Day two
Concurrent session 3a Friday, 25 June 2010 EBPRAC – Nutrition project |
Professor Lin Perry, Conjoint Professor of Nursing – School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle; and Claire Abbott, Acting Clinical Practice and Performance Manager – Clinical Practice and Performance Unit, UnitingCare Ageing Biographies: Professor Lin Perry Lin's nursing background covers a broad range of acute health care services and rehabilitation. She has held practice development, service quality improvement and clinical research capacity development positions. As a Senior Lecturer she was involved in both undergraduate and post-qualification curricula. The current main focus of her work is broadly around knowledge translation, research capacity development, service and practice development and evaluation, with major clinical topics of nutrition support and chronic disease management, particularly stroke and diabetes. She edits the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Claire Abbott is the Clinical Practice and Performance Manager for Uniting Care Ageing Hunter, Central Coast and New England. Claire, who is an Authorised Nurse Practitioner in Older Persons Nursing, has worked in numerous roles in the aged care environment including Nurse Practitioner, Facility Care Coordinator and Clinical Governance and improvements strategies. Session information: This session will: - Introduce the project and outline key achievements, products and outcomes
- Describe the implementation and change management approaches and strategies used, supports and hindrances encountered
- Describe one individual project in detail - nutrition and person-centred care for challenging behaviours
- Enable attendees to draft an implementation plan for their facility
Presentations: Perry, Prof. Lin.pdf Abbott, Claire.pdf Top |
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Concurrent session 3b Friday, 25 June 2010 Encouraging innovation 
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Cynthia Payne, Chief Executive Officer SummitCare Biography: Cynthia Payne is the Chief Executive Officer for SummitCare. In 2008 she led the launch of the SummitCare brand closely followed by the opening of a 22 million purpose built 142 place centre in the Hunter to complement the groups eight other Centres who collectively provide care and service to almost 900 residents. She is a major advocate for industry development and has a passion for customer centric strategy. Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing, an MBA and is Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, Associate Fellow of the ACHSE and Member of the AICD. In 2003 she represented Australia at the Commonwealth Study Conference and was 2005 winner of the Sanicare National Scholarship to study aged care services in Scandinavian Countries- Denmark and Norway. In 2009 SummitCare became the only aged care provider in Australia to achieve Silver status through the SAI Global Australian Business Excellence Awards. Top |
Concurrent session 4a Friday, 25 June 2010 EBPRAC – Pain management project 
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Professor Stephen Gibson, Deputy Director – National Ageing Research Institute; and Helen Holloway, Research Nurse – Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, Consumers and Carers, Queensland University of Technology Biographies: Prof. Stephen Gibson has been involved in clinical pain research for almost 20 years, starting as a post doctoral fellow in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, through to his present position as Deputy Director of the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI). He is also the Director of research at the Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre and holds Honorary Associate Professorial appointments with the University of Melbourne, Monash University and LaTrobe University. He is a registered psychologist and remains active in clinical practice through involvement with multidisciplinary pain management clinics in the Melbourne and Bayside Health networks. A/Prof Gibson has been the principal chief investigator on funding grants from the Arthritis Foundation, VicHealth as well as continuing project grant support from the NHMRC since 1994. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers in journals of high repute and has been an author of several invited book chapters in recent publications on pain and its management. He is on the editorial board and/or a consultant referee for several pain, ageing and psychology journals. Helen Holloway is a RN with 15 years experience in Critical Care and 10 years experience in education, training in aged care. In the aged care sector Helen has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (Pain), Educator, Quality Manager and in the last 18 months has directed these skills to pain assessment and management of the elderly. Helen is currently employed at St Paul de Charters in Boronia Heights, Queensland as a CNS in Pain Management and Educator. Helen is also completing a Masters in Pain Management, with support from a grant from the RCNA. Presentations: Gibson, Prof Stephen - 1.pdf Holloway, Helen.pdf Gibson, Prof Stephen - 2.pdf Top |
Concurrent session 4b Friday, 24 June 2010 Governance 
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Sharon McGowan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer - Benetas Biography: With a background in nursing (Division 1), a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and international experience in health care provision. Sharon’s past professional experience includes a number of operational leadership roles in the National Blood Service in the UK, before being appointed as the National Head of the organisation’s Donor Response Services. She moved to Australia in 2003 to work with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service as National Blood Products Manager. Sharon joined Benetas in 2006 as Executive Manager Strategy and Business Development. She has responsibility for developing and overseeing the organisation’s strategic plan, marketing and communications, initiating service developments and driving improvement programs to establish the organisation as a leader in aged care innovation and services. Sharon was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer in March 2008 to further drive the organisations overall growth and development. Sharon is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Session information: Ask yourself, does my organisation know the major clinical risks we need to manage and if so how can we demonstrate that we are managing these risks effectively? In 2006, Benetas rated the risk of non-compliance in its residential facilities as “low” on the organisation’s risk register based on previous history and performance. This view was shattered when two of its residential facilities were found non-compliant the following year. Benetas responded decisively with a significant investment in systems and processes, staff education and leadership to ensure that we strengthened our approach to quality and risk management. However, how could we be sure our performance was better? Benetas decided to commission an independent clinical governance review to assess our performance and develop a scorecard of measures for clinical governance. Presentation: McGowan, Sharon.pdf Top |