New Strategic Plan available
– 26 September 2019 –
From our CEO, Janna Voloshin
I am very pleased to announce the publication of our new Strategic Plan 2019-2021.
Just over a year ago, the Board and Executive Management Team, began work on the new strategic plan to come into effect following the completion of the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan at the end of last year. For a number of reasons, the new plan has taken longer to finalise than anticipated.
The planning process has relied on a significant amount of data, research and information to provide an informed base on which to begin. Research was undertaken, called ’Beyond 2018’, which measured and assessed the current needs of the ex-service community, and sought to make predictions of the future needs of this community. This research process was informed by data from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), the Victorian Veterans’ Council and the aged care sector, among others, and included quantitative information such as demographic data as well as predicted trends. While we can never be 100% certain of future predictions, what we can do is talk to those organisations with expertise in these areas. We are grateful to all these groups for the information they have provided.
Our own community has also provided a large amount of data via the annual survey that goes to those in residential aged care, tenants of our ex-service units and our home care consumers. Other methods for gaining input include the ‘Have Your Say’ process, forums, meetings and incidental feedback.
In August 2018, our Board Members and the members of our Executive Management Team began the strategic planning process with an external not-for-profit strategy expert who facilitated the process.
Over the last thirteen months, there has been a substantial amount of change taking place in the aged care sector, with the announcement on 8 October last year of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and its requirements on our organisation to provide detailed information by 7 January 2019; our process to prepare for the new Australian Aged Care Quality Standards, which came into law on 1 July 2019; the new combined Charter of Aged Care Rights for Home Care and Residential Care; the Aged Care Legislation Amendments relating to Home care Pricing and Quality Indicators; the Quality of Care Amendment relating to the use of restraints; and finally, the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation.
These have impacted on the strategic planning process, not just in the requirement to resource them, but also in the content of the changes and the way that our organisation must respond to them.
As I have mentioned previously, over the past few years, we have seen an increasing need for accommodation for ‘younger veterans’ (under 65), in our ex-service accommodation (independent living units). This has been confirmed for us with one third of new tenants moving into the units in the past year falling into the category of younger veterans.
Our core business continues, with our percentage of ex-service community members in residential care remaining above 70%. While looking at ways to support emerging groups or needs, we will of course, continue to provide for the current needs of the ex-service community and those in our care.
I am proud of the work that we do to support and care for the ex-service community and older Australians and I look forward to continuing and expanding this work over the period of this plan.
Janna Voloshin, CEO