Inter- professional Learning and Development Unit:
At Welcome Care Services, we acknowledge and appreciate all staff. For us to be able to provide high quality supports that are tailored to individual needs, our staff are critical to attainment of that goal. As such there is a deliberate intention through our Learning and Development program to create a culture of learning, where all can thrive. We are fully aware of the critical role played by work culture, leadership style, and organisational governance on ensuring high quality care provision for the NDIS participants and for our seniors.
At Welcome Care Services (WCS), our learning and development program is designed with a view to create a humane, working environment where all have a sense of belonging. Where staff are supported and more importantly that they feel supported at all times. Equally important that we ensure staff have access to learning materials they need, when they need them. To create an environment where all can thrive and expose their best versions and for staff to know that they are leaders in their own rights at various levels of skill and expertise.
The “bird’s eye view” of Welcome Care Services
Our Inter-professional Learning and Development Unit {ILDU)is one of three pillars of our organisation, WCS. The two others are NDIS community supports and community aged care, in home supports. The later pair are highly dependent on the thriving, diverse workforce.
It is our duty of care at WCS to ensure every staff member feels well equipped to deal with their respective roles and that they are well supported with clear guidelines. Yes, it is ok for staff to do as they are told, but more importantly for us, is that staff understand the rationale behind the actions they are required to take. This is why learning and development is crucial.
Collaboration is key to our service. As such we are greatltly influenced by Inter- professinal Learning. The Australian Department of health defines it as collaborative, interdisciplinary, education and learning process designed to produce effective, multidisciplinary patient centred care. This is ideal as it helps us all appreciate the fact that the consumer/participant is central to all we do. That way we all share that common goal of achieving best outcomes for and in partnership with participants/consumers and their families, friends, advocates etc.
We also embrace the Centre for the Advancement of Inter-professional education's,(CAIPE) definition of interprofessional learning, as occasions when two or more professionals learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. Collaboration and inter-connectedness are all very important to WCS. This is so as we fully acknowledge that there is no one professional group that can fully meet all the needs of people with disabilities and those of our elderly. This forms the basis of our team work approach, again focusing squarely on the one goal of meeting needs of those in our care and providing high quality supports, that are safe, of high quality, delivered with compasion,promote independence, choice and control.
Workforce reforms Disability sector:
The NDIS Workforce Capability framework https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workers/ndis-workforce-capability-framework, Is suited for use by all who have anything to do with disability, NDIS participants, staff and providers. It clearly outlines the knowledge, Skills and attitudes that all who work in the Disability sector should possess in order to achieve best outcomes for people with disabilities.
NDIS Participants:
The framework is written from the point of view of people with disabilities.
It is useful when they speak to their staff or providers about the supports, they need and how they want these provided.
Desirable capabilities are outlined as follows:
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Our Relationship:-Set up our relationship for success
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Your Impact:-Know your capabilities, role and impact
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Support me:-Support me to pursue that which is important to me
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Be present: -Be present and provide the support I need
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Check in:- Work with me to evaluate what is working and what is not.
Additional capabilities relate to identity and specialised support.
Welcome Care Services- Capable workforce:
All those intending to work with Welcome Care Services , or any other disability service provider can use the framework to decide on their suitability for the role.
Meanwhile , for those already working in the sector, the framework provides good opportunity to understand the role expectations and also help in choice of career developmental pathway.
Those intending to work with us can access NDIS e learning modules, by visiting the NDIS Quality and safeguards Commission website.
https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workers/elearning-ndis-workers
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NDIS Orientation module.
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Supporting effective communication.
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And there is more on above mentioned website- go ahead and check it out.
Aged Care Workforce Strategy:
The aged care workforce Industry Council is responsible for implementation recommendations of aged care workforce strategy.
https://www.health.gov.au/contacts/aged-care-workforce-industry-council-contact
The council works with providers, Government, consumer organisation and workforce organisations in implementation of the 14 recommendations from consultative work of the aged care workforce taskforce, 2018. (A Matter of Care). https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/a-matter-of-care-australias-aged-care-workforce-strategy
Recommendations from the aged Care Royal Commission place great focus on the ideal aged care. One that ensures supports out senior receive promote independence, care is based on universal right to high quality, safe care, which is provided in a timely manner. The rights of the elderly should be upheld. Older people should be supported to give feedback. The government has a role provide funding to the necessary level.
https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-03/final-report-recommendations.pdf
The aged care quality standards came into effect in July of 2020. These are written in a way that first outlines the consumer outcome, followed by the organisational statement and then the requirements. https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/acqsc_aged_care_quality_standards_fact_sheet_4pp_v8.pdf
Community Diagnosis, Aged Care and Disability Sectors.
The information outlined above helps bring out the community diagnosis for community supports in community aged care and Disability.
For Welcome Care Services, knowing this community diagnosis, i.e. what the consumers want, what the quality and safeguard commissions and government are doing as well as what the staff want, helps us to tailor our policies accordingly. It is great that there has been wide consultation with all stakeholders, which is still ongoing.
What our consumers/ participants want:
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Independence
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Staying in their home, as long as possible.
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Quality Care, Safety
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Choice and control
The royal commission into aged care has come and based on their findings, relevant recommendations have been made. More information can be found on link below.
What the Government is doing, as part of their responsibility towards Citizens.
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Aged care reforms have been ongoing, more -significantly as from 2012. An example of how Government is leading with these reforms is the five pillar-aged care reform plan, which seeks to address the following:
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Home care – at home support and care based on assessed needs
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Residential aged care services and sustainability – improving service suitability that ensures individual care needs and preferences are met
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Residential aged care quality and safety – improving access to and quality of residential care
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Workforce – growing a bigger, more highly skilled, caring and values-based workforce; and
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Governance – new legislation and stronger governance
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More information can be found on the link below:
What the staff want:
Staff come in willing to help people and what they want is as follows:
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Be acknowledged for the role the play.
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Be in an environment where they can thrive .
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Be well supported and well trained.
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Be treated with respect
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More shifts
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To be remunerated fairly.
Welcome Care Service capabilities and responsibilities:
In order for us achieve the goal of providing safe and high quality, person-centred care, our policies include the following key areas below. These outline our commitment as well as reference points for quality assurance and self- regulation.
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Organisational governance, leadership and work culture.
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Creating and maintaining a culture of learning, aiming for high clinical performance and effectiveness of our team.
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Clear roles and responsibilities, clear guidelines and reference learning materials.
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Partnership with participants/ consumers. Providing Customer centred supports, enabling choice and control, dignity and respect.
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Consumer/participant safety – safe environment for delivery of supports.
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Monitoring, seeking feedback, reporting, reflecting and responding to performance.
Welcome Care Services Responsibilities:
It is our role as leadership and management team to create a culture and systems that enable and support a capable workforce. We create such an enabling work environment by:
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Embedding NDIS values in Welcome Care Services culture and practice.
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Establishing systems that support health and also identify and manage risks.
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Build and maintain consistent best practice.
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Establish a learning culture that supports workforce capability.
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Our educators use the framework to align training and assessment to deliver the capabilities needed.
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We also supervise, manage and coach others(On the job training).
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Equally important is the need to model and reinforce our values in organisational culture and practice.