Aged Care Reform with Advisory Boards: A Welcome Change

On the 2nd of August, the Federal Government passed the ‘Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment’ in response to the Royal Commission, requiring providers to strengthen how they consider the care needs, experiences, and voices of aged care residents.

These new mandates require aged care providers to implement effective advisory board frameworks in two areas: quality care and consumers.

Every aged care governing body will be required to consider and respond to reports from an advisory body with appropriate experience in providing care. Consumers must also be given the opportunity to give the provider feedback about the quality of their aged care through a consumer advisory board.

The Advisory Board Centre, the leading professional body for the advisory board sector, has been proactive in supporting the new reforms so providers can move beyond mere compliance and implement impactful advisory structures that make a positive difference for individual consumers and the aged care community at large.

Advisory Board Centre CEO and Founder, Louise Broekman, shared of the announcement, “We are at a crucial crossroads here, whereby these new measures are not just an opportunity to meet requirements but to shape the future of the aged care sector. It is about improving the impact on residents’ lived experiences and their access to safe, quality care. For this to be a success, however, we must ensure there are robust frameworks, structures, and protocols in place that provide a solid foundation for ethical and best-practice engagement.”

The Advisory Board Centre, with the support of its Best Practice and Ethics advisory board, established an ‘Aged Care Project Advisory Board’ to oversee the development of best practice protocols specifically for the aged care sector. Toby Hall, former Group CEO of St. Vincent’s Health Australia, chairs the board which includes credentialed and experienced advisors Cynthia Payne, Lynn Bailey, Sandy Deans, and Susanne Le Boutillier.

This project advisory board has explored how to best support the sector through the implementation of the new advisory-related reforms to ensure providers are compliant, and the changes have a positive impact on both the recipients and providers of care.

In addition, further advocacy work has been carried out with stakeholders affected,  including consultation with government representatives, the Aged Care and Quality Safety Commissioner, industry body representatives, and aged care providers.

As a result, the Advisory Board Centre has developed a suite of bespoke best practice resources and methods and created a best practice community specifically for the aged care sector.

Healthcare sector veteran Sandy Deans commented, “This announcement by the Federal Government to pass the Australian Aged Care Regulation provides an opportunity for both providers and consumers to work together to achieve success. The implementation of effective, knowledgeable and committed advisory boards will ensure both the clinical and consumer voices are heard and valued, as well as the voice of the providers in a professional framework. This is a significant milestone in the challenge to meet the needs of our ageing population to ensure they live the life they deserve with dignity.”

Chair Toby Hall remarked, “Smart boards and organisations should seek to implement a model backed by professional training and professional standards. It is a great opportunity for boards to do this job properly and ensure we never fail our precious residents in aged care ever again.”

The implementation phase of advisory boards will be critical for aged care providers. The Advisory Board Centre welcomes ongoing consultation with aged care industry leaders to support the sector with best practice. Louise Broekman will be presenting at the ACCPA National Conference in October on governing through reform to ensure safe high-quality care by creating opportunities through legislated advisory boards.

Aged Care Advisory Board Representatives & Experience

Chair
Toby Hall | Former CEO of St Vincent's Health Australia

Advisors
Cynthia Payne | Group CEO & Founder of Anchor Excellence
Lynn Bailey | Executive General Manager of Fresh Hope Care
Susanne Le Boutillier | Managing Director of Aedanna
Sandy Deans | Former RBWH Research Ethics Committee

Internal Representatives
Louise Broekman | CEO & Founder Advisory Board Centre
Brendan Logue | Director of Talent, Advisory Board Centre

About Advisory Board Centre

The Advisory Board Centre is the global professional body for the advisory sector. It provides research-backed best practice training to support the professionalism, growth, and impact of the advisory sector for professionals and the organisations they serve. Its activities include research, advocacy, and professional development.