From Steve's desk

It’s been another remarkable start to the year.

We marked a significant milestone in February with the move to a single brand bringing our nearly 16,000 strong team and organisation together. This is the culmination of almost a decade of growth that’s led to us becoming Australia’s largest independent, not-for-profit aged care provider. Operating under a single brand is a terrific step for us that brings with it genuine opportunities to shape aged care on a truly national scale.

There’s been a lot happening across the sector too.

Most positive has been the historic stage 3 decision of the aged care work value case which brings well-deserved recognition to frontline teams who are at the heart of our organisation. The decision extends last year’s well-earned pay rise to more roles and more team members rewarding the vital work you do.

As one of the first providers to sign up for the work value case, we have been lobbying for pay rises for many years. It was the central theme to both our submissions to the Royal Commission.

We will pass on all funding we receive for employee wages and entitlements – more to come on this latest decision with further details and timing expected after the final Fair Work Commission hearing at the end of April.

In other news, the Aged Care Taskforce on funding arrangements released a broadly sensible and helpful set of recommendations in line with the idea that government should pay for care and people should pay for their own lifestyle and accommodation costs subject to a safety net. This delineation is something we have long supported.

The recommendations support more predictable and sustainable funding in home care and increased capacity to cover the costs of delivering services in residential care. There are still outstanding issues to work through and the recommendations need a transition timetable, but the government should be able to move on some of the key proposals in the budget.

On the weather front we’ve also been kept on our toes. Tropical cyclone Kirilly announced its arrival just ahead of Australia Day peaking as a category 3 and making landfall northwest of Townsville. While causing minimal damage in the area itself, record-breaking rain/flash flooding followed affecting northern Queensland, southeast Queensland, western New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia. Meanwhile Western Australia has been on high alert with rolling bush fires and heatwaves.

As usual, teams on the ground have been well prepared and worked through the domino effects – from ensuring clients and residents receive ongoing care, to maintenance work to secure residential homes and villages, to adapting food services in response to extreme heat and power disruptions.

My gratitude as always goes to everyone directly impacted for your tireless work to keep delivering care under these testing circumstances.

This edition of Montage highlights celebrations, stories and special moments that you have helped make happen across all our locations as we came together under the Bolton Clarke brand. Other features not to miss include welcoming our newest PALM scheme team members, a great community garden initiative from the Homeless Persons Program and award news for some of our outstanding retirement living managers.

Enjoy reading this latest issue.

Steve