For the Board Kit

The For the Board Kit is a suite of discussion papers that can be used at board meetings to discuss corporate and clinical governance issues within the aged care sector. It also enables ongoing professional development through activities that governing body members can participate in to strengthen their own knowledge. Below you will find a letter, factsheet and 13 discussion papers to download and use with your governing bodies.


A Letter for your Board Chair or CEO

This downloadable letter introduces the For the Board Kit and outlines the benefits of governing bodies engaging in ongoing professional development, collectively. Simply download this letter, the factsheet and a discussion paper and pass it on to your Board Chair or CEO.

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A Factsheet Explaining how to use the Discussion Papers

This downloadable factsheet provides further details on the For the Board Kit and includes step by step instructions on how to use the discussion papers in your next governing body meeting.

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Outbreak Management in Residential Aged Care

This discussion paper covers outbreak management in residential aged care. Aged care providers have a responsibility to ensure their service is continuing to do everything possible to prevent, prepare for and reduce the impact of infectious disease outbreaks in their service, including for COVID-19.

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Workforce Retention

This discussion paper covers workforce planning and management, which are crucial elements to delivering quality and safe consumer-centred care. The governing body and executives must consider how the provider’s workforce plan attracts, recruits, manages and retains a skilled workforce.

Respecting Dignity of Risk

This discussion paper covers respecting dignity of risk. In exercising their right of self-determination and being involved in decisions that impact the quality of their lives, consumers may need to take risks to live their best life. Providers must respect these rights and support consumers to make well-informed decisions.

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Continuous Improvement

This discussion paper covers continuous improvement and how it is important for the governing body and executives to set a culture of continuous improvement across the entire organisation. It is a systematic, ongoing effort to raise an organisation’s performance in achieving outcomes for consumers. This is done by approaching their own decision making and strategic direction with improvement in mind.

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Incident Learning

This discussion paper covers incident learning. An incident management system is not designed to eliminate all risks and incidents. Rather, it provides a system to reduce the likelihood and occurrence of risks. Providers must understand their incident management and reporting system and be encouraged to take an incident learning approach.

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Effective Information Systems

This discussion paper covers effective information management systems. These systems and processes are critical to the delivery of safe and high-quality consumer-centred care and can assist organisations to make informed decisions.

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Governing Inclusively

This discussion paper covers inclusive and culturally safe care in an aged care setting, recognising that consumers have individual needs, preferences, and expectations that must be respected, supported and reflected in the planning and delivery of their care. The governing body and executives need to establish and drive inclusive and culturally safe governance.

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Compliance with Clinical Governance Obligations

This discussion paper covers compliance with clinical governance obligations which are set out under the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care Quality Standards. It is important that everyone in the organisation is aware of how they can comply with clinical governance obligations, including staff having an understanding of what is expected of them in practice.

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Consumer at the Centre

This discussion paper covers consumers at the centre of care. Effective consumer engagement supports high-quality outcomes, and therefore better provider performance. Governing bodies must understand key concepts and oversee processes to ensure that consumer preferences, values and expectations are well-understood and used to inform provider approached, operations and inform decisions about their care.

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Data Driven Decision Making

This discussion paper covers data driven decision making. Data not only tells a story about performance, it is also used to develop future performance targets and strategic objectives. For governing bodies to be able to fulfil their governance responsibilities, data should be accurate, relevant, and timely.

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Skills and Composition

This discussion paper covers skills and composition. Structuring an effective governing body can be a challenging undertaking but it is essential for the success of an organisation and the delivery of safe, inclusive and high-quality care to consumers. Factors such as the size, composition, skills and internal dynamics are important contributors for building an effective governing body.

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Setting the Tone from the Top

This discussion paper covers setting the tone from the top. Good organisational culture can drive strong performance results, innovation, and very effective high-quality consumer-centred care. ‘Tone from the top’ refers to the character and behaviour displayed by senior leaders that forms a model of appropriate conduct for the rest of the organisation.

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Planning for the Future

This discussion paper covers planning for the future. Setting effective strategy requires the governing body to take an active role in planning, implementing and evaluating their provider’s objectives. In practical terms, this means that the governing body must understand the sector in which it operates, how the provider operates, risk outcomes and performance metrics.

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