Report of Operations - South West Alliance of Rural Health

1Otway Health& Community ServicesReport of Operations 2010 - 2011

2ourvaluesResponsiveExcellenceSupportivePartnershipsEmpoweringConfidentialityTeamworkMission - Through networking, linkages andpartnerships enable people to optimise their wellbeing.Vision - All people in our community have knowledgeof and access to, quality health and community servicesresponsive to their needs.The clinical team devised the RESPECT acronym andthroughout the community consultations, RESPECTwas the most cited value that people felt should beincluded.Photo courtesy of Jeffery RichardsonOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

3table of contentsOur Value, Mission Statement & Location Map 2Welcome 4Challenges We Face 5Chair of the Board Report 6CEO Report 7Services That We Provide 8Strategic Directions 9Service Achievements 10Our Board 14Our Team 16Community Services Report 20Clinical Services Report 30Corporate Services Report 33

4WelcomeThe Otway Ranges is a uniqueenvironment of toweringrainforests leading to lush hillsand opening onto magnificentbeaches. Winding roads throughthe forests and along the coastjoin the small communities dottedthroughout this idyllic landscape.Farmers, fishermen, touristoperators, artists, families, andtradesmen, help create thediverse communities we all enjoy.With the regular influx of holidaymakers, sports enthusiasts, andday trippers, our towns swell fromsleepy little hamlets of severalhundred residents to severalthousand (tens of thousands inpeak season for Apollo Bay).The Otways were first settledfrom the 1840’s with the buildingof the Cape Otway Lighthouseand the first settlers to the areaestablished saw mills and timbergetting. Apollo Bay townshipwas established from the 1860’sas a central point to service theoutlying timber industries aswell as the fishing and whalingindustries. Although the timberand fishing industries continue,tourism now dominates the area,with farming coming in a closesecond (Census, 2006).Otway Health and CommunityServices (OHCS) is a MultiPurpose Service (MPS) whichwas established with combinedfunding from Local, State, andFederal Governments. Being aMPS allows Otway Health theflexibility to respond effectivelyto the changing needs of thisremote rural community.“Whether living within one ofthe townships or villages, or inone of the more secluded spots,the people of the Otways allhave one thing in common, alove of the peace and serenitythat is offered here.”Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Challenges we face5Taking a drive along the GreatOcean Road, it is hard to thinkof a more idyllic place to callhome. The challenges of living insuch a beautiful part of Australiaare many, and often people areunaware of the isolation of theirhome until they have a need forhelp.Some of the challenges faced forresidents of the Otways are:• Apollo Bay is surrounded bythe steep hills of the OtwayRanges and access to andfrom major towns is timeconsuming due to this andthe winding road access.Travel times to Geelong areup to 2 hours in off peaktimes and are considerablylonger during peak touristtimes. Inland, the closesttown is Colac, which is onehours travel time duringoff peak times, despitebeing only 75 kilometres indistance.• A lack of public transportcontributes to the geographicisolation of the community.There are only 3 servicesa day via VLine Bus to andfrom Geelong, Mondaythrough Friday. On weekends,that drops to 2 services perday. Some outlying areashave no public transport, oronly one service per week.• Permanent rentalaccommodation is extremelyhard to come by, with thecost of home ownership beingquite high as most of thetowns in our area are touristdestinations.• Permanent full time work isthe exception, rather thanthe norm, with the meanaverage income being wellbelow the national average,and some areas being belowthe Henderson Poverty Line,making home ownershipdifficult or impossible.• Major industries foremployment areaccommodation andhospitality. Accommodation isparticularly seasonal duringpeak tourist times, with sharpdownturn in hours duringwinter months.• Aging population is moreprevalent in the coastal townsof our catchment, with ApolloBay, Marengo (20.2%) andSkenes Creek (27%) havingwell above national average(13.3%) population over 65,hence requiring higher healthservices for this age group.(Census 2006)

6 Chair of the Board ReportOtway Health has the challengingtask of meeting the needs ofour community throughout thecatchment. Otway Health has anetwork of three NeighbourhoodHouses - Apollo Bay, Forrest andin 2010 the newly establishedLavers Hill and DistrictNeighbourhood House. OurNeighbourhood Houses reflectthe identity and the shape oftheir immediate communities andare an excellent vehicle to ensurethat our widespread catchmentcommunity has a voice.Our goal to provide medicalservices 24/7 is a goal many othercommunities aspire to, but are notable to achieve.In February a Board Forum onAccident and Emergency Services(now Urgent Care) was held. Itbrought together a body of people- representatives of Apollo BayAmbulance and Mica Paramedics,Apollo Bay General PracticeDoctors and staff, our ManagementTeam and the Board with discussionfacilitated by Dr. Charlie Corke ofBarwon Health.We also recognise and extend oursincere appreciation to each ofour Colac Otway Shire Councillorsand CEO, Rob Small, who have metwith the board each six months; tothe Trustees of the Apollo Bay andDistrict Health Foundation for theirongoing support of Otway Health;to our local Apollo Bay AmbulanceTeam – Mica Paramedics andvolunteers who are vital toachieving the feeling of safetyand security within our isolatedcommunity.The Board has now establishedand endorsed the new five yearStrategic Plan for the period 2011-2016. We strive for excellencein what we do and to focus oncontinuous improvement. Asyou travel through the AnnualReport for Otway Health youwill appreciate the passion,dedication and commitment thathas been required to achieveour previous plan and what thishas meant for our community. Asignificant opportunity has beenthe development of the concept ofthe Apollo Bay Lifestyle Precinctwith the availability of the oldAmbulance Station, a bequest fromDorothy Eichenberger and ColacOtway Shire’s support to enhancethe library services.To make these achievementsa reality it takes staff that arepassionate, very committed andhighly trained to drive home theimplementation of our StrategicPlan. In April we recognised thetwenty five years of service ofFaye Rampal, that is a momentousachievement and a journey fromwhat was the Apollo Bay andDistrict Memorial Hospital to OtwayHealth and Community ServicesBehind our staff there is a strong,innovative leadership Team. To ourCEO, Linda West, and her team ofmanagers - Helen Healy (ManagerCorporate Services), Doris Hamilton(Manager Clinical Care) and MariaSzybiak (Manager CommunityServices). We highly commend thestaff on all that has been achievedand will be further reflected uponthroughout this Annual Report.It is with regret that we receivedthe resignation of Maria Szybiakwho will be returning to WesternAustralia.Behind our organisation is agrowing number of volunteersworking not only across theorganisation but the catchment.We congratulate our Second Sailsvolunteers for their countless andtireless hours of service to resultin the hugely significant donationas in 2010 - $170,000! To themany other volunteers who workin our Gardening, Bus Driving,Aged Care Activities, Meals onWheels we applaud you on yourcontribution that cannot be bought,a contribution driven by care andcompassion and a desire to supportthose in your community.I commend our Board Members ontheir dedication and commitmentto the governance of Otway Health.I thank my Executive, Peter Haganand Sisca Verwoert and fellowboard members. It is with regretthat we farewell Don Gogerly andPhilip Britton and we sincerelythank them for the contributionsthey have made. We welcome ournew board members, Susan Hadleyand Lorraine Harris both of whombring a valuable range of skills tothe board.I commend the Annual Reportfor 2010-2011 to you as an honestand accountable appraisal of whatwe have achieved. I encouragethose who would like to make acontribution to their community bysupporting Otway Health in someway. When you are involved youtoo will feel that immense sense ofpride and fulfilment that this Boardand our staff have in what can beachieved when we work together.Denise HookeBoard PresidentOtway HealthOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

CEO Report7Otway Health AchievementsOtway Health has continued toinvest in our facilities and in ourstaff to improve the physicalenvironment and to plan aheadfor changing community needs.Facilities• Community Services hasrelocated the reception areato increase functionality andsafety.• A Sensory Garden wasdeveloped for residents andthe courtyard was securedto create a dementia friendlyenvironment.• A Community Precinct is indevelopment to include theCommunity Gym convertedfrom the old AmbulanceStation.• The Precinct also includes anextension Marrar Woorn thatwill to connect to an extendedlibrary as a shared space forcommunity use.• A family home was purchasedfor the GPNew servicesThe Child Care Centrerenovations have allowed anexpansion of child care servicesto accommodate another 12places in a new third room.Lavers Hill NeighbourhoodHouse program funding has beenextended to allow a coordinatorto be employed to supportactivities.“Count Us In” an activity basedprogram for Aged Care residentshas been extended to seven daysper week to provide assistanceto participate in a wide range ofactivities.Misu, our pet therapy dog, nowvisits once a week with her ownerJocelyn, and brings joy andcomfort to so many residents.Improvements• HACC services have beenreviewed and restructured toimprove coordination• The Primary Care programhas been reviewed with staffto develop a framework thatguides good practice.• New community feedbackprocesses have beenimplemented• A new Strategic Plan hasbeen developed to guidedirection for the next fiveyears• Oracle software for financialmanagement has successfullybeen adopted• Positive Work EnvironmentProgram is beingimplemented across all areas• Employee sponsorship hasenabled skilled, experiencedoverseas staff to be recruitedto fill employment gaps.PartnershipsOtway Health local and regionalpartnerships and alliances arefundamental to our day to dayoperations as well as to ourfuture service development.• Otway Early Years Network• Home and Community CareRegional Network• BSWRICS=Barwon SouthWest Regional IntegratedCancers Service• G21 Health and WellbeingPillar• South West Alliance of RuralHealth• Towards LiveableCommunities SteeringCommittee• Your Kids Need You SteeringCommittee• Vulnerable People SteeringCommitteeOtway Health owes a debt ofgratitude and thanks to stafffor their care and commitmentto our clients and to the manyvolunteers, and the Boardmembers, who all give their timeand effort freely to help keep ourcommunity healthy and happy.Chief Executive OfficerI, Linda West, certify that OtwayHealth and community Serviceshas put in place appropriateinternal controls and processesto ensure that reported datareasonably reflects actualperformance. Otway Health andCommunity Services has criticallyreviewed these controls andprocesses during the year.Accountable OfficerApollo Bay

Strategic Directions9Community Engagement &Service CapacityBy knowing and understandingour community we will provideaccess to health and communityservices that will grow our ownand our community’s capacity.• Engage in CommunityCapacity Building• Implement CommunityFeedback Program• Continue to enhance 24 hourUrgent Care services• Expand services into earlyyears childhood development,youth services, men’s andwoman’s health and healthyageing programs• Develop service integrationacross the continuum of care(models of care)• Focus on supporting peopleafter admission, backinto their own homes byenabling flexibility betweenambulatory care and acutecare.• Develop outreach programsin identified areas of highneed and isolation.Engaging & Supporting thePeople We Work WithA service that is committed tothe present and future workforceby valuing, supporting anddeveloping its’ people.• Supporting a sustainable GPmodel• Career and workforcedevelopment• Carers Groups andSupporting VolunteersLeadership in Partnership &Strategic AlliancesBy actively leading incollaborating with others toensure that service gaps are met.• Working in partnershipwith the community,other key healthagencies, organisations,businesses, local, state andcommonwealth governmentto address the community’slong term sustainability andwellbeing.• Develop and promote thevoice of the remote/rural/coastal health services.• Strengthening contractualpartnerships.GovernanceA service that does what it saysit will do through strong andtransparent leadership.• Clinical/Medical inclusion atGovernance level• Succession Planning• Due diligence in all processes• Sustainable financialmanagement

10 Service Achievements 2008-2011Health Promotion and Capacity BuildingOtway Health provided trainingin health promotion and capacitybuilding for 80% of communityservices staff through the shortcourse in health promotions.We developed a partnership focusto health promotion with areanetworks: G21 Health PromotionNetwork; G21 Health PromotionLeadership Group; local healthpromotion meetings with ColacArea Health, Otway Early YearsNetwork and Towards LiveableCommunities project at ColacOtway Shire.Population health programsdeveloped with the localcommunity include; CommunityGarden, Influence on urbanplanning, Access to Transport,Early Years Network, CommunityLifestyle Precinct.Community Forums have beenheld on health topics such:Managing Diabetes, Cancer,Drugs and Alcohol , Youth MentalHealth, Menopause, Asthma,WorkHealth , PreventativeStrapping for Sport Play, FirstAid for Sport, Personal AlarmVictoria, Dementia.OutreachCommunity capacity buildingfor staff was funded as partof the Lavers Hill Project withFM Consulting undertaking aneeds study with the LaversHill community. The Lavers HillCommunity committee wasestablished and now operatesas the committee for theNeighbourhood House with apart time coordinator funded byOtway Health.In 2009 Forrest NeighbourhoodHouse, supported by OtwayHealth, received funding tocreate a café kitchen and pizzaoven for the enjoyment of thecommunity. The NeighbourhoodHouse hosts the Fire Festivaland the café holds a communitylunch every Thursday and alsooperates as an internet café. TheForrest Neighbourhood Househas run Adult Education Coursesfor the Forrest Community.The Certificate 3 in Aged Carehas been completed and anumber of staff form the coursehave been employed at OtwayHealth. The first semester ofCertificate 2 in Visual Arts hasalso been completed at ForrestNeighbourhood House and 22community members went on tofinish the years course at the endof 2009.HACC service delivery outreachesto Forrest and Lavers Hill NHHis also a venue for outreachservices . Physical ActivityPrograms in Forrest developedwith Otway Health input: GentleExercise Group, Yoga, DanceGroup, Mountain Bike Club.Physical Activity Programsin Lavers Hill developed withOtway Health input: Warm WaterExercises.VolunteersSecond Sails Auxiliaryconstitution was reviewed andamended to ensure Second Sailsvolunteers are members andinvolved in decision making. Thenew Auxiliary is guided by theSecond Sails Coordinator andher hours have been increased.All volunteers receive identitybadges and introduction packscontaining information aboutOtway Health.The Gardening Group are takinga more active role in rejuvenatingthe Otway Health gardens onsite. They now have a shed andequipment on site and someresidents are working with themon occasions in the garden. TheMen’s Shed assist other groupswith carpentry requirements.Colac Do Care provides everyresident with a friendlyvisitor. Volunteers are activelyinvolved with the ‘Count Us InProject’ which is a participativediversional therapy program forresidents. Volunteers are alsohelping with community exerciseclasses .The Meals on Wheels volunteersdeliver meals daily and bringsome companionship to manyolder people in the communityOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Service Achievements 2008-201111Indigenous CommunityEngagement with our indigenouscommunity has been a significantfocus. Funding was providedby Department of Planning andCommunity Development toimprove indigenous engagementactivities such as painting of anindigenous mural, launch of muraland a flag raising ceremony ofthe indigenous flag.Local indigenous communitymembers honoured Otway Healthby smoking the newly acquiredAboriginal flag and by raising theflag over Otway Health for thefirst time.Funding was gained to enablean indigenous painting to becommissioned by local indigenouspeople for the exterior of MarrarWoorn. Staff are now involved inthe Indigenous surf camp everyyear and Otway Health providesfunding to support the camp.PartnershipNew partnerships and alliancessuch as the HACC Allianceand Early Years Network arefacilitating agencies workingtogether to meet unmet needsfor specific client groups.The HACC Alliance has workedsuccessfully to produce a manualof shared practice.The Health Promotion Officeris working with members of theColac Otway Shire, Colac AreaHealth and Colac NeighbourhoodRenewal to develop a sharedstrategic direction for HealthPromotion across the ColacOtway Shire. The result will bethe aligning of shire, regionaland local public health plans tosupport partnership developmentand effective advocacy. TheCommunity Health PromotionNetwork continues to supportactivities and directions forHealth Promotion. In responseto discussions in the Network,3 community forums have beenheld, with ongoing partnershipsdeveloped with regionalorganisations in response tothese forums. Communityfeedback has guided the directionfor the 2009-2012 IntegratedHealth Promotion Plan, currentlyin development.The Otway Early Years Network(OEYN) has been established inresponse to data demonstratingdevelopmental issues for localchildren. OEYN consists ofmembers from the preschools,schools and child care in theOHCS catchment. Achievementshave included: the successfulimplementation of the BriganceScreening Tool and a StructuredActive Play Programme. Inaddition, OEYN has attractedservice providers from the regionincluding Glastonbury Childand Family Services and DeakinUniversity.YouthA Youth Development Workerwas engaged to determinepriorities for young people in thecatchment area and to conducta young people needs study andfollow up projects.A mentoring program for youngwomen has been established atOtway Health to provide supportand engagement of girls in years7-9 at Apollo Bay P-12 College.Otway Health responded torequests from parents in thecommunity who needed supportwith the teenagers. In partnershipwith Geelong Family Services,we ran two successful parentingprograms which ran over a periodof 4 weeks each for parentsneeding support in late 2010 andagain in early 2011.Over school holiday periods wehave organised activities anddrop in days for young peopleto attend, further strengtheningrelationships.Otway Health in partnership withApollo Bay P-12 College ran aneducation day for Yrs 7-12 aroundsafety issues to do with drugsand alcohol leading up to theApollo Bay Music Festival andalso provided volunteer workon the nights over the festivalin the ‘Chill out Tent’ providingassistance to youths in need.We have made numerous localpartnerships and make up a partof the Youth Club Committee,the Welfare and Parents andFriends Committee with ApolloBay P-12 College to improvelinks with the wider community

12 Service Achievements 2008-2011and to work together to buildstrong foundations for our youthto develop to the best of theirpotential.We have also been looking intothe nutritional needs of ouryoung people and have developedpartnerships with ‘Time ForYouth’ and ‘Colac Connections’which assists young people withtheir nutritional needs. Withpartnerships we have formed,‘Cafe Meals Club’ are able tofinancially assist young people toeat healthier meals and providea warm, safe place to eat. Thiswill be an ongoing program forthose youth in need in Apollo Bayfunded by Cafe Meals Club andwill be supported here by OtwayHealth and our local businesses.Otway Health has workedextremely hard on developingour relationship with the ApolloBay Youth Club to improve accessfor young people in Apollo Bayafter 87% of young people whoresponded stated that theyneeded a warm, safe place tohang out.We now have a regular ‘DropinNight’ on a Friday nightfor our youth that provides asafe, healthy and supportedenvironment for youth to betogether. Currently they canparticipate in indoor soccer,pool, table tennis, basketball, Wiiand can use all the facilities ofthe Youth Club. They have theirown room and couches to spendtime together, play music andparticipate in cooking.We have recently been successfulin a grant application with ColacCommunity Enterprises andhave purchased a new domesticoven, cook top and range hoodto assist with part of our plannedIndependent Living SkillsProgram and have begun cookingclasses at the Youth Club.ChildrenThe Child Care Centre has beenrenovated and a new roomregistered to allow for growthand after school care and holidayprograms as needed.Brigance Screening commencedfor all children in Preschool, ChildCare and Prep. Otway Early YearsNetwork continues to encouragepartnership development withearly childhood agencies andutilises AEDI data to makedecisions for early childhoodhealth, the Screening Programis fully utilised in Apollo Bayfor children from 0 – 6 yearsand development recordsshared across Apollo Bay EarlyChildhood agencies.MenThe Men’s Shed continues toprovide equipment and toolsand a place to meet to chat andcreate.The Men’s weekly lunch hosted bythe Community Welfare workerprovides support and friendship.A new Men’s Planned ActivityGroup has been established toprovide support and activities forolder men in the communityOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Service Achievements 2008-201113DentalAdvocacy for outreach dentalservices has resulted in researchbeing conducted by the Dept ofHealth in Apollo Bay and Lorne todetermine dental health needs inschool children.Results indicate that many ApolloBay children are not receivingregular dental care.A mobile dental service for Lorne,Apollo Bay and Winchelsea hasbeen included in the Oral HealthPlan for the Barwon South WestRegion.‘Smiles for Miles’ is a smallfunded dental hygiene programintroduced for Preschool childrenby Otway Health staff that hasbeen implemented in ApolloBay and Lavers Hill. The OtwayHealth Service Directory nowincludes information about howto access public dental services inColac.MedicalProvision of 24/7 cover in UrgentCare Unit has been maintainedand improved accommodationhas been provided for permanentGeneral Practitioners contractedto Otway HealthA Chronic Disease ManagementService was established 2009utilising Community HealthNurse. Emergency Asthmaeducation has been provided forschool students in our catchmentand in Colac (as there is a largecatchment of older students thatattend Colac Trinity College).Specific Programs include:WorkHealth Screening Program,WorkHealth Program for OtwayHealth Staff, LIFE! DiabetesProgram for pre-diabetesparticipants.The Better HealthSelf Management Program hasbeen introduced to assist thoseliving with Chronic Disease tounderstand and manage theirsymptoms. Most chronic diseasemanagement programs and fallsprevention programs require GPreferral or clearance and thuspartnerships between primarycare staff and GPs are paramountto the success of programs.The location of the newAmbulance station on site, with apermanent paramedic stationedin Apollo Bay, has resulted in thedevelopment of a good workingrelationship and the provision ofeducation to the nurses for theUrgent Care Unit. The UrgentCare Unit and Nurses Station hasbeen upgraded to provide greatersecurity and privacy for nursingstaff.Clinical training has beenimplemented through the agedcare channel and SOLLE, anonline learning program andlinks have been made with Lornecommunity hospital for advancedlife support training.Service IntergrationFalls prevention assessment andprograms are provided to the frailaged residents by communityservices staff. Integration ofservices for falls prevention in thecommunity was undertaken aspart of a partnership project withHesse Rural Health and funded bythe DHS ‘Make a Move’ funding.An integrated Maternity Serviceis provided to mothers with newbabies in Apollo Bay and includesthe services of a lactationconsultant, provision of deliveredmeals and home care services aswell as maternal and child healthnursing services.The Active Service Modelmandated by Department ofHealth is being implemented inthe HACC team which improvesservice pathways for better clientoutcomes and utilises servicesoutside the HACC Team. G21Service Coordination Projectreviewed referral and progressupdate pathways for servicecoordination and resulted ininternal and external caseconferencing mechanisms.Multidisciplinary CaseConferences occur: Six weeklywith Apollo Bay General PracticeGPs, Six weekly with internalprimary healthcare team andMonthly via Clinical AdvisoryCommittee Quality Workgroup.

14 Our BoardMembers of Otway Health’s Board of Management serve in a voluntary capacity, are appointed for a periodof three years, and are eligible for re-appointment.The Board reviews operating information monthly in order to continually assess the performance of OtwayHealth against its’ objectives and is also responsible for recruiting and evaluating the performance of theChief Executive Officer.The Board is the organisation’s major policy making body and, while the members are responsible foroverseeing the strategic direction and governance of Otway Health, members do not participate in day-todaymanagement. Rather, members provide an overview and a monitoring role to:• Review and monitor strategy, finance, quality and risk;• Ensure that the services Otway Health provides comply with the objectives, mission and vision of theorganisation;• Formulate strategy and governance policy;• Ensure the value and future sustainability of the organisation;The balance of skills and experiences within the Board is kept under continual review, and to ensure theBoard maintains its ability to undertake its role; members participate in ongoing education programs.DENISE HOOKEAugust 2007 - ongoing (President)A teacher at Lavers Hill P-12 College,Denise has an interest in governanceand community leadership and apassion for the environment.PETER HAGANJune 2007 - ongoing(1st Vice President)Having retired to Apollo Bay in 2004,Peter is busier than ever, workingtirelessly as a volunteer and drivingthe community bus.SISCA VERWOERTAugust 2007 – ongoing(2nd Vice President)Sisca’s experience in child protectionand social support, as well as herart, bring an extra dimension to theBoard.PHILLIP BRITTONAugust 2007 - ongoingA teacher at Apollo Bay P-12 Collegeand a member of School Council,Phillip has a particular interest inAdult Education and Primary HealthCare.NINA BROOKSJuly 2009 - ongoingNina has been coming to ApolloBay for 32 years, Nina’s 15 yearsexperience in Human Resources hasadded value to governance and thediversity to the Board.DON GOGERLYJuly 2009 - ongoingWith nearly 20 years banking andrisk management experience whileworking with the National AustraliaBank, Don enjoys sharing his wealthof experience.SIMON RALTONJuly 2009 - ongoingHaving a business background,Simon feels Otway Health needs toensure the community needs arerecognised and met.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Our Board15Under Otway Health By-Laws, the Board may establish such committees as it considers necessary orconvenient to provide assistance to it in carrying out its functions.This year the Committees included:Audit Committee• monitors risk management, the financialreporting process, the independence andscope of work and performance of theinternal and external auditors.Members July 2010 - June 2011Peter Hagan (Chairperson), Denise Hooke, DonGogerly, Ian Richardson (Community Member)CEO Management Committee• measures the results delivered by the CEO inaccordance with Otway Health’s Strategic andother triennial Plans, conducts the annualappraisal of the CEO.Members: July 2010 - June 2011Sisca Verwoert, Denise Hooke, Nina BrooksFinance Committee• monitors significant financial planning,management and reporting matters, makesrecommendations and delivers reports to theBoardMembers: July 2010 - June 2011Peter Hagan (Chairperson), Denise Hooke, DonGogerly, Nina Brooks, Simon RaltonCapital Strategic Plan Working Party• investigates and facilitates the furtherdevelopment of Otway Health infrastructureby working with architects to designrenovations and additions to existingbuildings, considers cost effectiveness andpracticalityMembers: July 2010 – June 2011Simon Ralton (Chairperson), Denise Hooke, PeterHagan, Phillip BrittonConclusionOtway Health’s Board of Management will continue to focus on the long term strategic goals of theorganisation. We are fortunate to have a high level of support from the Department of Health at bothregional and state level.Responsible MinistersOtway Health has a joint agreement with both the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments. Theresponsible Ministers are the Hon Nicola Roxon MP (Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing), theHon Mark Butler MP (Minister for Mental Health and Ageing), the Hon Warren Snowdon MP (Minister forIndigenous Health), and the Hon Catherine King MP (Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing). FromJuly 2010 to November 2010 the Hon Daniel Andrews MP (Victorian Minister for Health) and the Hon. LisaNeville MP (Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Senior Victorians, Minister for Community Services).From November 2010, the Hon David Davis (Victorian Minister for Health, Minister for Ageing) and the HonMary Wooldridge MP (Victorian Minister for Mental Health).

16 Our TeamOtway Health and Community Services is committed to the principles of merit and equity in the workplacewith respect to employment, promotion and opportunity.Otway Health employs on average 91 staff members, who work either full time, part time, or casual. Year todate at 30 June 2011, we had 58.68 full time equivalent staff (FTE).Organisational StructureThe BoardChief Executive OfficerPublic Relations andFundraising OfficerSecond SailsCo-ordinatorExecutiveAssistant (OSO)Manager CorporateServicesManager Clinical CareManager Community ServicesAccountantFinance OfficerApollo BayGeneral PracticeAFTER HOURS CO-ORDINATORSHOME CARE CO-ORDINATORMarrar WoornNeighbourhood HouseCo-ordinatorCommunity NurseIT ManagerHuman ResourcesAssistant (OSO)Records ClerksGP'S contractedfor EmergencyCare UnitNURSE UNIT MANAGERAssociate Nurse UnitManagersAged Care NursesHome CarersPAGCo-ordinatorPAG AssistantForrest NeighbourhoodHouse Co-ordinatorLavers Hill NeighbourhoodHouse Co-ordinatorPhysiotherapistOccupational TherapistCommunity HealthNurseQuality OfficerPersonal CareAttendantsHACC AdminAssistantCommunity WelfareWorkerAdministrationAssistantCustomer ServicesOfficerDiv One NursesCount Us InAssistantsVolunteerCo-ordinatorCHILD CARE CENTRE CO-ORDINATORChild CarersMaternal Child HealthNurseHealth PromotionOfficerMaintenanceManagerMaintenanceAssistantBeauty TherapistCATERING OFFICERYOUTH COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT WORKERAllied Health AssistantsDietitianCooksKitchen AssistantsORGANISATIONAL CHARTAccepted on27 June 2011Labour Category:June Current Month FTEJune YTD FTE2011 2010 2011 2010Nursing 20.42 20.88 17.55 19.51Administration and Clerical 11.03 13.37 11.56 11.79Medical Support 8.31 9.09 7.13 8.35Hotel and Allied Services 15.15 14.44 12.18 14.46Ancillary Support 3.77 2.38 2.84 2.46Otway Health is committed to embedding the principles and values of the Victorian Public SectorEmployees code of conduct. Employees are treated fairly and with respect, and are encouraged tocontribute to an environment that is free of discrimination, harrassment and bullying.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Our Team17Executive Management TeamThe Management Team is responsible for operationalperformance in accordance with the Strategic and Service plans.Throughout 2010/2011 the Management Team consisted of:Chief Executive OfficerLinda WestManager Clinical CareDoris HamiltonManager CommunityServicesMaria SzybiakManager CorporateServicesHelen HealyStaff SatisfactionEvery year in October, OtwayHealth conducts an internal staffsatisfaction survey.The results indicated that staffare highly committed to OtwayHealth and their clients and thatthey appreciate opportunitiesto work together and to beconsulted about issues affectingthem. Communication andopportunities to work effectivelytogether in teams, remains anarea on which to build to enhanceintegrated activities, recruitmentand retention and ensure stablestaffing.Staff felt supported by themanagement team and theiropen door policy enables directresolution of issues and concerns.The general staff and divisionalmeetings are well supported andstaff training workshops wereutilised to develop skills andenable middle management staffto share information and to worktogether on issues.Morale has steadily improvedacross all Divisions. The PositiveWork Environment Program wasintroduced this year with all staffparticipating. The program allowsreflection and input from staffaround organisational values andcommunication issues with theaim of creating an environmentthat provides as much support aspossible to staff.The Work Health Programenables staff to take 15 minutes aday out of work time for exerciseand to match it with their owntime. Theprogram isgrowing and58helps to improve57overall physical56wellbeing of staff55and shows that54Otway Health53values its staff.Staff also utilise52the subsidized51massage50program that49provides all staffwith access toFTE Staff2011affordable massages to maximizephysical and emotional wellbeing.The “Going Beyond the Callof Duty” awards have beenintroduced to acknowledgethe staff who give beyondexpectations to support theirclients and colleagues. So farsixteen vouchers for a dinner ata local restaurant and certificateshave been awarded to staffacross all divisions.5 Year Workforce Statistics (FTE)2010200920082007

18 Our TeamStaff Training and Development• Aged Care Channel-Wound Care (Skin tears)-Dementia-Dispute Resolution-Sensory Loss-Advance Care Planning-Heart Failure-Pain-Falls Prevention• Medication Management andDo’s and Don’ts of MedicationAdministration (Neil Petrie)• Dietician Discussion andInformation Sharingz(Aneill Kamath)• Diabetes Management(Mich Cox)• Wound Care (Gay Kelly)• Infection PreventionIn-service’s(Carol Rosevear-InfectionPrevention Australia)• Continuous ImprovementRegister & Education(Doris Hamilton)• Quality Education-Plan, DoCheck, Act (Doris Hamilton)• Nurse Clinic- Wounds andDocumentation• Australian Triage Scale• Riskman Training• Palliative Care Pathway& Care Plan Review• ECG (ST waves)• Chest Pain Management& Rapilysin (Tony Mandic-Ambulance Victoria)• Ambulance ImmobilizationEquipment (Tony Mandic-Ambulance Victoria)• Skype, Google & E-mail(Deb Tovey)• Manual Handling(Cheryl Biddle)• Hand Hygiene(Carol Rosevear – InfectionPrevention Australia)• Strategic Planning(Doris Hamilton)• Cervical Collar &Immobilization (Tony Mandic-Ambulance Victoria)• eWebster (MedsComm)• Comprehensive MedicalAssessment(LaTrobe University)• Basic Life Support Train theTrainer (Colac Area Health)• Documentation educationspecific to Urgent Care• Online hand hygiene• Role of the RN Div 1• Records Introduction toStorage Standards• Cert III in BusinessManagement (Records)• Cert IV in BusinessManagement• Diploma of Management• Fringe Benefits Tax AnnualUpdate• ORACLE• PJB• Working at Heights• Working in Confined Spaces• Test and Tag• QICSA – How to be an internalContact• Diversitat• Certificate lll in Children’sServices• Bachelor of Teaching(Early Childhood)• CPR• Health Promotion• Raising Children in More ThanOne Language• Manual Handling• Food Safety & KitchenHygiene• RiskMan Incident Reporting• Team Building• Victorian Early YearsLearning and DevelopmentFramework• Epi-Pen Training• Ana-Pen Training• Review of Centre Philosophy& Goals.• Emergency ManagementTraining• National Quality Framework• Early Years Learning &Development Framework• Child Wise MandatoryReporting• Fire Training• Infection Control• Staff Professionalism• Privacy Laws• Bachelor of Early Childhood• Advanced Diploma ofChildren’s Services• DEECD Innovation Showcase• National Quality Framework& Children’s ServicesRegulations 2009• Administration of anAdrenalin Auto InjectionDevice• Guiding Children’s Behaviour• FKA Study Visit• Positive Culture Workshop• Childcare ManagementSystem Seminar in Geelong• Administration of anAdrenalin Auto InjectionDeviceOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Our Team19Staff by Department asat 30 June 2011Corporate ServicesKim BazellNadia CookGail DarlingJessica ElliottKaren HansenHelen HealyLuke LalorSarah LaneJohn McBrideLeanne RochfordBill ShieldsAndrea ThomasLinda WestCommunity ServicesWill AdamsJosie AhearnJosie BarrCheryl BiddleGillian BrewMarni BriffaTanja BrunnerBelinda CampbellDiana CarterMichelle CoxKatherine CustPolly DayJocelyn DexterDiane EarlLouise FairneyHelen HarringtonKaren HoldsworthSheila JohnsonKaren JordanKirsty KingFiona MacaulayKatrina McKellarChristine McKenzieShirley MasonBrigette MooreAnn MissenLeanne PrestipinoFern RainbowKate SculleyMarie SinclairLiz SmithMaria SzybiakPhil TownsendJenny WattClinical CareRita AbrahamDaniel ArmstrongLorraine BiddleMichele BrewBebs BuchananCorrie CarsonMarlie CouttsClaire DavisRachael DarlingArie de LeeuwEmily FallaJack FillmoreMichelle FillmoreBill FraserSue FrydmanDoris HamiltonLyn HarrisonVicki HughesHelen GarnerTania GaylardNeika GeekieMarcia GleesonFern HelandLyn HarrisonEvan HillLynette HortonSteven HughesLoren JenkinsGabrielle KellyMarita KennedyGenevieve KleindienstJudith LawlerMonique Melis-CooperAlexandra MontagueMarie MurnaneSally NeavesHayley NewmanGail PalmerLyndsey PetherickDorothy RichesKara RobbinsToni RookeLisa SmithNathan SmithMark SpisbahRosemarie StoeckliDion ThomasDebbie ToveyJenny TurnbullJennifer WhitwellZhezhi ZhangThose Who Left Us2010 / 2011Corporate ServicesDominic BrownAmber NosedaClinical CareRiahna ArmstrongChristiane DubouisMerryl EastgateDanni ElliottShane LiveseySusan MackayErika NashFaye RampalJudy RyanMark SpisbahJulie WrightFood ServicesJacinta BarrowJacinta CouttsBill FraserMitchell FraserMegan GreyCommunity ServicesJessica DorneyWendy HartBillee Irving-TrewNicole LangtipJanice LiveseyLeeanne MarrinerTania MorseSam PuddyCraig StevensKaren WashfoldAlison Winter

20 Community Services ReportChild CareAfter extensive renovations in2009-2010, Child Care has beensteadily working towards openinga third room in the centre during2010-2011. The centre appliedfor and received a Variation ofLicence from the Department ofEducation and Early ChildhoodDevelopment (DEECD) allowingus to operate from 3 rooms and 2outdoor yards with 42 child careplaces (up from 32 places). This isa huge achievement and ensuresthat the centre will be able tocope with community growthover the next 10 years.After School Care and VacationCare has also attracted a numberof new families to the centre withchildren up to 12 years of agebeing cared for. This program isslowly building and is expected toincrease in numbers as currentfamilies move from the centreto school and continue utilisingour services. Our focus is onbuilding our stock of resourcesfor the older age group andimplementing programs thatinterest and accommodate theirneeds.As part of our Strategic Planning,childcare has focused heavilyon succession planning duringthe past 12 months and thishas allowed the Child CareCoordinator to step into otherroles as a relief manager in Homeand Community Care and asActing Manager of CommunityServices. It has also ensuredthat the Child Care Centre hasa minimum of 2 staff trained totake over the Coordinator’s role ifshe is absent.Our centre continues toliaise with early childhoodprofessionals in our local regionand participates in monthlyOtway Early Years Networkmeetings to ensure the smoothflow of communication betweenMaternal Child Health services,Apollo Bay Children’s Centre,Apollo Bay Preschool and ApolloBay P-12 College. This has also ledto increased staff participation inColac and Geelong networks.The implementation of theVictorian Early Years Learningand Development Framework(VEYLDF) has changed the waychildcare centres operate witha push to move away from thebabysitting model of care to acurriculum based educationalsetting. The introduction of thenational Early Years LearningFramework has also seen staffadapt our programming methodsand increased training has beenneeded to keep up to date in allareas.Effort has also gone intobuilding inclusive and culturallydiverse activities into centreprogramming. Staff haveaccomplished this by liaising withthe Barwon Inclusion SupportAgency (BISA) in Geelong andFKA Children’s Services Inc inMelbourne. Two mobile resourcelibraries now visit the centre bimonthlyand provide the centrewith toys, books, posters, musicalCD’s and a number of resources.Staff are also provided withassistance in policy developmentand program implementation.Our staff are very committed tothe centre and continue to setand maintain high standards ofcare. They are looking forward toimplementing further changesdue to the child care regulationsand accreditation system whenthe National Quality Framework isintroduced in 2012.“Over the past nine yearsall three of my children havespent time at the centre andall of them have enjoyed theirexperiences. However, nonemore so than Charlie. Asidefrom spending more time withyou than his brother and sister,he has been fortunate enoughto be enrolled during a time inwhich you have managed theservice and ensured it is staffedwith people who obviously lovetheir work and the childrenthey so beautifully care for.The programming has beenexceptional and helped fosterCharlie’s endless curiosity andpassion for learning; makingfriends and generally having agreat time!Your literacy programs havehelped set him on a path ofcreativity and discovery, andmost importantly everyonewho has cared for Charliehas provided a secure, funenvironment in which he haslearnt how to make friends andset out on his own journey.Charlie will no doubt be backfrom time to time for After-School Care but my entirefamily will miss being part ofthe centre on a regular basis,and we will especially miss thewild and crazy stories Charlieweaves at the dinner table whenhe relays the day’s events.”Feedback received from parents onthe new Shell Room:“Oh, it’s so bright and such a sunnyroom.”“Wow, love the room. Look at allthe new toys!”“Love the outdoor yard and thenew cubby, oh and the lounge!”Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

22 Community Services ReportHealth promotionThe current Health PromotionProgramme focuses onPromoting Mental Health andWellbeing..What is mental health andwellbeing?Just as physical health is morethan ‘not being sick’, mentalhealth is more than not having amental illness.Building blocks for mental healthinclude:• Feeling part of a community• Being part of an activecommunity and being activewith others• Feeling safe, secureand respected in yourrelationships, home andcommunity• Having secure housing,employment and being ableto make choices about lifeIn the past year we have targetedthe first two building blocks, withactivities and projects including:• Bringing women togetherwith the Otway Ladies Nightand Mini Field of Womenevent• Partnering with Apollo BayP-12 College for the girlsmentoring programme• Supporting ‘Walk Safelyto School Day’ throughproviding a healthy breakfaston the foreshore andorganising a visit from the GoFor Your Life Bus• Supporting families to bephysically active through the‘Moving Monkeys’ kids gymsessions• Reaching out to older menin the community throughactivities such as the Men’sShed and Monthly Men’sLunchWe’ll continue to find ways tosupport community life, andwould love to hear from you. Aspart of an ongoing conversationwith the community, the HealthPromotion Team is currentlyexploring how we can bettersupport families with youngchildren to live healthier, happierlives. The information we collectwill help us to adapt currenthealth promotion activities, plannew projects and make surethat we’re providing what ourcommunity needs.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Community Services Report23Maternity Services & Parent Support ProgramOtway Health runs a ParentSupport Program and this isenhanced by the services of theMaternal and Child Health Nursethat visits on Mondays fromColac Otway Shire. Our programencompasses:• Antenatal classes becominga star attraction for manymums and dads –to-be withthe more classes held thisyear than previous years.• Family meals – two familymeals for the whole family onyour return home after thebirth.• Home care – washing,cleaning, ironing.• Lactation consultant to helpwith advice on breastfeeding.• Postnatal midwife visits –one or two home visits asrequired.Almost all new borns in ApolloBay participated in the FamilyServices Program whether it beante-natal classes, post-natalclasses, delivered meals and/ordomestic service assistance.Family Services this yearconcentrated on linking in withother services at Otway Health tocreate a truly holistic experiencefor families and ensure that thejourney home for all new mumsand dads is an enjoyable one.Community health nurseThe Community Health Nurse(CHN) at Otway Health offersassessment, education andsupport to assist people livingwith or at risk of a chronic illness,with particular focus on diabetesand respiratory conditions suchas asthma and COPD. In 2010-2011the CHN continued to provideindividual counselling with anincreased number of clientsattending for health coachingfocusingon making healthylifestyle changes to decreasethe risk of, or manage a chroniccondition. The CHN also furtherdeveloped programs such as theWorkHealth Program, communityasthma education and the Lifediabetesprevention program.These programs address someof the contributing factors withinour community that lead tochronic illness.In 2011-2012 the CHN will increasethe capacity of the servicethrough the introduction of asmoking cessation clinic. Tobaccouse itself is a complex chroniccondition. Contrary to popularbelief, quitting smoking takesa lot more than willpower. Thenew clinic will work with peopleindividually to explore effectiveways to manage their addictionthrough both behavioural andpharmacological (patches, gumetc) means. GP support will beencouraged.The CHN is available Monday-Thursday and appointmentscan be made through reception.Keep an eye out for upcomingcommunity presentations andevents. Alternatively, you can callher on 5237 8574 or drop into theCommunity Services building.

24Community Services ReportCommunity Development Worker for YouthOur Community DevelopmentWorker for Youth was employedin June 2010 to developrelationships with, and anunderstanding of, the needs andwants of young people in ApolloBay.Over the past year we haveheld a wide range of communityconsultations and conversationsto hear the thoughts, ideasand issues from all concernedcommunity members and havebegun the process of respondingto these expressed needs.Otway Health has developedstrong partnerships with otheryouth networks in the regionto highlight and promote theneeds of our youth and to ensureongoing development, supportand wellbeing within our Shire.Two successful Parentingprograms were run in responseto an expressed need in 2010and 2011 over a 4 week periodto assist parents with teenagechildren and this will be anongoing program as communityneeds demand.The Youth Club has worked inpartnership with Otway Health inproviding a venue for our regularDrop-In night which now runssuccessfully every Friday nightfor young people.It provides a safe, healthy andsupported environment for ouryouth and again is in responseto an expressed need by bothyoung people and adults in thecommunity.We aim to slowly improve theenvironment and build the projectup to provide a wide range ofclasses and supported activitieswhich will aim to promoteoverall health and wellbeing forour youth as the Drop-in nightdevelops.We have also developedpartnerships with ‘Cafe MealsClub’ which assists young peoplewith their nutritional needsand with partnerships in ourcommunity they are able tofinancially assist young people toeat healthier meals and provide awarm, safe place to eat. This willbe an ongoing program for thosein need funded by Cafe MealsClub.The process of developingrelationships and supporting ouryouth and their needs and wantswill be ongoing. We’ll continue toengage and support the youngpeople in our community andwelcome continued input from allmembers of our community, inparticular, our youth.HOME & COMMUNITY CAREOtway Health has strived toimprove HACC services overthe last year. There have been anumber of reviews resulting in:• An increase of staff levels tomore than that in the last fiveyears• An increase in communitytransport services• Recruitment of new HACCCoordinator• Recruitment of a newVolunteer Coordinator• Recruitment of new PlannedActivity Group Coordinatorand AssistantOtway Health has increasedthe number of activities andprograms for people over the ageof 65 with a transitional physicalactivity and balance class:Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011• SILCs (Senior IndependentLiving Class) is for thosewanting to regain a littlebalance in their life• Active Balance is dynamicand fun moving class forthose that want to maintainbalance and physical stamina• The Men’s Lunch happens atthe local pub every two weekswhere the senior fellows ofour town can catch up over agood meal.• Men’s Activity Group alsomeet every two weeks andparticipate in a range ofexcursions and activitiesA survey of meals on wheelsand volunteer coordination hasgiven us a range of communityfeedback to improve servicesand programs. This included therange of meals provided, the timethe meals are delivered and howthey are delivered.Property Maintenance and thefinance components of the HACCservice were reviewed to improvethe efficiency and resourcing ofthe services.HACC services havealso embraced the StateGovernment’s roll out of theActive Service Model. This modellooks at putting the client firstand planning programs and goalswith the clients that make livinglife better. For example, shoppingwith the client instead of for theclient, preparing meals with theclient instead of simply givingmeals to the client.

Community Services Report25physiotherapyThe Otway Health Physiotherapyteam now has 3 Allied HealthAssistants – each with separateskills and areas of expertise butall able to assist communitymembers with specialisedexercise programs in their ownhomes. The Physiotherapist nowworks in Apollo Bay 3 days eachweek (Monday, Wednesday andThursdays) and is sub-contractedout to Lorne on Tuesdays andFridays – helping to strengthenthe bonds between OtwayHealth and Lorne CommunityHospital. The Physiotherapistcontinues with frequentprofessional development andhas commenced a MastersDegree in Public Health, and beenfortunate to receive a scholarshipfrom the Victorian HealthcareAssociation to assist with thecosts involved in returning tostudy. The team now has regularmeetings to share knowledge andimprove skills and have agreedto an annual set of competenciesto ensure relevant skills aremaintained.Pilate’s classes have been wellreceived over the past year andsupervised warm water exerciseclasses will be resuming inSeptember. We are also planningon being able to deliver moreexercise sessions internallyover the next 12 months to ourresidents and clients.The aim of the team continuesto be “To assist all members tothe community to achieve theirmaximum potential in physicalhealth” and we enthusiasticallyembrace new ideas to increasethe reach, scope and efficiency ofhow we do this.Feedback from our ActiveBalance Class – designedby a physiotherapist, andimplemented by our AlliedHealth Assistants.• “Gives you an idea on howto maintain balance. Thingsyou may not have thoughtof before. Very good socialgroup and get together”• “This class has beenwonderful and I look forwardto our Tuesday. The peopleare so caring and only haveour (best) interest at heart. Ihave improved so much.”• “Staff very helpful andcaring. Notice my balancehas improved. No falls. Enjoythe company. Eye focus hasimproved. Finished one 15week course, back for more.(I am) spreading the word onwhat is available.”

26Community Services ReportOccupational TherapyThe Occupational Therapyprogram focuses on assistingpeople to stay at home,by assessing clients homeenvironments and providingrecommendations for homemodifications or assistiveequipment. The OccupationalTherapy service at Otway Healthalso provides assessments andprograms for children who maybe experiencing developmentaldifficulties both at home orschool. Recognition of the handtherapy program has continued tooccur, with an increasing numberof referrals from Barwon Health.Providing a local service for anyof the above programs meansthat local community membersdo not need to travel extensivelyfor Occupational Therapyservices. The Allied HealthAssistant supports the programby either assisting with followingup on prescribed equipmentor delivering a home programprescribed by the OccupationalTherapist. An integral part of theservice is to continue to supportcommunity members in accessingappropriate funding for homemodifications or equipment.Moving Monkeys, a children’smotor skills program continues tobe delivered by the OccupationalTherapist with support fromthe AHA. The plan over thenext twelve months is to ensurethat this becomes a sustainableprogram in the community.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Community Services Report27community nurseCommunity Nursing at OtwayHealth continues to help peoplelive well at home longer, providinga range of tasks from woundmanagement to Advanced CarePlanning.As people stay at home longer,there is an increasing need forhigher intensity generalist care;as well as an increased need torefer on to other services so carecan be coordinated for betterquality of life for the client.This year, the CommunityNursing Program has exploredsystems and processes thatimprove quality of care for alldemographics.Changes in the Community Nurseprogram include:• Building a framework forpractice in communitynursing.• Reviewing the position,making the Community Nurseresponsible for all personalcare needs in the community.• Implementing the ActiveService Model across theOrganisation.The following letter to the Apollo Bay News Sheet on November 11th 2010 succinctly shows how all theseservices within our community services division work together to help people to recover from ill health, or tomaintain good health:“The Editor, Thank you to Otway Health.Our family has been greatly indebted to Otway Health over the past month, they have such a wonderful servicewhich provides special caring home care for people requiring special home treatment.On the 7th August, Jack unfortunately had an accident in a Melbourne restaurant by missing a step, wherefalling resulted in a broken hip and torn shoulder muscle, spending four weeks in St Vincent’s hospital. Arrivedhome and was progressing well, he unfortunately had a setback which resulted in a three week stay in Geelonghospital. After the setback, Jack was unable to move and in extreme pain, the ambulance was called, the twowonderful paramedics were magnificent handling him with the utmost skill and care. On arriving home, we havehad the benefit of Anne Missen (the Community Nurse) who comes three times per week for showering, alwaysso bright and cheery. Cheryl for physiotherapy who has Jack back up on his feet. This treatment is now beingcontinued by Cheryl’s assistant (Allied Health Assistant) Liz who comes twice a week. Their physiotherapy isequal to that of the large hospitals. Tania, the occupational therapist who had recommendations for the home.All this care has Jack off the frame and he has progressed to a walking stick, all done in our own home withcaring, skilful, bright, cheery people. Thank you to these people and to Otway Health for providing such awonderful community service.Avis and Jack Coles.”

28Community Services ReportCOMMUNITY WELFARE OFFICERCounselling, advocacy andgeneral welfare services areprovided by our CommunityWelfare Worker. Home visits arealso available as the large OtwayHealth coverage area stretchesfrom Forrest and Beech Forestin the North and between WyeRiver and Lavers Hill in the southcovering many farms and beachtown residences.Practical support is given withissues relating to completion ofCentrelink forms, emergencyrelief, assisting with utility bills,housing, isolation, problemsolving or providing a listeningear (debriefing), mediation, orsupport during crisis. Referralsare also made to relevantservices in Colac and Geelong.The provision of advocacymeans speaking on behalf of thecommunity member to ensuretheir best interests are met.Counselling addresses a widerange of general issues suchas, parenting, drug and alcoholaddiction, grief & loss, stress,anger and violence, gambling,anxiety , depression and othermental health issues.The monthly Men’s lunch hasrecently expanded to includean outing once a month andhas become a Planned ActivityGroup specifically for older menwho may feel a little isolatedand enjoy the company of othermen. The Apollo Bay Hotel hascontinued to provide a suitablevenue for the monthly lunch.The men’s program provides auseful mechanism to monitor andpromote aspects of men’s health& wellbeing. The CommunityWelfare Worker supports the SeaMist aged community residentialunits with quarterly communitymeetings being held in thecommunity room at Sea MistVillas and provides advocacy tothe residents in the Low & highcare residential facilities. A closerpartnership with Lions Villagehas recently commenced with theprovision of housing support bythe Community Welfare Workerto younger residents who areaccommodated at Lions Village.People needing assistancecan contact the CommunityWelfare Worker via Otway Healthreception and no referrals arenecessary.There has been an interestingtrend in the number of hoursand clients that we see on behalfof Centrelink. We have seen amarked decrease in attendanceat the Centrelink agency. This canbe attributed to several reasons.As clients move up in age group,Centrelink offers them 3 monthlyreporting, instead of fortnightlyreporting, resulting in less visitsper person. The increase in phonereporting and internet accessfor clients now means they haveno reason to come in and seeus either. There continues to beclients which we would neveradvise to not use our CentrelinkAgency as they require fairly highamounts of assistance.marrar woorn Neighbourhood HouseMarrar Woorn continues toembrace the community andits events at every turn. Everyafternoon the sound of footsteps,back packs and spoons makingmilo can be heard as the schoolstudents make their way for astopover at Marrar Woorn.Achievements at Marrar Woorn:• Partnered with Apollo BayCommunity Choir to host theVocal Nosh• NAIDOC week morning teacelebrations have cementedthemselves as an annualevent at Marrar WoornNeighbourhood House• Bus loads of trips to theVictoria Market for days ofshopping and eating• Women’s retreat weekendOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Community Services Report29lavers hill Neighbourhood HouseThe Lavers Hill SteeringCommittee has become aformidable partner in the successof the Lavers Hill NHH program.Together with Otway Health, twoCoordinators have been recruitedand there have been a number ofactivities started.There was a fabulous responsefrom the community to help kickstart the strategic planning forthe house and we now have adirection and focus.Achievements of the Lavers HillNHH:• Recruitment of a NHHCoordinator• Developing an annualstrategic plan• Developing a partnership withthe school for program andactivities in the future• Hosted the InternationalWomen’s Day attended byover 60 women from acrossthe region.• Ran the first computer courseprogram for the communityand helping it progress froma beginners course to aintermediate course• Partnership with the Laver’sHill K-12 College.A recent agreement has beenestablished between the Laver’sHill College and the Laver’s Hill &District Community House. Thisdocument outlines the schoolspace the LH&DCH can access forfuture programs. We hope to planprograms utilising the facilitiesat the school for the communityduring the day (subject to schooltimetable), evenings, weekendsand during school holidays. Theschool space offered for ourprograms: Home Economics,Main and Lower Gym, ComputerRoom, Heated Pool (membershiprequired), Art Room, WoodworkRoom, the oval and playground.The Laver’s Hill International Women’s Day event held at the Laver’s Hill Hall in March, 2011 was a hugesuccess thanks to members of the Community, the Co-ordinator (Tania Morse), the volunteers, theAdvisory Committee, local businesses, the Laver’s Hill K-12 College and Otway Health & CommunityServices. The event received $1000 funding from UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fundfor Women) to assist with the running of the event. The intention of the event was to recognise,acknowledge and pay tribute to the many women who have been vital to the community as volunteersover and above their daily roles and to pay tribute to the Pioneering women who have establishedstrength and endurance that has enabled following generations to benefit. This was a free eventproviding, supper, entertainment, shuttle buses from outlying areas plus a showcase of the works fromthe many talented local women. Ninety women between the ages of 12 to 85 attended this event. Fourschool bus drivers, plus the driver of the Otway Health Community Bus, donated their time and vehiclecollecting the women on route from Apollo Bay to Princetown and inland Beech Forest, Gellibrand andColac to the Laver’s Hill Hall with a return trip at the end of the evening. The Community feedbackafter the event was fantasticForrest Neighbourhood HouseThe Forrest & DistrictNeighbourhood House programcontinues to thrive with newactivities and events taking placeover the past year. The popularcommunity lunch caters for upto 20 people weekly and is awonderful example of volunteers,community and services comingtogether to share, enjoy andconnect. 2011 saw the completionof our Disability Action Planand an increase of people ofall abilities attending activitiesin a growing relationship withKaringal. The House continuesto work closely with othercommunity groups and theschool on joint projects. Thanksto community support specialevents throughout the year alsohelped raise funds for tsunamiand flood victims. It is a tributeto our volunteers, their hardwork and enthusiasm that theprogram continues to grow.

30 Clinical Services ReportThe philosophy of Otway Healthis to keep people healthy andwell supported in their homeenvironment.This is achieved by closepartnerships with the communityservices team who work tomaintain or improve health toenable our clients to remainindependent. When care is nolonger possible or appropriatein the home, Clinical Care canoffer a range of services to meetindividual needs:• Acute Care• Urgent Care• Respite Care• Nurse Clinic• Short Stay Unit• Residential Aged CarePresentations / Bed Days300025002000150010002008/20095002009/201002010/2011RadiologyNurse ClinicECUPresentationsAcuteAdmissionsNeedleExchangeACUTE CAREClients presenting with severe,short term conditions thatrequire hospitalisation can beadmitted to our Acute Care Unit.Four beds are available foracute care admissions bycredentialed medical officers.Such admissions are typically forthe treatment of infections, painmanagement and restorativecare. These four rooms can beused flexibly also for respite andpalliative care.This unit is attended by approvedVisiting Medical Officers.We may receive a request totransfer a patient from anotherhospital to continue care. This isespecially true for our Home CareRecipients whom have receivedmedical treatment at GeelongHospital and are in recoverystage, yet are not assessed asbeing able to go home.Whilst our figures reflect thatthese rooms are not extensivelyused, they are a valuable part ofour service and essential to thecare we are able to provide to ourcommunity.There were 76 admissionsresulting in 370 bed days for thefinancial year. This is an increasefrom 66 admissions and 243 beddays for the 2009-2010 year.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Clinical Services Report31URGENT CAREThe urgent care unit contains twobeds for urgent presentations24 hours a day. The Departmentof Health encourages the useof the name Urgent Care todescribe the service provided, asaccident and emergency unitsare staffed by salaried medicalofficers at all times. Membersof the community presenting toUrgent Care at Otway Health aretriaged by registered nurses wholiaise with on call medical stafffor assessment, stabilisation andtransfer if necessary.Of the 953 presentations tourgent care in 2010-2011, 92were transferred to a largerhospital for treatment and 35were admitted for care at OtwayHealth. 461 presentations werelocal people and 492 werevisitors. The number of overallpresentations is slightly down onlast financial year’s figures of 1118,possibly due to the Great OceanRoad closure for two weeksover the summer period fromlandslides resulting in downturnof tourism.RESIDENTIAL AGED CARESometimes, for a number ofreasons, older people are nolonger able to live at home.For instance, you may be frailor ill, your partner may havepassed away, leaving you lonelyor unable to manage on yourown, or your family or carer maybe unable to cope. Whateverthe reason, if this time comes,Residential Aged Care can ensurethat you have all the care andsupport you need, in a welcomingand friendly environment.Otway Health has 13 flexiblelow level beds and 8 flexiblehigh level beds. Approximately52% of a possible 21 full bedoccupancy have been dischargedthis financial year. Despite this,an occupancy rate of greaterthan 85% has been maintained.This shows that Otway Healthfollows the general pattern inaged care, of residents beingadmitted later and consequentlyfor shorter periods of time. Asthe most intense times of activityfor staff are at admission andwhen resident’s conditions havedeteriorated, this emerging trendincreases workload and stresson staff. The flow on effect ofpeople being cared for longer intheir own homes also includespeople in the community beingcared for at end of life in apalliative care or acute care bed,rather than an aged care one.RespiteRespite care is available for those requiring care who choose to remain in the community.Respite bed days have increased by in 2010 – 2011 by 13% from 2009-2010, to a total of 275.NURSE CLINICNurse clinic is a service offeredto the community in conjunctionwith Apollo Bay General Practice.Patients primarily attend fortreatment of wounds andantibiotic therapy. Numbers aredown this year to 129 from theprevious year’s figure of 202.This statistic may reflect theadditional percentage of time twomedical officers were availablefor treatment and may also beinfluenced by road closure andan increased number of acuteadmissions.

32Clinical Services ReportNEEDLE EXCHANGEThis program is offered in anattempt to reduce infection ratesin the community. Statistics aredown on the 2008-2009 financialyear of 2460 but up on that of2009-2010 of 1093 to 1870 in2010-2011. 95% of our clientsusing the service are returnclients with only 5% ‘New Clients’or visitors utilising the service.FOOD SERVICESOver the past twelve monthsthe food services departmenthas been preparing, serving anddelivering over 2500 meals permonth. These meals range frombreakfast, lunch and dinner forthe residents, morning teas forresidents and staff.Meals are prepared for Child Care,Planned Activities Group (PAGs),Staff Meetings, and the monthlyBoard meeting.Approximately 60 family mealsto new parents in the area havebeen delivered.Food services averages 420delivered meals per month viaMeals on Wheels, and is growing.Otway Health would like to thankour wonderful volunteers fortheir great support over the pasttwelve months.Menus are constantly beingdeveloped to provide variety andalso nutritional appropriateness.MEDICATION MANAGEMENTMedications errors havereduced by 56% in 2010 -2011in comparison to 2009-2010across a range of issues. Reasonsfor this include changes toprocesses for medical staffordering medication doses andthe reduction of poly pharmacyacross aged care services. AMedication Advisory Committeehas been established, thisgroup will be a driver of furtherimprovements in care deliveryin this area. It is also significantto note that medication errorsin 2009-2010 had reduced by30% from that of 2008-2009,demonstrating the resultsof continuous improvementactivities.We are extremely proud of thisachievement for our clinical staff,and shows that the changesthat we have implemented areimproving the quality of servicethat we offer.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Corporate Services Report33RECORDSDuring the year Records’staff continued their studiesin Certificate III in Business(Medical Administration) withhalf the modules required nowsuccessfully completed. Theknowledge gained from thiscourse to date has been a usefulresource for Records’ staff andhas been applied in day to dayduties.In addition to the 300 healthcarerecords that were destroyed lastyear a further 200 healthcarerecords were identified fordestruction and disposedof accordingly. The task ofidentification, destruction andnotification of healthcare recordsin the compactus is ongoing andwill be a continual practice.In the coming year Records’staff will strive to complete theirscheduled training with a view forcompletion in late 2012.The Public Records Office ofVictoria (PROV) has implementednew record standards relating tostorage. Records’ staff attendedtraining in these new standardsand will be taking steps andidentifying methods to ensurecompliance.The engagement of a HealthInformation Manager on acontracted basis has beenextremely beneficial to OtwayHealth. She has not only ensuredoptimum funding for all episodesof inpatient care but has providedvaluable training across theservice and assistance withquality and audit practices.FINANCEThe Finance team has once againsuccessfully closed the booksfor the 2010/2011 financial year.Oracle, the accounting softwarepackage introduced in 2010 bythe State Government, is stillchallenging however, with thepurchase of Power Budget (anadditional reporting tool) we arenow able to produce user friendlyreports and budgets for theManagement Team.Two internal audits have beenconducted during the past year.The first audit undertaken wasfor Payroll and Human ResourceAdministration and the second forProcurement. Both audits werevery favourable for Otway Healthwith minimum recommendationsfor improvement.QUALITY MANAGEMENTAugust 2011 marks the end ofan accreditation cycle for OtwayHealth and following a review,a new cycle will commence.‘Accreditation’ relates to beingaccredited against a set ofstandards. Otway Health, likemany other organisations, needsan accreditation certificate inorder to prove that standardshave been met, and in order forconsumers of our services tobe confident that Otway Healthcan meet their expectations. Anaccreditation certificate also hasa direct impact on the fundingfor our services and the ability tooffer a diverse range of services.Otway Health has chosenQICSA (Quality Improvement& Community ServicesAccreditation) to be theiraccreditation provider andin return Otway Health hasagreed to strive to meet the QICStandards. The QIC Standardsrequire us to demonstrate thatOtway Health has a qualitysystem. ‘Quality System’ is theterm used to describe the overallframework and the variouselements and processes involvedin quality improvement.To achieve accreditation anumber of systems need to be inplace and working well together.These systems are analysedand reviewed for effectiveness,accuracy and relevance at reviewtime and the feedback from thereview formulates the QualityWork Plan. The Quality Work Planbecomes a working document toguide the quality improvementprocess for the next three years,in addition to the various qualityinitiatives that staff, managementand our volunteers implementas they develop. Otway Healthwelcomes QICSA’s feedback andlooks to the next accreditationcycle to further improve our corefunctions and processes.

34 Corporate Services ReportINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)OHCS is a member of the SWARH(South West Alliance of RuralHealth) alliance and this yearsaw the transfer of internal ICTsupport to the centralised SWARHmodel. Local ICT resource JohnMcBride remains geographicallybased at OHCS but now also hasSWARH wide responsibilitiesand OHCS now have accessto over 60 SWARH ICT staff.SWARH are committed to workingclosely with OHCS to ensurethat our ICT infrastructure andsupport is of the highest quality.2010 - 2011 saw the followingprojects implemented at OtwayHealth• Implementation of theSWARH Help Desk to enableusers to log ICT faults andtrack progress of remediation• Lavers Hill NeighbourhoodHouse : Implementation ofa Next G connection to theSWARH network and a newmultifunction Kyocera LaserPrinter for faxing, copying,printing and scanning.• Lease renewal: replaced6 Dell Laptops and 2 DellWorkstations• Transfer of Otway HealthICT support to a centralisedSWARH model• Migration of all OtwayHealth email accounts to theMicrosoft Exchange platform,enhancing remote accessto emails and sharing ofcalendars and public folders.• Migration of local SWARHRiskman (incident and riskmanagement software) to thenew Victorian Health IncidentManagement SystemHUMAN RESOURCESOtway Health complies withEqual Employment Opportunityrequirements where both staffand those applying for positionswith the Service are treatedaccording to their ability andmerit. In 2010/2011, 33 peoplejoined our team and 29 left us.The Performance Review processhas been completed and theTraining Requirements for stafffor Professional Developmenthave been put together formonitoring.We have begun theimplementation of ElectronicHuman Resources files sincethe beginning of the year, wecouldn’t find a system that wouldintegrate with our other systemsand therefore implemented ourown. We undertook an InternalAudit as part of our Audit Processand the initial report from theAuditor was very favourable forthis new system.As we endeavour to recruitfrom various sources (especiallyClinical Staff), we havesuccessfully sponsored a numberof Clinical Care Staff which hasbolstered the ranks and helpedfill gaps in rosters. We haveemployed Zhezi Zhang (Silas)(China), Lyndsey Petherick (UK),Rita Abraham (India via Ireland)and Maria Martinez (Philippines)With the success of our ‘CountUs In’ program for our residents,we have received further fundingto allow this program to runseven days per week and haveemployed three casual staffmembers to help the program runevery day to keep our residentsactive in body and mind.Advertising is ongoing inrecruitment for the casual nursebank. Home Carers and PersonalCare Attendants are skills sharingacross both areas to help fillshortages that arise.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Corporate Services Report35MaintenanceThe Maintenance Team maintainsthe buildings, grounds, equipmentand ancillary sites of OtwayHealth.The Home and Community CareCoordinator, Community Nurseand Occupational Therapist canalso submit requests for work tobe completed in clients’ homes,for instance installing grabrails, eliminating trip hazards,maintaining smoke alarms etc.This work enables clients to staysafely in their homes for as longas possible before consideringresidential care options. A totalof 61 jobs were completed for ourcommunity members to maketheir homes safer in the pastyear.Our Maintenance Team have beeninstrumental in assisting with:-• Redesigning of gardens tomake them dementia friendly(ongoing)• Relocation of reception areato increase security for staffand the children in Child Care• Installation of new aerialsto make the service digitallyready• Stage 3 of introduction of theswipe door entries to securerooms and access within thefacility• Licensing of 3rd room in ChildCare

36 Corporate Services ReportPR & FUNDRAISINGDuring 2010/2011, The PublicRelations and Fundraising Officerhas concentrated on raisingpublic awareness of programs onoffer throughout Otway Healthand improving communicationwith our communityAchievements for 2010/2011:• The Bronze Award wasreceived for the 2009/2010Report of Operations whichwas delivered $2000 underbudget.• The Public Relations Officer[PRO] was directly involved insuccessful grant applicationsof $92,000 . Total successfulgrant applications was$131,555• Introduction of new feedbackprocedure utilising theRiskman Software thatcentralises the feedback , andthe PRO, under guidance ofCEO, is able to monitor andensure timely response andoutcomes. It also enablesOHCS to convert feedback toQuality Activities and to trackoutcomes.• Introduction of thank youcards, sent out to all thosewho provide feedback toOtway Health• Corporate re-branding hasbegun across stationary,publications and will beimplemented on new website• We always have had to becreative in the way that welet our consumers knowwhat is happening due to theisolation of the communitiesthat we service. We haveworked towards achievingthis by advertising weekly inthe news letters that comeout of Apollo Bay, as wellas with the Forrest PrimarySchool, and the LaversHill P-12. We also created aFacebook Group with eventsto utilise social media• Registered on Volunteeringportals and ensuring ourdetails are correct and on asmany websites as possible• Research towards updatingour existing website so thatit is more user friendly andcomes up higher in searchengine optimisation• Going to community groupmeetings, and to ourNeighbourhood Houses inForrest and Lavers Hill topublicise Otway Healthas the local health careprovider, and answeringqueries• Learning what Otway Healthoffers, and developing waysto reach our target audience• Implemented new ways ofdistributing Annual Reportand sending out the Qualityof Care Report by direct mailto all residents .• Apply for Postage Paid withAustralia Post to encouragereturn of surveys• Monitor brochures, posters,booklets, and other print/media formats to ensurethat we are compliant withrecommendations from ourCultural Diversity Committee,our complaints procedureand other organisationalrequirements• Create an email list for directmail outs to communitymembers and groups withover 200 email addresses• Successfully approachingbusinesses for donations forour activities programsOtway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Corporate Services Report37Document ControlThe Protocol Management andProduction Tool (PROMPT) iscontinually being updated withnew features. With over 30 otherhealth organisations using thissoftware it is a great tool tohelp with the implementationof new policies and procedures.Within the past year, we havecombined many similar policies &procedures to make them morestreamlined and easier for staffto comprehend and follow.Within our internal filing systemwe have made some minorchanges, with the folder viewsbeing minimised to make it easierfor staff to find what they arelooking for.In 2011-2012 we will be starting tomove our Central Records frompaper based files to electronicfiles with a central listing therebyworking towards achieving ourgoal of becoming a paper freeorganisation.Donations ListAlthough Otway Health receivesfunding from both state andfederal government, it is theincome received from donationsthat are especially appreciated.Not all of our donations are ofthe monetary kind either. InNovember last year, SecondSails Opportunity Shop made adonation of $170,000 to OHCS.Other donations have beenreceived from :Jack and Shirley CraneSally, Hayley, Blake and HaydenPattersonEstelle IrvingHelen IrvingJenny Mannion and ColinMcDonaldNeil MannionLucy Smailes and Shane ColliePaul and Judi RobsonCole FamilyDeb MuhovisStephen HartJo LeorkeBell Charitable FundApollo Bay Bowls Club LadiesMany thanks to all of OtwayHealth’s donors.OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETYOccupational Health and Safetyof staff is a high priority at OtwayHealth.The OH&S Committee meetsregularly and is composedof Health and SafetyRepresentatives elected fromeach of designated work groupsacross the organisation asrequired by the OccupationalHealth and Safety (OH&S)Act 2004. The OH&S staffrepresentatives and managerswork together to maintain arigorous process that identifieshazards and is able to respondquickly to address these.Staff representatives are electedfor a maximum of three years andare consulted about any changesto the workplace that may affectemployees.The achievements of the OH&SCommittee this year haveincluded:• Expanding the membership toinclude staff representativesfrom three additionaldesignated work groups;Home and Community Care,Food Services and Child CareService.• Review and redesign of thequarterly HousekeepingInspections• Introduction of Annual SiteInspections using the QICSAAudit Tool• The use of RiskmanQ torecord quality improvementsthat arise from and addressfrom safety issues for staff.• OH&S policies and procedureshave been reviewed• A station wagon has beenpurchased to enable safetransport of staff and clientswith framesRiskman is an electronic databasethat allows staff to utilise acentral point to report incident,hazards, risks and communityfeedback. Inherent in thissystem is the need to investigateincidents and implement controlsdesigned to prevent similarincidents from recurring. Allincidents are reported to theBoard and monitored by theOH&S committee for staffincidents. These are followedup to ensure all are addressedpromptly.

38Corporate Services ReportComplaints ReportsIn 2010/2011 there were nocomplaints against Otway Healthto the Office of the HealthServices Commissioner.Consultancies over andunder $100,000In 2010/2011 there were noconsultancies in excess of$100,000. There have been3 consultancies for less than$100,000 totalling $66,345Building Act 1993In accordance with Good BuildingPrinciples and Practices’ Agenciesare required to regularly carryout assessments and reportson the condition of built assets.Otway Health has complied withall government requirements toensure that all built assets aremaintained and protected.Application andOperation of the FOI ActThe Freedom of InformationAct 1982 provides the rightto obtain information held byOtway Health. Requests underthe Act are made in writing tothe Principle Officer who is theManager Corporate Services. TheManager Corporate Services isalso the Authorised Officer. Five(5) requests have been processedunder the Act during 2010/2011,five (5) granted in full.Financial ManagementCompliance FrameworkOtway Health maintained a 100%compliance against all StandingDirections of the FinancialManagement ComplianceFramework during 2010/2011.Australian/New ZealandRisk ManagementStandardI, Linda West certify that OtwayHealth has Risk Managementprocesses in place consistentwith the Australian/New ZealandRisk Management Standardand an internal control systemis in place that enables theexecutive to understand, manageand satisfactorily control riskexposures. The Audit Committeeverifies this assurance and thatthe risk profile of Otway Healthhas been critically reviewedwithin the last 12 months.Linda WestChief Executive Officer/ Accountable OfficerEnvironmental Performance SummaryOtway Health is working toreduce the Services impact onthe environment in many ways:• A water tank has beeninstalled to collect and storewater for the garden and touse in emergencies if themains water fails.• Plans are being developed toexplore the use of alternativesources of energy such assolar, heat pumps and windpower to eventually createa self sufficient facility thatalso puts energy back intothe grid. Alternative poweroptions are not only a costsaving mechanism but theyuse solar or wind power,models environmentalresponsibility anddemonstrates the benefits ofthese options to other smallrural health services.• Otway Health utilises moderntechnology as much aspossible by using video andphone conferencing to reducetravel time for staff andby providing video trainingthrough the Aged CareChannel to provide consistentand accessible opportunitiesfor skill development for staff.• The Board members utilisetheir secure internet site toaccess meeting documentsand hold paperless meetingseach month. All boardcommittees now operatein this way, as do internalmeetings throughout theorganisation.• Service activities aremonitored and data collectedvia a range of softwareapplications and the OtwayHeath website is utilised forrecruitment of new staff.• It is Otway Heath policy torecycle paper and plastics,use small cars to reduce fuelconsumption, and promotesustainability.• The Neighbourhood houseis working with Housesin neighbouring Shires tobecome a ‘Eco Living Centre’for daily operations.Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 2011

Corporate Services Report39National Competition PolicyDuring 2010/2011 Otway Healthhas called for tenders for thePrecinct Development andDesign Project and the 2011-2016strategic plan, and compliedto the degree application NewAsset Maintenance Schedule andcomplied to the degree applicablewith National CompetitionPolicy including the CompetitiveNeutrality Policy Victoria andsubsequent reforms. Payroll,accountancy, and cleaningservices have been externallycontracted. These contractshave continued in the 2010/2011financial year.Victorian Industry Participation PolicyIn accordance with the VictorianIndustry Participation Policy Act2003, Otway Health is requiredto report on the implementationof the Victorian IndustryParticipation Policy (VIPP).During 2010/2011 there have beenno tenders let or completed witha value greater than $1 million.Prudential ComplianceSome Aged Care Residents havepaid either an entry contributionor an accommodation bond whenthey commenced residency atOtway Health. As such OtwayHealth has an obligation tocomplete an audited AnnualPrudential Compliance return.Otway Health was found tobe fully compliant and heldan average of $192,000 incombined entry contributions andaccommodation bonds during2010/2011.Summary And Application of Whistleblowers ActThe Whistleblower Procedureensures transparency andaccountability and provides anenvironment that guaranteesdisclosures can be made safelywithout the fear of reprisal.Throughout the year nodisclosures have been madeunder the Act.

40Otway Health & Community Servicesreport of operations 2010 - 201175 McLachlan Street, PO Box 84, Apollo Bay VIC 3233Ph: (03) 5237 8500 Fax: (03) 5237 6172Email: otwayhealth@swarh.vic.gov.auwww.otwayhealth.com.au