Report of Operations - South West Alliance of Rural Health

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