WSCF Regional Community Care Forums this month were held in two sessions, focused on Aged Care and Disability respectively, with feature guest speakers delivering presentations to address some of the current issues arising from recent developments and updates in these areas.
More than 60 Community Care agencies attended the Aged Care focused session, held in Penrith City Council Nepean Room on June 26. Guest speaker Tanya Travis-Smith, from the NSW Government Department of Health and Ageing, covered a range of issues including the extension to CHSP contracts, the new manual, wellness approach, reablement and restorative care.
Speaker Glen Sorenson from Age Communications delivered an informative session on wellness and reablement in Aged Care. The Q and A session that followed was well-utilised as an opportunity to raise further issues specific to service providers in our region.
The Disability-focus session on July 3 featured Monika Tracey, Assistant Director, Provider Engagement from NDIS National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), who provided an update on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), specific to disability service providers in western Sydney. Monika covered topics including an update on the NDIS rollout, NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework and the new NDIS pathway. Again, the Q and A was an opportunity for gaining insight and sharing concerns in connection with other industry representatives.
At the end of the second session, a further, unexpected positive outcome emerged, in finding a home for the fresh, surplus catering left after the event. WSCF Policy and Programs Manager Kathryn Hammond connected with Tracy from local community organisation Mama Lana’s Community Foundation who accepted the donation, which went some small way toward supporting their amazing work, assisting homeless people in western Sydney.
Our next regional forum is planned for October 2018. We are always keen to hear your ideas on potential topics for these forums; please contact communitycare@wscf.org.au with your feedback.
