Avoiding the Mediocre
ASENZ , 26 August 2013
Different Views on “Quality”
 Standardisation- Personalisation
 Predictable – Variable
 Compliance to standards – Subjective
 Clear procedures – Good practice
 Consistent outputs – Real outcomes
 Set – Evolving
 Meeting specific criteria – aspiring to be excellent
Key Thought
The ‘version of quality’ we subscribe to
is consistent with the values,
principles and aspirations of the
sector.
Enabling Good Lives
1. building knowledge and skills of disabled people - more
2.
3.
4.
5.
choice and control over their supports
investment in families
changes in communities: e.g. businesses and
workplaces are accessible, welcoming and recognise
the contribution that disabled people can make
changes to service provision e.g. align monitoring and
evaluation with the vision and principles of the
transformed system
changes to government systems and processes: to
support the system redesign e.g. individualised funding,
flexible outcomes-focussed contracting, funding pooled
from across Votes
EGL Principles
 Self-determination: disabled people are in control of their lives.
 Beginning early: invest early in families and whānau to support
them to be aspirational for their disabled child, to build community
and natural supports and to support disabled children to become
independent, rather than waiting for a crisis before support is
available.
 Person-centred: disabled people have supports that are tailored to
their individual needs and goals, and that take a whole life approach
rather than being split across programmes.
 Ordinary life outcomes: disabled people are supported to live an
everyday life in everyday places; and are regarded as citizens with
opportunities for learning, employment, having a home and family,
and social participation - like others at similar stages of life.
EGL Principles c/o
 Mainstream first: disabled people are supported to access
mainstream services before specialist disability services.
 Mana enhancing: the abilities and contribution of disabled people
and their families are recognised and respected.
 Easy to use: disabled people have supports that are simple to use
and flexible.
 Relationship building: supports build and strengthen relationships
between disabled people, their whānau and community.
A SAMS View on “Quality”
Quality is:
 to do with people, partnerships and processes (not
paper)
 to do with developing a culture that is about supports
/ networks / services being responsive, flexible and
creative.
 about building brilliance and innovation
 about identifying what is not working - so that we can
“try another way”.
Unfortunate “quality” strategies
When some systems / supports / services are confronted
with practices that do not work (i.e. a dead horse) their
approach to ‘quality’ lead them to do the strangest things
e.g.
 Hire outside contractors to see if they can ride the dead
horse
 Conduct research to study the dead horse
 Rewrite the performance requirements for all horses
 Reclassify the dead horse as being living impaired
 Provide additional $ or training to see if that improves the
horses performance
Two concepts central to quality - Excellence and
Effectiveness
Clues to effectiveness: engagement, authenticity,
credibility, plan driven not event driven and
constantly reviewing and adapting according to
actual results
Clues to excellence are more elusive e.g.
 Attitude – “whether you think you can or think you
can’t you are right” Henry Ford
 Innovation – “Some of the worlds greatest feats were
accomplished by people not smart enough to know
they were impossible”
Some steps to create and maintain “quality”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Practical Partnership – Find out what people want and work
with them in building this.
Make sure all perspectives are “heard”.
Seek strength and integrity through unity (mana kotahitanga).
Have a clear direction – where we are going (aspirational base).
Identify pathways – how we will get there.
Clear and constructive communication
Inclusive decision making
Monitor perceived risk (ask open questions in safe
environments)
Be specific about expectation – who will do what
SAMS believes that an approach that creates “quality”
will:
 be proactive, i.e. it will constructively address emerging

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issues before they mature into significant challenges
provide leadership opportunities, i.e. people with a lived
experience of disability will gather the insights, skills,
experiences and evidence to enhance their involvement
enable the gathering of information to form a solid evidence
base for further innovation
identify particular approaches/strategies that appear to
‘work well’ for individuals and families, i.e. collating real time
success stories to inform others
ensure there is an effective on-going review of the results
and impact of service approaches and government policies,
i.e. information on the results/outcomes experienced by
individuals
An “quality” approach must have certain approaches
that maximise:
 Trust, e.g., that information will be treated in a
respectful manner or that differences will not be
judged or exploited.
 Safety, e.g. that contributors will not lose a service
by complaining.
 Confidence, e.g. the process is designed to ensure
an equitable and accurate representation of
participants' perspectives.
A Effective Approach to “Quality” Can Cover:
 Attitudes
 Aspirations
 Potential
 Priorities
 Processes
 Practices
Some things to consider
 A multi-perspective approach
 Controversy is OK
 Organic or mechanistic?
 Outcomes /results of the process – increased insight
and enthusiasm or an intrusive distraction?
 Nothing beats creating multiple safe environments,
open questions and a constructive focus