Practical Design Fund Project
Risk and Change Management Transition
Supporting Not-For-Profit Providers to Prepare for
the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Final Report
Prepared by: Indra Arunachalam
Strategic Projects Manager
May 2013
Agreement ID: 1-N02GOF Schedule ID: 2-21195T
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Stage One – Business Analysis and Risk Identification ...................................................................................... 5
Stage Two – Consumer Perspective .................................................................................................................. 6
Stage Three – Transition Guide ......................................................................................................................... 7
Stage Four – Application and Mentoring Support............................................................................................. 7
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
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Acknowledgement
This project is independently managed by integratedliving and funded by the Australian Government
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
The opinions, comments and analysis expressed in this document are those of integratedliving and do not
necessarily represent the views of the Minister for Disability Reform and cannot be taken in any way as
expressions of government policy.
Further information on this project can be obtained by contacting the Project Manager, Indra Arunachalam,
on 0437 900 237 or indra@integratedliving.org.au
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Introduction
The aim of DisabilityCare Australia or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is to improve the
wellbeing, as well as the social and economic participation of people with disability and their carers by
building an NDIS that delivers care and support through an insurance approach. A key aspect of
DisabilityCare is the transition from block funding to individualised funding models.
integratedliving was a successful applicant for funding through the Practical Design Fund (PDF) from
FaHCSIA to deliver the Risk and Change Management Transition PDF Project from December 2012 to
May 2013.
integratedliving’s Risk and Change Management Transition Project focused on identifying the key
change management strategies required to successfully transition to an NDIS paradigm from a disability
service provider perspective. Preparing for the 1 July 2013 DisabilityCare transition is a high priority goal
for integratedliving because the NSW launch site, the Hunter Valley (Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and
Maitland LGAs), is a major disability service delivery area for integratedliving.
The four stages to this project were:
1)
Business Analysis and Risk Identification
Engagement of a business analyst to map the end-to-end business processes required to
transition from the current block funding arrangement to the new individualised funding model,
including assessment of risk and recommended risk management strategies.
2)
Consumer Perspective
Facilitation of focus groups to review findings and ensure that the proposed approach is truly
‘person-centred’ and reflective of the identified priorities and needs of people with disability
themselves.
3)
Transition Guide
Development and publication (online and hard copy), of a practical step-by-step How-to Guide for
other not-for-profit providers on how to prepare for change and a summary of the likely risks and
recommended risk management strategies, based on outcomes from the business analysis and
consumer feedback.
4)
Application and Mentoring Support
Dissemination of project learnings by hosting local workshops in our core service delivery regions
and provide mentoring for those not-for-profit organisations that would like support work
through their own change and risk management process.
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Stage One – Business Analysis and Risk Identification
Synoptic Consulting Pty Ltd, a business management consultancy that specialises in business analysis and
process improvement, was engaged to support integratedliving through this first stage. The business
analysis, change management strategies and risk identification activities had three phases:
1. Making an inventory of the processes that will be affected by the transition and prioritising those
processes that need to be ready for the DisabilityCare launch on 1 July 2013;
2. Mapping the current prioritised processes as they are now; and
3. Mapping of the future processes and future business capabilities required for the NDIS transition.
Based on National Disability Services (NDS) self-assessment results of other disability providers on their
readiness to deliver personalised services, and the NDS Report: Preparing the Disability Sector for the
New World (January 2012), the following operational areas were targeted:





Service Inquiry – how to successfully handle a service enquiry in a competitive market environment
in a way which provides the Consumer with the right information at the right time in a format that
is accessible to them; and results in the translation of a service enquiry into a new customer for the
organisation?
Service Delivery – how to fundamentally change the organisational culture to one of a personcentred and goals-based approach, that proactively gives choice and control of the individualised
support package over to the Consumer?
Recruitment and Training – how to effectively encourage and support Consumer choice and
control in the identification, employment, training and performance management of their
preferred Support Worker?
Subcontracting – how to successfully promote and support Consumer choice and control in the
identification, engagement, induction and performance management of their preferred
Subcontractor?
Accountability and Reporting – how to create an accountability system that efficiently captures
consumer service and funding information, monitors and communicates outcomes in a transparent
manner; that supports Consumer choice and control, and discharges provider’s contractual
obligations in a fashion that supports transition from block funding to individualised funding?
The Process Inventory initially identified 139 processes and the Executive Management Team prioritised 30
of those processes for redesign in readiness for the 1 July 2013 DisabilityCare launch. The table below
shows integratedliving’s scale and commitment to the project.
Operational Areas:
Service
Inquiry
Services
Delivery
Recruitment
& Training
Subcontracting
Accountability
& Reporting
Total
Processes identified:
12
34
11
45
37
139
NDIS Impact processes:
8
30
7
45
13
103
1 July Priority processes:
4
10
4
4
8
30
Business process sessions:
17
22
9
8
18
74
Operational people involved:
3
4
2
2
3
14
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The outcomes from these business analysis and process mapping activities are captured in the Transition
Guide publication referred to in Stage Three of this report.
Stage Two – Consumer Perspective
Consumer focus groups were held to ask people with disability, their carers and families, how they want
person-centred support to be delivered in a manner that facilitates consumer choice and control. This
forum was also used to validate that the proposed future processes from Stage One is truly person-centred.
The Centre for Disability Studies (CDS) from the University of Sydney was engaged to facilitate and report
the findings from these focus groups. The CDS is renowned for person-centred training and research that
improves the lives of people with disability.
integratedliving’s Case Managers and Regional Managers were involved in identifying potential focus group
participants from three of integratedliving’s service areas – Central Queensland, Upper Hunter and Lower
Hunter (DisabilityCare launch site in NSW). Other local disability service providers were contacted to extend
the invitation to their disability clients and their carers to participate in the focus group.
Initially, the focus groups were scheduled to be held in April 2013. However, based on feedback from Case
Managers, carers of people with disability and low responses due to school holiday period; the sessions
were rescheduled to May 2013. The table below provides the details of Consumer focus groups held:
People with
disability
Carers/
Providers/ Facilitating
Advocates Workers
Team (CDS)
Date
Location
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Rockhampton QLD
0
2
4
2
Monday, 20 May 2013
Singleton NSW
12
3
6
3
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Beresfield NSW
0
4
0
3
12
9
10
3
Total focus group participants
Three central themes emerged from the focus groups. The main theme was the current lack of respite care
and a hope for increased access to this under DisabilityCare. Secondly, the consumers stated the need for
more flexible services to fit the divergent needs of people with disability and their families. Finally, a desire
for an increase in quality staff support to achieve greater independence in participation, access, choice and
control was another key issue addressed in all locations. Concerns and questions regarding the structure of
NDIS funding such as risk management, safeguards and financial and case management structures were
also common to all locations.
The detailed findings from these focus groups are contained in the NDIS Consumer Focus Group Report
from Centre for Disability Studies (See Attachment 1).
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Stage Three – Transition Guide
The Transition Guide is a step-by-step publication for other disability service providers on some
key considerations for change in preparing for the new DisabilityCare paradigm.
This Transition Guide was based on integratedliving’s transformation journey towards the new
paradigm of individualised support. It was developed from integratedliving’s business analysis and
business process review that identified new business capabilities required to operate in the
DisabilityCare environment. The proposed approach was validated with people with disability,
their families and carers at Consumer Focus Groups, and fine-tuned based on their feedback.
Soft and hard copies of the Transition Guide have been distributed to all NDIS Transition
Workshop attendees and other interested parties. A copy of the Transition Guide can be
downloaded from: http://integratedliving.org.au/publications.html (See Attachment 2).
Stage Four – Application and Mentoring Support
The final stage of this project was the dissemination project learnings and mentoring of other not-for-profit
disability service providers through their own change and risk management journey. This was accomplished
through eight NDIS Transition Workshops in integratedliving’s core service areas. The table below outlines
some information of these provider workshops.
Date
Location
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Rockhampton QLD
7
4
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Muswellbrook NSW
Cancelled -only 1 RSVP
0
Friday, 17 May 2013
Beresfield NSW
11
8
Friday, 17 May 2013
Newcastle NSW
14
9
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Raymond Terrace NSW
5
5
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Taree NSW
11
4
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Caloundra QLD
11
6
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Maryborough QLD
11
8
70
44
Total Workshop Attendees and Providers
Attendees
Providers
The workshop was conducted in a semi-interactive mode. The first half of the workshop looked at the
principles of DisabilityCare Australia, some pressure points for providers and integratedliving’s
transformation journey to date. The Transition Guide and the format of the information contained in the
Guide were reviewed to give the attendees with some ideas about getting started on their own transition
journey.
In the second half of the workshop, attendees jointly identified some challenges that they as providers are
likely to face, and brainstormed in small groups, some possible transformation strategies. Then, the group
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as a whole discussed the risks of not managing the transition well. The workshops concluded by identifying
each attendee’s transition priorities in preparation for the DisabilityCare paradigm.
The main expectations of the workshop attendees were for more information on the DisabilityCare
Australia, the nuts and bolts of the NDIS changes for providers, and to find out how other providers are
preparing for DisabilityCare.
Some of the challenges and priorities identified by the workshop attendees include:






Marketing and branding themselves to the consumers and community.
Service and business model matters including person-centred model and workforce development,
flexibility in service delivery, building consumer capacity to self-manage, having systems, policies
and procedures to support the new model.
Workforce issues such as labour shortage, flexibility in award conditions, WHS risk management
and workforce development.
Educating the communities and families to create awareness of the new DisabilityCare model as
well as building connections and relationships with local service providers.
Economic viability of DisabilityCare, how to fund the organisational transition, unit costs and
pricelists of their services.
Informing and embedding the new paradigm/culture - from board to support workers.
The following chart depicts the evaluation results from the attendees of the Transition Workshops.
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More than 80% of the workshop attendees rated the evaluation questions as either ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’.
About 11% of the participants rated the question on the Transition Guide as a resource as ‘Not Applicable
(N/A)’, because they had not had sufficient time to review the Guide at the workshop.
The developing nature of the launch of DisabilityCare Australia has some providers unsure of how to
prepare their organisation for the new paradigm. Generally, smaller providers are keenly watching the rollout of DisabilityCare in the launch sites before embarking on their own transformation strategies. Larger
organisations have started working on their broader change management strategies whilst waiting for the
details of DisabilityCare Australia.
Some of the benefits gained by the workshop attendees include greater information about DisabilityCare
and its implementation. They also gained some ideas about the changes needed to operate in the new
paradigm, especially around service models and costing structures, workforce development, community
engagement and marketing themselves. The attendees valued the sharing of experiences with other
providers as it helped them with their own identification as well as prioritisation of challenges, change
management strategies.
Conclusion
The Risk and Change Management Transition PDF Project has enabled integratedliving to research and
prepare for the new DisabilityCare paradigm in a more supported and systematic manner. The Consumer
Focus Groups has provided integratedliving with the opportunity to ask people with disability and their
carers what and how they want under DisabilityCare Australia. It has increased awareness amongst people
with disability and their carers about the impending new person-centred model that promotes choice and
control, as well as endorsing the proposed service approach. The Guide and Transition Workshops have
allowed the sharing of integratedliving’s learnings with other providers so that people with disability and
their carers can enjoy the full benefits of the new DisabilityCare Australia.
integratedliving Australia Ltd
ABN 95 130 530 844
Registered Office: Boronia Building
3 Wilkinson Avenue
PO Box 637
MUSWELLBROOK NSW 2333
Phone: 02 6576 0200
Facsimile: 1300 778 718
Web: www.integratedliving.org.au
Service Enquiries: 1300 782 896
HR Enquiries: 1300 364 584
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