Aged care reform will be at the forefront of industry discussions this month as the inaugural Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) National Conference heads to the Adelaide Convention Centre from October 12-14.
It is the first major event for the amalgamated provider peak body, bringing together aged care providers, industry experts and leading-edge thinkers while challenging assumptions and opening horizons to new ideas and approaches in the aged care sector.
Launched in July, ACCPA is a unification of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) and Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA).
Over 1,600 attendees have registered, smashing records for the largest aged care event. After several pandemic-interrupted years, it is a welcomed opportunity for industry experts, aged care providers and Government officials to meet and discuss pressing topics and concerns.
The ACCPA National Conference looks to challenge all industry leaders in a collaborative space, building off the 2022 theme, ‘It’s Up To Us’.
ACCPA Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Paul Sadler, said this is a fantastic opportunity for the aged care sector to take charge of elevating the industry.
“The aged care sector has been dealing with enormous challenges presented by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and its wide-ranging recommendations for reform, and the COVID-19 pandemic, now in its third year,” said Mr Sadler.
“Our National Conference theme, ‘It’s Up to Us,’ recognises that each of us must own the transformation of the aged services industry and put into practice the change we want to see so that we can raise the standard of what we do to the highest level.
“It’s up to us to enable consumers, deliver quality care, provide transparency, build trust, improve governance, attract qualified workers, lift standards, innovate, and secure our livelihoods.”
The ACCPA National Conference will also be the first chance to hear from the new ACCPA CEO, Tom Symondson. Mr Symondson is the former CEO of the Victorian Healthcare Association.
Leading speakers for this event include the Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells; Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay; Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, Janet Anderson PSM, and former Aged Care Minister and Australia’s first Indigenous Federal Minister, Ken Wyatt AM.
A trade exhibition featuring 160 booths is also on-site, while aspiring leaders can participate in a full-day Emerging Leadership Experience.
A vast array of topics will be covered during the three-day conference in Adelaide, located at the Adelaide Convention Centre. From social work in residential aged care and new technologies, to achieving compliance and retirement living – everything is up for discussion.
Among the 130-plus speakers is Abby Hunt, Co-Founder of Data Drives Insight.
Ms Hunt will be presenting a leadership session, Leadership, Workforce Capability, Team Culture and Engagement: How to measure it and help us attract and retain the right people, on the final day of the conference.
She’s excited to lead an insightful session that will offer meaningful and positive solutions to increasing productivity and reducing turnover within the aged care sector.
“I love the theme ‘It’s Up To Us’,” said Ms Hunt.
“There is no doubt the industry has huge challenges, yet we must empower ourselves to get above the line, be innovative and courageous in order to create a positive difference.
“There’s no question it’s been a tough few years but it’s time to dust ourselves off and tap into the incredible potential within the sector.
“I’m particularly excited to present on Friday [about] how increasing psychological safety at a team level delivers remarkable benefits, including increased productivity by 12%, reduces regrettable turnover by 27%, and reduces safety incidents by 41%.”
Ms Hunt will be sharing simple solutions with attendees that can be easily implemented into teams, organisations and facilities straight away, which will be hugely beneficial to staff and quality care.
If you are an industry leader looking to attend the ACCPA National Conference, registrations are still open.
All our senior citizens want and need is someone to take time to be able to chat when bathing dressing helping them in general more staff many people go in quite continent but end up in pads as staff can’t have time to toilet them on request . More staff less falls etc . These people are our treasures of life’s experiences and knowledge yet they are treated worse than cattle going to slaughter .