Innovation and partnerships the SA aged care keys

South Australia’s aged care sector needed to concentrate on both good innovation and sound partnerships to meet public demand in the future, according to a senior aged care executive.
Masonic Homes’ chief executive officer, Doug Strain, has said that innovation would now play a much more heightened role in setting the future care and workplace environment in retirement and nursing homes.

“Government has played its role in setting a modern regulatory environment. The sector’s larger participants now need to recognise the need for them to innovate and set new parameters by which the quality of the industry can be recognised, even if this forces smaller providers more prone to accreditation problems, to follow suit,” he said.

“Introducing more innovation in our management streams, supported by improved technology, will help crystallise staffing models with the genuine flexibility to meet higher client expectations for facilities, care and service.”

“Aged care by necessity is an intensive, direct contact sector. However, more partnering, alliances and innovative leadership by the larger providers can ensure gains in skills mix, training, fulltime and permanent work opportunities, technology and efficiencies from better management,” Mr Strain said.