Facing the future

However, CEO Cath Stoddart says Brightwater’s 125-year history shows the organisation is well placed to handle the latest challenges.

“We’ve had to think carefully about what the future might look like in terms of where we need to grow and where our services need to consolidate,” she said.

The past 12 months have been challenging for all care providers and Brightwater is no exception. The challenges include the Federal Government’s aged care reforms, ongoing staff shortages, a tightening economy and the rapid pace of change, including the move towards different models of care.

Board Chair Joanne Farrell says she has been impressed by the expertise and the dedication of Brightwater’s leadership team.

“We’ve got a very strong Executive Team and a very strong Board. We have our Mission and that’s really important to all of us, but we also know we’re running a business and that we’ve got to remain agile,” she said.

Brightwater’s Strategic Plan will guide the thinking and decision making of the Board and Executive Management. It identifies four key pillars as the way to address the challenges and opportunities for Brightwater, focusing on the core business of quality care, and on growing areas of the future such as home care.

Safe & Quality Care

We consistently and sustainably meet the expectations for care of our clients, their families and staff.

Ensure Long Term Sustainability

We are a growing and sustainable organisation strongly positioned to deliver on our Mission.

Safe and quality care

While Brightwater’s range of operations spans Residential Aged Care, Disability Services and Retirement Living, and even as the future may bring changes, Cath says all decisions will be made in the context of a fundamental commitment to the vulnerable people in our care.

“Our focus remains on quality of care and ensuring that we stay true to our mission of ‘pursuing the dignity of independence’,” she said.

Ensure long term sustainability

One of the growth areas for Brightwater is in the provision of at home services. Currently 1000 people over the age of 65 years are clients with Brightwater at Home and the indications are that the demand will increase rapidly.

“People want to work in

home care.

People want to have home care. So, it’s a natural synergy and that’s our focus,” Cath said.

Realising our People Potential

We have a culture that is aligned to our values and strategic objectives, and attract and retain the right people to govern, lead and provide quality care to ensure Brightwater is a great place to work.

Transform our digital capabilities

Transform

Our Digital Capabilities

Our technology capabilities enable us to consistently and sustainably meet the expectations for care of our clients, their families and staff.

Brightwater’s two commercial services, Catering and Linen, also represent opportunities for the future of the organisation, Joanne added “Linen, for example, provides us with a source of revenue that is within our control, where we determine the price structure and we determine the level of our investment,” – Cath Stoddart.

Realising our people potential

Cath is passionate about providing people with the opportunity to have the career they want through Brightwater and this means there will be a continued focus on educational and career pathways for staff at all levels.

“So if you’re a carer and you want to grow into being an enrolled or registered nurse, a therapist assistant or an allied health practitioner, we want to create pathways for you,” she said. “That ensures we have a quality of care and it means that we have a workforce that will stay with us while they are learning, and even if they leave, they will become ambassadors for us because they’ve had the career that they wanted.”

The focus on digital capabilities, with better use of technology and data collection, is designed to provide better services for clients, families and staff. Data gained through staff surveys, for example, has been used to shape recruitment campaigns, based on feedback that staff want three things – to be close to home, to have flexibility in their hours and to have purpose in what they do.

“The sophisticated kind of data that we have the potential to collect might determine other things, like how often people need to be seen by a GP in order to keep them well or what other services we can provide that will keep people at home. That’s the kind of thing to learn in the future,” Cath added.

Four pillars – one goal

Both Cath and Joanne are in no doubt that Brightwater will respond to change and opportunities in the way that has served us so well for more than a century.

“It’s not just a strength but one of our values – we are progressive,” said Cath.