In this video, our ACFI & Clinical Services Director, Jacqui Banham, joins Viv Allanson from Maroba Aged Care and Frank Price from RFBI Aged Care to share the ways in which Provider Assist can help you when your aged care facility is struggling financially. Watch the video or read the transcription below.
Vivian Allanson: I get a lot of colleagues that, particularly smaller facilities that are struggling, don’t know where they should turn, don’t know if there is an answer to their problem, and I’m very happy to recommend to them to pick up the phone and call Provider Assist, because they’re there to help. And if they are considering getting help in, it’s a great place to start. Start at your income as many of them just go straight to slashing rather than looking to improve their performance.
Frank Price: Cutting costs is not an option when you consider they’re between 70% and 80% of your costs, the labour cost. You cannot reduce your workforce. The workforce are the primary carers, and we require them to be there. So we really do need to look at our revenue. We really do need to ensure that the organisation, the facilities are receiving the money that they’re entitled to, to be able to provide the services and the care that our residents require.
Jacqui Banham: Most managers in aged care are nervous about spending money, and that comes largely from having to keep within budget, having to be very careful about what they spend money on. And so when they’re up for a significant cost, the often response is, “No, we can’t afford it.” And I guess I would try and work with that person to see, “Actually, you can, and you should be getting what you’re entitled to receive,” and taking them on that journey of you need to invest in order to gain. So it’s spend money to make money, that sort of scenario, and get them to see the benefit of doing that and what difference that’s going to make to their organisation and also to the residents that they’re caring for.
