Consultants in aged care has increased exponentially over recent years, this rise is likely to be related to the overwhelming and complex changes we have experienced in our aged care industry. The new Aged Care Act to be implemented 1 July 2024 has influenced the redesign of our Aged Care Quality Standards, which in turn, will influence changes to existing aged care policies and processes.

Our aged care industry is weathering reforms across both community and residential care in funding, care, and policy. All these changes make it is almost impossible for small to medium sized organisations to keep on top of information and drive changes to remain compliant and financial. Reportedly,over 50% of aged care facilities are currently not financially viable and thereliance on consulting firms and specialists to help correct the issues spirals ever upwards.

The cost of support from whether it is via consultants or subscriptions to data management systems can outweigh benefits. Buyer beware, nice software and polished sales pitches do not always result in the best options for your organisation or facility. You can be paying too much for the outcomes you receive.

When seeking to engage a consultant or subscribing to a support system, due diligence is essential. What should you consider:

•  Does the cost justify the outcomes and how will you apply them?
• Are you locked into a contract with unnecessary additions when you only need support for a short period of time?
• Are you being supported to be independent,empowered, and successful?
• Can you access support as you need or are you contracted to accept support on a regular basis?
• Do you have the staff with skills to replicate the same outcomes through a more manual process?
• Would it cost more to engage with consultants or employ an additional staff member to achieve the outcomes? Can you labour hirethe task?
• What would be the cost to have staff trained to do the same function, with occasional ongoing support?
• Should you look for other options including independent contractors or small organisations who are focussing on supporting the aged care industry instead of draining the profits? And where are these contractors / specialists anyway?

Talk to other organisations and colleagues to see who they have utilised and if they were happy with the cost and outcomes. Be cautious with services who promise considerable improvements to outcomes that may position you in a possible risk to governance where dependency on their serviceis created. You should always be empowered to develop internal skill and resources to continue the results independent of the services.

Remember, the Dept of Health will be publishing each facilities’ financial performance from next year to the Australian public revealing your expenditure and dependency on consulting services. K Peace Consulting creates independence, empowerment and confidence through mentoring, coaching,support, and training. Over 45 organisations across Australia are already successfully managing their own funding, data and business outcomes placing them in optimal financial positions. To find out how we can help you, contact our websiteKPeace Consulting Pty Ltd.

‍