Valuing our voices

October 24, 2024

Rhonda Griffiths with her parents, Valerie and Ron Burrows

At Southern Cross Care NSW & ACT, we are committed to listening to and valuing the voices of our community.

A strong consumer voice is essential for effective clinical governance and service quality. Our Consumer Advisory Bodies (CAB) and Quality Consumer Advisory Body (QCAB) strengthen our commitment to excellence.

Operational for about a year, these advisory bodies play a vital role in maintaining person-centred, high-quality care, ensuring the needs and desires of residents and clients remain at the heart of every decision we make.

Our CABs for Residential Aged Care and Home Care; and the QCAB serve as platforms for residents and clients, their loved ones and staff to provide feedback to the Southern Cross Care Board and management.

Professor Rhonda Griffiths AM is a respected member of the Southern Cross Care CAB and QCAB. She brings extensive personal and professional insight to her role as a former Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University and is the daughter of parents who have been supported by Southern Cross Care.

Rhonda's mother and father lived together at Tenison Residential Care until her mother passed away last August. Her father continues to live at the home.

"We've been nothing but extremely pleased with Southern Cross Care and we cannot fault the communication we have with them," Rhonda said.

"If there's ever the slightest concern, we receive a call from a Registered Nurse immediately, letting us know what's going on.

"You've got people who really care about what they're doing and that is critical in aged care."

When Southern Cross Care called for expressions of interest for the CAB and QCAB, Rhonda didn't hesitate.

"I thought it would be a good thing for me to do as a way to give back to Tenison for the wonderful care they've given to my mum and continue to give my dad."

Rhonda believes the advisory bodies are critical, especially given the evolving changes and reforms in aged care.

"Aged care is undergoing many changes, from the Royal Commission to recent legislation around staffing and costs. It's critically important for these organisations to become more outward-looking."

Rhonda is optimistic that the work of the CAB and QCAB can make Southern Cross Care an even better provider and help address sector-wide challenges, including workforce shortages and perceptions about aged care.

Reflecting on her time as Dean of Nursing, she recalls congratulating over 1,000 graduates each year. However, those who chose to work in aged care often felt like they had 'settled' for a less desirable career path compared with acute care.

"When someone would say they were working in aged care, it was often with the sentiment of, 'I'm just in aged care’. But I would tell them, 'You're very fortunate. Aged care is a primary care facility where you are really going to use and develop your nursing knowledge and develop your careers’.

"I'm hoping that through the CAB and the QCAB, we can have a closer look at how we might be able to form some links with education providers so that we can change this. Having said that, I'm very pleased that Southern Cross Care now has partnerships overseas to recruit aged care workers."

Southern Cross Care is looking to expand the membership and reach of its CABS and QCAB. We are currently reviewing a second round of expressions of interest for our residential Care Advisory Body and continue to seek interest for our Home Care advisory body. If you're interested, please email cab@sccliving.org.au.