Australia
Posted by: CQL on 01/08/2007
Filed under: International
Independent Quality Monitoring
State Government of Victoria, Department of Human Services, Disability Services Division
The Situation
Quality improvement in disability support has been a major focus for the Department of Human Services in Victoria, Australia for some years. Key initiatives to improve the quality of disability services and supports across funded non-government and government-provided supports have included the development and review of standards, the introduction of annual self-assessment and quality plans for disability service providers, and the development of the State Plan providing a 10-year horizon for the planning and development of disability services and supports.
To further advance quality improvement within disability supports in Victoria, the Independent Quality Monitoring — Personal Outcomes Measures SM (IQM-POM) pilot project was funded by the Department of Human Services. The key objectives of the IQM-POM pilot project were to:
- evaluate the effectiveness of an outcome measures approach in assessing the quality of disability support against the Victorian Standards for Disability Services
- further inform the development of an independent quality monitoring mechanism for the Victorian disability services and support sector
The Victorian Government is committed to a values-based approach to monitoring quality. CQL’s Personal Outcomes Measures SM and methodology were chosen for the pilot because of its strong focus on individual outcomes and demonstrated interest from the Victorian disability services and
support sector.
What CQL Did
The IQM-POM pilot was conducted by CQL staff, conducting on-site assessments with six agencies in Victoria between July and September 2004. CQL’s findings were presented as individual agency reports and as an overview of the entire project.
An independent review of the Personal Outcomes Measures SM pilot project commissioned by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services in Melbourne concluded:
“The pilot project used an effective methodology to assess the quality of disability supports provided by participating organisations. The range of measures applied is comprehensive and effective and has at their centre the person with a disability. Key strengths of the approach are aspirational, whole of life and quality of life measures and the balance with the assessment of the whole organisation’s performance in supporting and assisting an individual.
The experiences of stakeholders were overwhelmingly positive. They considered the POMs approach a valid tool for organisational change, shifting the mindset of an organisation to be person-centred, assessing relationships with people they support in all aspects of their operation.
The review pilot was conducted in a relaxed, informal manner overall and was, in itself, a process of quality improvement. The way the pilot was conducted enabled staff to reflect upon current practice and improvements that could be initiated to advance the personal interests and preferences of the people they support.”
CQL currently accredits the following organizations in Australia:
- Marillac House Ltd.
- Melba Support Services
- Peter Harcourt Disability Services
- Wallara Australia, Ltd.