The demand for aged care in Australia has been quickly increasing as Australia’s population grows older and accesses aged care services. Additional to the number of people requiring aged care is the increase in the acute nature of aged care needs. With strong demand for in home aged care as well.
Aged care providers are facing challenges to ensure they have the right workforce and manage their workforce appropriately to deliver quality care. New technologies are enabling greater sophistication in processes relating to workforce planning, optimisation and management.
To have an optimum workforce, there are some important areas to consider:
The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional pressure on Australia’s aged care system. The consequences of this can be seen through staff shortages, which can be managed through the points raised above. Supply shortages in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also causing a challenge for the sector. With an opportunity for many aged care providers to improve their capability to manage PPE by: forecasting demand, improving PPE quantity and location visibility, PPE reporting for management and executive, designing and implementing efficient physical movement of PPE through facilities, and having efficient storage of PPE.
GRA can help with improvements to workforce operational efficiency and PPE management with the following service offerings:
Further resources
Video
GRA has been working closely with in-home services and aged care sectors as well as the primary care and hospital networks during the COVID-19 crisis.
In this video Carter McNabb, James Allt-Graham and Shanaka Jayasinghe discuss what we are seeing within these organisations from a supply chain perspective.
We also explore what these organisations need to do moving forward to strengthen their supply chain and service chain functions.
Key points:
In-home Services and Aged Care
Before COVID-19 Australia’s Aged Care sector was going through a step-change following a Royal Commission that was critical of the sector. The Government has since been pushing for in-home care over facility care. The sector has since had the added pressure the comes with COVID-19 such as balancing visitations, managing demand for PPE and the need for transparency.
The supply chain in the Aged Care sector is a service chain involving the distribution of people – ie getting the right people in the right place at the right time.
The greatest logistical challenges facing the sector is around operating processes involving people and technology. Policies such as the customer value proposition and the employee value proposition must be well understood before embarking on a technological transformation.
Healthcare Sector
Whitepaper
COVID-19: Australian Health Services Supply Chain - Aged Care Home Services & Residential Care
What does the future of Aged Care look like? COVID 19 and findings from the Royal Commission and will significantly change the Aged Care landscape.
GRA has created an Aged & Residential Care Supply Chain Response program.
Download GRA's Aged Care Home Services & Residental Care brochure.
"They are a passionate and highly engaged team, and coupled with their deep insights across all facets of the supply chain, GRA leave no stone unturned in the quest to deliver exceptional results."
– Melissa Bird, Manager - Procurement Effectiveness and Supply Chain, Star Entertainment Group