Hume District Nursing Alliance
Local governments and non-government organisations in the Goulbourn Valley and Ovens Murray regions faced a range of challenges that increased risks to their ongoing organisational viability. The development of collaborative models supported the development and delivery of more coherent & cost-effective services that were more responsive to clients & local communities.
Key questions for decision-makers are:
what are the benefits? Is collaboration better than the effort of a single organisation to achieve better client, community and organisational goals?
what are the risks & costs? Is the investment and risk in collaboration warranted?
how would it work? How would collaborative arrangements operate and be governed. What is needed to take full advantage of collaboration?
The Hume Region HACC Nursing Services Collaboration project involved a series of co-design workshops and stakeholder consultation meetings to develop a ‘network’ of locally controlled service delivery organisations. Collaboration provided a number of possibilities for organisations to respond more effectively to the emerging challenges than acting individually, including:
sharing resources to improve the quantity and/or quality of resources they have at their disposal
integrating activities so that they can be more effective and/or efficient than if they operated separately
strengthening their position through joint negotiation, advocacy and/or response to mutual competitors
For providers of district nursing in the Hume region, collaboration provided a possible strategic response to the emerging challenges for local service providers by:
generating significant scale to be a viable alternative to large, new market entrants
improving organisational sustainability with opportunities for more efficient utilisation of resources
promoting a broad suite of integrated, quality, local services that is attractive to clients and funding agencies
It is important to note that the proposed network maintained the identity & decision-making responsibility of individual organisations while enhancing their capacity to compete effectively. The proposed collaborative model therefore effectively balanced the contradictory pulls of the value of ‘local’ service delivery with the value of centralisation to achieve scale, efficiencies and consistent quality.
Client Testimonial
What problem were you looking to solve when you commissioned INCITE information?
“Project 1: To provide a framework for leadership within the HACC service sector that: identified and addressed the common risks and opportunities; challenged the relevance and effectiveness of the accepted or ‘traditional’ culture and practice in the new policy and funding environment; and, identified practical partnership and service development opportunities that resulted in improved service and business outcomes for clients, work-force, organisations and communities.
Project 2: To develop options for a new delivery model for DNS across Hume Region that strengthened rural health services’ effectiveness and sustainability in delivering and developing services. To design and develop options for a more effective, efficient and equitable area-based DNS model for Hume Region for endorsement by CEOs of funded agencies.”
What contribution did INCITE information make to help solve your problem?
“Detailed scoping process and clarification of roles and boundaries, extensive engagement and consultation programs undertaken with all relevant stakeholders, regular communication throughout the project, significant knowledge of the sector, the impacts of national reform in other parts of the state, previous ‘learnings’ from working with various providers over many years, openness to ‘what is new’ and ability to adapt as needed. Final products exceeded the initial brief.”
What differentiates INCITE information from other consultants you have worked with?
“Very pragmatic, come to the process with experience but without a predetermined idea for moving forward. Sensitive to the uniqueness of regional communities and service systems, flexible and genuine. Great people to work with over many years.”
If a potential client was sitting on the fence about whether or not to work with INCITE information, what would you say to them?
“Meet with them – Paul and Wendy are genuine people who really listen, who accommodate relevant information no matter how late it materialises during the project and who are happy to support the delicate transition from endorsed theoretical model to implemented ‘real world’ system/practice change.”
Paul Bennett
Hume Regional Development
Gateway Health