Preparing for re-accreditation
We worked together at a 60+ beds Residential Care Facility in Adelaide. The home was undergoing redevelopment to increase its bed capacity. The home’s clinical and catering services would not have met the Accreditation Standards. A significant amount of work was required to bring the home up to standard. As a part of the re-development Vitish also worked with contractors on kitchen re-design to allow for food to be cooked fresh on site each day.
Activities undertaken included:
- Undertaking a consumer experience survey of greater than 20% of care recipients which identified specific gaps that required action.
- Assisting management to undertake self-assessment in readiness for re-accreditation audit.
- Using Tracer methodology to audit clinical and lifestyle systems and processes for a group of care recipients. This identified significant gaps in assessment, care planning and review processes, particularly in relation to continence and behaviour management.
- Reassessment of care recipients, and care plans updated to reflect newly identified needs.
- One to one and group training was provided to staff on the home’s clinical and lifestyle processes to ensure consistent implementation.
- A review of the scope of service for cleaning services and purchasing appropriate cleaning equipment in consultation with the staff and equipment manufacturer / supplier.
- Cleaning and laundry roster review and implementation of a more effective and efficient roster.
- Review and implementation of Cleaning and Laundry staffs’ Duty Statements and task lists.
- Advising the organisation’s appointed architect on kitchen design to ensure work flow, safety and maximum optimisation of spaces and efficiencies.
- Advising the organisation on the procurement of catering, cleaning and laundry equipment.
- Redesigning the hospitality staff model and structure to support the additional beds and new kitchen and dining areas.
- Implementing a food safety programme, food safety documentation, catering auditing tools, and cleaning schedules.
- Redesign of all the catering, cleaning and laundry staff Job and Person Specifications, Task and Duty Statements, interview guides, and rosters in collaboration with the Human Resources team.
- Project management of the recruitment, orientation and induction process for all new hospitality service staff.
- Project management of the mobilisation of the new kitchen
- Implementation of in-house 4 weekly cyclic menu, standard recipes, and flash cards.
- Implementation of systems and processes for catering, cleaning and laundry.
- Budgeting and benchmarking of the hospitality services.
- Implementation of theme days and during the first theme day, “Flavours of Italy”, care recipients reported they had their best meals in 16 years.
The home had re-accreditation in 2018 post implementation of the above and were found to be compliant with all 44 Expected outcomes of the Accreditation Standards. The home self-assessment and the final report from the AACQA highlights all the improvements achieved with the re-development of the kitchen, and for bringing the catering and food services in-house.
By Virginia .M and Vitish .G
