Human Services Standards Quality Reference Group (QRG)
Meeting minutes ADD/17/8230

QRG Meeting minutes - 13 November 20171

Time and date / Monday, 13 November 2017 1.00-3.00 pm
Chairperson / Sophie Buffey, Manager, Standards and Regulation (SR)
Location / Room 16.23 Level 16/50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Attendees / Please see attached list
Apologies / Please see attached list
Purpose / Refer to Terms of Reference
Tabled papers / •Agenda
•Client Incident Management System (CIMS) presentation
•Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme presentation
Welcome, apologies and introductions / Sophie Buffey
Summary / Welcome and acknowledgement to Country.
Outstanding actions from previous meetings / Sophie Buffey
Summary / All actions completed.
SR update / Sophie Buffey
Summary / 3a)Independent review body themes report
  • The first report (October 2016 to March 2017) is available on the Department of Health and Human Service’s (department)website at:

  • The second report covering April 2017 to September 2017 is currently being analysed and will be available on the website once completed.
3b)Stakeholder Engagement Plan
  • The Stakeholder Engagement Plan was an internal S&R Project that has been superceded by the department’s Regulator Plan. An individual regulator plan has been developed for each of the department’s regulators and developed in line with the conceptual framework outlined in the department’s Better Regulatory Practice Framework.
3c)Statement of Expectations (SOE) consultation
  • SR is anticipating its SOE from the Minister shortly.There is still time for membersto provide feedbackon the current version. This feedback will help inform SR’s response to the next SOE. The current SOE is available to download at:
3d)Website
  • The department is currently updating its website, so links may redirect to new pages.
3e) Communication
  • S&R currently provides communication via the website, email updates and regular meetings. Members are encouraged to discuss ways S&R can improve their communication.
3f) Registration policies
  • The registration policies are currently being updated to reflect policy and legislative changes.
3g) Restructure
  • The department is undergoing a restructure. The Standards and Regulation Unit is now known as Standards and Regulation (SR). The team reports to Pauline Ireland, Assistant Director, Human Services Regulator and sits within the Health and Human Services Regulation and Reform Branch.

Action /
  1. 3a) A link to the October 2016 - April 2017 independent review body themes report will be sent to members once finalised.
  2. 3b)A copy of the S&R Regulator Plan will be distributed once finalised.
  3. 3c) Statement of Expectations will be an agenda item for 2018.

Person responsible /
  1. S&R
  2. S&R
  3. S&R
/ Deadline /
  1. 31 Dec 2017
  2. 5 Feb 2018
  3. 5 Feb 2018

Incident Reporting
Client Incident Management System (CIMS) / Kerry Sayburn
Nicole Purcell
(Quality and Oversight Unit)
Summary /
  • From 15 January 2018, all service providers will need to ensure they have systems in place to electronically transmit incident report information to the department.
  • Service providers must advise the CIMS Unit what system they will be using: either their own in-house system or the department’s system.
  • Service providers must complete the CIMS terms of agreement,Note there will be a variation to this agreement.
  • Service providers must complete the team structure sheet.
  • E-learning and three, one day class room based training (investigation, review and root cause analysis) will be available to service providers in 2017 and early 2018.
  • The CIMS Unit has also made available to applicable service providers a certificate four in government investigations.
  • The group discussed that National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) service providers are required to be compliant with CIMS.
  • Further information is available in the presentation which will be emailed out to members.

Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme (DWES) expansion / Jim Pearson
Anusha Rodrigo
Amanda Leitch
(Compliance and Integrity Unit)
Summary /
  • DWES (scheme) was established in September 2014.
  • The aim of the scheme is to exclude people who pose a risk to working with people with a disability.
  • The scheme previously only applied to residential services and has now been expanded to all disability services.
  • The definition of disability worker and the type of work a person on the Disability Worker Exclusion List (the list) is prevented from undertaking has also been amended.
  • The scheme includes new transitional measures to ensure all existing disability workers are checked, as well as all prospective workers.
  • As part of the expansion, disability service providers are required to check existing workers who fall within the definition of Disability Worker, against the list by 1 February 2018.
  • The scheme is applicable to all organisations registered under the Disability Act 2006 (department funded organisations and National Disability Insurance Agency service providers).
  • Further information is available in the presentation which will be emailed out to members.

2017 Quality Forum planning
  • Recommendations from sector
  • Guest speaker recommendations
/ Sophie Buffey
Summary /
  • The annual Quality Forum was held on 16 October 2017 at 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
  • Thirty people responded to the survey prior to the forum.
  • There were approximately 80 attendees, and feedback received was mainly positive.
  • The report is still being finalised and will provide an update on survey data and the forum.
  • The 2018 forum may include a speaker from a small organisation and QRG members may also have a role to play at the forum. Members are encouraged to contact S&R if interested in participating or presenting at the forum.

Action /
  1. The Quality Forum report will be published and distributed once finalised.
  2. Members are to consider presenters and topics for the 2018 Quality Forum.

Person responsible /
  1. S&R
  2. Members
/ Deadline /
  1. 31 Dec 2017
  2. 5 Feb 2018

Terms of Reference (TOR)/Membership / All
Summary /
  • In 2017, there were a few members who did not attend any meetings.
  • Organisations are nominated as members and not actual staff members. If a member cannot attend a meeting they can ask someone else from their organisation to attend on their behalf.
  • Members at the meeting advised they would still like to attend the meetings and found them useful.
  • Members also advised it would be useful to send out a quick update after the meeting on the key themes.
  • Members who still want to attend the meetings are asked to email their interest to S&R.

Action /
  1. Members to email their interest to continue attending meetings in 2018.
  2. SR to email the peak bodies to put forward nominations for 2018 meetings.
  3. SR to send out a quick update after the meeting on key themes.

Person responsible /
  1. Members
  2. SR
  3. SR
/ Deadline /
  1. 31 Dec 2017
  2. 30 Nov 2017
  3. Completed and ongoing

Updates/Sector News / All
Summary / Targeted Care Packages
  • There was discussion regarding the introduction of standardised payment rates for key worker services and Targeted Care Packages (TCP).
Disability Services updates
Miriam Segon noted new updates and changes to ensure a culture of zero tolerance of abuse in the disability sector:
•Expanding the Disability Worker Exclusive Scheme to all disability services which commenced 1 November 2017.
•The development of a Victorian disability abuse prevention strategy, which will include:
  • Victoria’s first code of conduct for disability workers
  • support to build the capacity of people with disability to identify, prevent and report abuse.
•A new Client Incident Management System that focuses on the most serious client incidents which will commence January 2018.
•A proposed Registration and Accreditation Scheme for disability workers.
Action /
  1. Wombat Housing and Support Services to forward further details regarding the new funding guidelines for key workers.

Person responsible /
  1. Wombat Housing and Support Services.
/ Deadline /
  1. 31 Dec 2017

  1. 9
/ Other business / All
Summary / None
Action
Person responsible / Deadline

Next meeting Monday, 5 February 2018

Attendees and apologies

Name / Organisation / Attendance
Bradley Stephens / VACSAL / No
Paul Ireland / Yooralla / Yes
Shireen Gunn / Ballarat CASA / No
Karen Robinson / Karden / No
Eve Dani / OzChild / Yes
Rebecca Cleaver / Wombat / Yes
Tanja Tesanvoic / IPC Health / No
Diane Kannemeyer / VACCA / Apology
Chris Shelly / Centre for Excellence / No
Henry Newton / NDS / Yes
Ian Gough / CHP / Apology
Vacant / GEGAC / No
Letitia Robinson / Mallee District Aboriginal Services / No
Pam Aplin / VACSAL / No
Molly O’Shaughnessy / WDVCS / No
Lee Fairley / Melbourne City Mission / Apology
Meaghan Courtney / Anglicare Victoria / Apology
Chantal Barklem / Connections UC / Apology
Connie Vaiano / Children’s Protection Society / Apology
Sodany Quinn / Berry Street / Yes
Sophie Buffey / Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) / Yes
Miriam McDonough / DHHS / Yes
Debbie Chalmers / DHHS / Yes
Zeki Seren / DHHS - North Division / Apology
Miriam Segon / DHHS - Safeguarding and Disability Supports / Yes
Kristen Pickup / DHHS - Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Unit / No
Kerry Sayburn
Nicole Purcell / DHHS - Safeguarding and Disability Supports / Yes
Yes
Jim Pearson
Anusha Rodrigo
Amanda Leitch / DHHS - Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme (DWES) Unit / Yes
Yes
Yes

QRG Meeting minutes - 13 November 20171