Social Care Community of Practice – 23 November 2023

The Social Care Community of Practice (CoP) is a series of online meetings and events designed to develop a network of people and enterprises interested in business model innovation involving new models of ownership that empower consumers and workers in social care. Attend our next Social Care CoP meeting.

Thank you to all who joined us for our Social Care Community of Practice meeting on Thursday, 23 November 2023, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm AEDT.

During this session, we lifted the lid on the first three Care Together projects, discovering the goals of the projects and the challenges they aim to address.

The BCCM’s CEO, Melina Morrison and Care Together Program Director, Gillian McFee, facilitated this discussion and Q&A and discussed the whole Care Together project pipeline at a high level.

Email Nicole Vlakic to apply to join the Social Care Community of Practice and be added to the CoP mailing list.

Meeting agenda

Welcome to Country

Care Together Program Update
Melina Morrison, CEO BCCM

Setting the scene for Care Together: Lifting the lid on Care Together projects
Gillian McFee, Program Director Care Together

• HNECC PHN “Better Health for the Bush” project overview
• The Summer Foundation project overview
• COTA Australia project overview

Facilitated Panel Discussion

• Feedback and questions from audience

Key messages and next Social Care Community of Practice
Melina Morrison

Guest speakers

Dr Alison Koschel, Executive Manager Populations, Access and Performance, Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC PHN)

Dr Ali Koschel has an extensive background in health research and population health planning with expertise including qualifications in epidemiology, biostatistics, nursing and health promotion. Her PhD, Secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease in general practice through the University of Newcastle started a passion for primary care. Ali is responsible for population access and performance at the HNECC PHN and is passionate about First Nations health, equitable access to health services, and rural health.

Annabelle Williams, Rural Health Access Manager, HNECC PHN

In her role as Manager of Rural Health Access for the HNECC PHN, Annabelle is leading the “Better Health for the Bush Project” in New England, one of our Care Together projects. Annabelle is a Health Manager who currently works in primary care sector with The PHN, based in the New England North West. Annabelle believes that working with together and collaborating in health, can create powerful outcomes for patients and communities. Annabelle holds a Bachelor of Science, Food and Nutrition and a Masters in Community Nutrition, and is complimented with the Australian College of Health Service Executive Program and Project Management. She has worked across various aspect of the health sector, domestically at the Ministry of Health, Aged Care, LHD, Mental Health, PHN and internationally on the Tonga and Narau Health Projects.

Sophia Petrov, National Manager Policy and Engagement, COTA Australia

In a diverse career spanning television news, teaching language, aged care, community services, board appointments and senior roles in several councils, Sophia brings extensive leadership experience with a deep understanding of the community and local government sectors. Committed to quality outcomes, she values authenticity and employs a contemporary, collaborative, and inclusive working style. Sophia, known for her compassion, fosters resilience in individuals and teams. An effective strategic thinker and change manager, she excels in political acumen and relationship building, creating value through system efficiencies and technology optimisation.

Having managed large teams and operational budgets in complex environments, Sophia has a track record of on-time and on-budget project delivery. With strong diagnostic skills, she identifies risks and issues swiftly, implementing effective mitigation responses. As a qualified workplace and business coach, she focuses on enhancing work satisfaction, employing a strengths-based approach to community consultation. Loyal, with integrity and genuine care for people, Sophia is a values-driven individual.

Sophia has been the National Manager Policy and Engagement for COTA Australia for over four years.

Carolyn Finis, Head of Co-design, The Summer Foundation

Carolyn Finis is the Summer Foundation’s Head of Co-design. She joined the Summer Foundation in 2007 and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience around the issue of young people in aged care. Carolyn is passionate about including the lived experience of the organisation’s stakeholders, especially people with disability, into the work of the Summer Foundation.

In her role as Head of Co-design, Carolyn is responsible for the development and leadership of the unit. Together, the team works to capture the relevant lived experience of our stakeholders, which collectively forms a library of evidence for the Summer Foundation to draw on to support and augment its advocacy work.

Along with our stakeholders’ lived experience, the team also uses data gathered by the Summer Foundation to inform responses to the systems challenges the Foundation faces.