This year has been a demanding one for agedcare; while not without highlights, it has been a period of change and challenge. But one thing remains – HammondCare’s Mission is front and centre in all we do.
The new Aged Care Act and Support at Home reforms required major adjustment across
the sector. Implementation has not always been seamless, with new co-contributions,
new systems and changes to care plans and service models creating complexity for clients,
families and providers. I am grateful for the way HammondCare leadership and team members have stayed on Mission, prioritising continuity of care, while adapting with
professionalism and grace.
The financial environment also remains demanding. Funding settings, particularly for dementia and complex care, still do not adequately reflect the true cost of caring for people with the greatest needs. We will continue to support a call for reform that recognises complexity, supports sustainability and enables quality care for those who might otherwise be left behind.
The Board has overseen a massive year for new and continuing capital projects, with the highlight the start of our redevelopment of Greenwich Hospital into a state-of-the-art health campus. This involved the transfer of all inpatient Northern Sydney palliative care services to Neringah Hospital, following major refurbishment, all of which our Health team managed with commitment and expertise.
We have also continued the redevelopment of Bond House at Hammondville, the opening of our sixth respite cottage at Gymea Bay and many other refreshing and refurbishing projects. We have an ambitious pipeline of works planned, including Curtin in the ACT, where HammondCare will create the Territory’s first best-practice dementia care village.
Each stage brings us closer to creating facilities that match the quality and ambition of our care.
While we fell short of some of the financial outcomes we sought, we have strengthened our foundations for the future. Critical investments made in our people, systems, governance, risk management and digital capability will help underpin HammondCare’s ability to provide specialist care at greater scale while remaining true to our Mission.
I acknowledge the exceptional leadership of CEO Andrew Thorburn and his team and thank them for their service. They have continued to shape structures, systems and priorities around our goal to improve quality of life for people in need. I am particularly thankful for our frontline team members, our volunteers, and all our HammondCare staff for their daily passion and dedication.
I am grateful to my fellow Board members for their careful stewardship and diligent approach, particularly as this has been my first year as Chair. Thank you to our previous Chair Kok Kong Chan for his dedicated service, Linda Justin for becoming Deputy Chair and Jo Lewis for becoming the Chair of the Foundation, Research and Innovation Committee. We also welcomed new Board members, Richard Jamieson and Kathryn Hinde.
In these uncertain times, the Board and Leadership Team are focused on building our reputation as an independent Christian charity. I am confident that, under Christ, we will continue to be empowered to faithfully serve people in need.
Yours in Christ,
Peter Bailey
Board Chair