PICAC Alliance Position Paper

Since 1997 an organisation in each state and territory has been funded by the Commonwealth Government to deliver the Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Program. Over the years the national PICAC program has developed processes and practices so that the national PICAC Program outcomes can be achieved and the identified and shared national priorities implemented. These processes and practices have included a national:

  • Brand for CALD aged and community care
  • Voice and one-stop shop for Government, peak bodies, service providers communities and consumers
  • Framework for CALD policies, procedures and practices
  • Communication strategy for CALD aged and community care
  • Implementation tool and mechanism for delivering programs, projects and activities
  • Repository of expert knowledge and resources

The PICAC Program is the instrument which for twenty years has been engaging with Government; peak organisations; aged care service providers and consumers and provided the mechanism for this engagement at a national, regional and local level.

 

The formalisation of the PICAC Alliance and the Secretariat have further advanced a model where this engagement will be streamlined and strengthened, a strategy adopted and the implementation of the PICAC Program nationally be more targeted, effective and responsive to needs. The PICAC Alliance, delivering the PICAC Program is the prime mover in implementing the Diversity Framework principles.

At the PICAC Alliance Face to Face meeting in Melbourne, 16 November 2017, there was discussion, reviewing and fine-tuning of the PICAC Alliance approach and the following was endorsed:

 

The PICAC Alliance is a unified national body comprised of each state and territory specific PICAC organisation which aims to be a voice and discussion conduit into information, training and resources to inform aged and community care of tomorrow, so that:

  • older people from diverse backgrounds and their carers can better navigate through aged and community care services
  • consultation and empowerment of older people and their carers remain priorities
  • programs are inclusive, reflective of and responsive to all people with broad diversity of knowledge/experience, needs and expectations
  • delivery of appropriate services is informed and targeted
  • advocacy on issues and priorities is coordinated combining the national outcomes based perspective with state- and regional-specific relevance
  • capacity of organisations to upskill staff and raise awareness of emerging trends and issues is strengthen and enhanced

 

Referencing the Diversity Framework, the PICAC Alliance can support

  • Government to ensure that the diverse characteristics and life experiences of older people are included when developing and implementing policies and measures
  • Peak organisations and representative groups to inform and support the sector to better meet the diverse characteristics and life experiences of older people
  • Aged and community care service providers to ensure their services better meet the diverse characteristics and life experiences of older people, including when developing their policies and procedures and in working with consumers
  • Consumers to actively provide feedback to inform continuous improvement and articulate and execute their role in co-design of the aged care system and supports

The PICAC Alliance, through the specific PICAC Programs in each state and territory can continue to deliver and support programs, projects, networking opportunities, information and training, resources to achieve:

  • Equity of access and outcomes – Older people with diverse characteristics and life experiences have equitable access to information and services that are effective and appropriate to their needs, and that take into account individual circumstances
  • Empowerment – Older people with diverse characteristics and life experiences, and their families, carers and representatives are respected and supported, and have the information, knowledge and confidence to optimise their use of the aged care system
  • Inclusion – Older people with diverse characteristics and life experiences, and their families, carers and representatives are included in the development, implementation and evaluation of aged care policies and programs on an ongoing basis
  • Quality – Older people with diverse characteristics and life experiences are treated with dignity and respect, and can maintain their identity. They can make informed choices about their care and services and how these services support them to live the lives they choose
  • Capacity building – Older people and their communities have the capacity to articulate their ageing and aged care needs and have their diverse characteristics and life experiences embraced. They are partners in the development of services and the workforce to meet their needs
  • Responsive and accountable – The aged care system embeds the diverse characteristics and life experiences of all older people in system planning, delivery, monitoring, and transparent reporting. The aged care system is responsive and flexible in adapting to the current and emerging needs and expectations of older people, their families, carers and representatives, to ensure services are appropriate and inclusive

 

PICAC Alliance Current Priorities/Activities

  • Determining National PICAC Program priorities and directions
  • Establishing national Centres of Excellence on best practice information, training and resources;
  • Delivering on the national overarching outcomes for the PICAC program
  • Advising and advocating on national CALD aged and community care priorities
  • Advising on new and emerging issues: CHSP; Disability; barriers to access and equity; new and emerging communities
  • Building the PICAC Alliance profile as a national entity
  • Developing a PICAC Alliance national website
  • Communicating as a national entity with the sector and the Department
  • Developing partnerships with identified national organisations
  • Presenting as a national entity at conferences and events
  • Participating in networking and consultative events at the national, regional and local level with Aged Care Services; Community organisations; Peak agencies and organisations; Government and Health Services
  • Producing and disseminating information and resources to support inclusive culturally appropriate care service provision at the national, regional and level
  • Delivering targeted and responsive information and training sessions at the national, regional and local level
  • Delivering national equitable outcomes for older people from CALD backgrounds
  • Advocating on the ‘diversity within diversity’ among CALD aged care consumers
  • Informing the development and delivery of inclusive services
  • Supporting the empowerment of CALD consumers to exercise choice
  • Acknowledging and supporting the role of carers, families and community
  • Advocating on benefits of a of trained workforce
  • Delivering projects on the building the cultural competencies of all workers in the sector
  • Facilitating relevant research to inform best practice

 

The PICAC Alliance provides a national:

  • Brand for CALD aged and community care
    • Determining National PICAC Program priorities and directions
    • Building the PICAC Alliance profile as a national entity
    • Developing a PICAC Alliance national website
    • Advising and advocating on national CALD aged and community care priorities
  • Voice and one-stop shop for Government, peak bodies, service providers communities and consumers
    • Advising and advocating on national CALD aged and community care priorities
    • Building the PICAC Alliance profile as a national entity
    • Developing a PICAC Alliance national website
    • Communicating as a national entity with the sector and the Department
    • Presenting as a national entity at conferences and events
    • Developing partnerships with identified national organisations
  • Framework for CALD policies, procedures and practices
    • Communicating as a national entity with the sector and the Department
    • Presenting as a national entity at conferences and events
    • Delivering on the national overarching outcomes for the PICAC program
    • Advocating on the ‘diversity within diversity’ among CALD aged care consumers
    • Advocating on benefits of a of trained workforce
  • Communication strategy for CALD aged and community care
    • Advising and advocating on national CALD aged and community care priorities
    • Advising on new and emerging issues: CHSP; Disability; barriers to access and equity; new and emerging communities
  • Implementation tool and mechanism for delivering programs, projects and activities
    • Producing and disseminating information and resources to support inclusive culturally appropriate care service provision at the national, regional and level
    • Establishing national Centres of Excellence on best practice information, training and resources;
    • Advising on new and emerging issues: CHSP; Disability; barriers to access and equity; new and emerging communities
    • Delivering national equitable outcomes for older people from CALD backgrounds
    • Informing the development and delivery of inclusive services
    • Delivering projects on the building the cultural competencies of all workers in the sector
    • Supporting the empowerment of CALD consumers to exercise choice
    • Facilitating relevant research to inform best practice.
  • Repository of expert knowledge and resources
    • Delivering targeted and responsive information and training sessions at the national, regional and local level
    • Participating in networking and consultative events at the national, regional and local level with Aged Care Services; Community organisations; Peak agencies and organisations; Government and Health Services
    • Advising on new and emerging issues: CHSP; Disability; barriers to access and equity; new and emerging communities
    • Advocating on the ‘diversity within diversity’ among CALD aged care consumers
    • Acknowledging and supporting the role of carers, families and community
    • Advocating on benefits of a of trained workforce
    • Acknowledging and supporting the role of carers, families and community

 

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