We are already halfway through February 2024! What a journey we had in 2023. Still coming out of the COVID fog, we have called 2023 the year of the CLOG – Change, Learning, Opportunity and Growth.
We have not stopped! We remained open over the Christmas holiday period with a continuation of services for our Clinic, aged care residents and roll out of Food Safety Initiatives for the YMCA Victoria network. Is it too late to summarise our 2023, a moment of reflection is always good.
Change
Change came from much needed staff movement early in the year. This created a refresh of key leadership, process and management. Most importantly, it rejuvenated our team and simplified procedures to improve customer service. A new set of eyes has done wonders. We revisited our key services, Food Safety Programs, Training & Auditing, Dietetics, Speech Pathology & Physiotherapy, Solidified our business partnerships once again. Change is inevitable, growth is optional - we elected for growth.
Learning Became Opportunity
Becoming a registered NDIS Provider, establishing our growing Private Practise and Allied Health offering, a focus on the Childcare sector and an understanding of our competitors and clients provided the opportunity to re-visit every element of our business which was an incredible learning experience we are very grateful for. This process has opened opportunities beyond our business plan, new initiatives, projects and partnerships, incredible post COVID growth and a very exciting 2024 and beyond.
We discovered a lack of food safety information for people who need it most. We saw great confusion in the lead up to the new Food Standards Code 3.2.2A coming into effect in December 2023. Moving the standards from state based to national, who needs what compliance component before the December deadline, we found many food safety companies and councils focused on targeting big businesses or industries about the change, when in fact, it is the smaller businesses that needed more help.
The new stronger Aged Care Standards are an ever-changing canvas to improve the lives of residents. Food and nutrition are very much at the forefront now and will be during 2024. Despite how complicated to implement, our resident’s need these improvements. Therefore, we know creating simplified yet thorough processes to assist the Aged Care Homes is paramount. Our team of Dietitians around Australia are here to support all Aged Care homes navigate the Food and nutrition changes.
Becoming a registered NDIS provider gave us the opportunity to provide our normal high-level of care and utilize our expertise with this vulnerable population, a perfect addition to our portfolio. Such an exciting and welcomed opportunity for our whole team.
Our Dietitian work experience program. Over the years, we have proudly welcomed work experienced students during their placements from local Universities or TAFEs. In 2023, we opened our doors and offered recent graduates the opportunity to learn from our team, be hands on and gain practical training and mentorship in Aged Care Dietetics, Clinical work and menus. The success of this program is a wonderful opportunity. A privilege and a passion to shape and inspire new Dietitians entering the workforce.
Growth
We established our private practise late 2022 and have seen it grow into a thriving clinic in Mulgrave, in the southeast suburbs of Melbourne. Our Allied Services have grown to now include multiple physios, and speech pathologists to meet the demand. With the bonus of offering telehealth to anyone around Australia, our Team of Dietitians are loving the clinical work and the opportunity to work with so many different ages and conditions.
In 2023, our Food Safety initiatives, programs, Auditing services and training were rolled out to further acquisitions in Respect Care, Baptcare, VMCH and many Childcare centres, YMCA Victoria and a return of clients we have known for 15 years. Our Food Safety offering will see huge changes and additions in 2024 to assist Class 1 facilities and centres. Watch this space!
We are incredibly proud and grateful of our growth in the childcare, NDIS and aged care industries. To top it off, the realisation we must be on the ‘map’ within our sectors, imitation in process and marketing strategy from our one-stop-shop competitors is the sincerest form of flattery, but we love being individually OSCAR.
Industry news for Aged Care and Childcare
We are so incredibly proud to release the 2024 version of The Scoop – Aged Care & NDIS and Childcare editions with specific and relevant content and service offering for each sector.
It gives us great pleasure to show case and demonstrate our existing and new products and services for the Aged Care & NDIS and Childcare sectors in these publications, addressing the needs of each sector and also information about Nutrition, Allied Health, Food Safety and Compliance, with a few amazing articles and recipes to share.
Happy reading and we look forward to working further with our existing and new clients in 2024 and beyond.
Nicole Buettel
Managing Director for OSCAR Care Group