Background
Following a series of service reviews in 2007 and 2008, the Tasmanian Government commenced a program of reforms to the provision of Disability Services, Family Support Services and Child Protection services in Tasmania.
A key objective of the reforms is to create a culture of continuous improvement using action research and action learning as the vehicle.
What is action research?
Action research is an interactive and flexible methodology that supports organisational and system change.
The action research methodology is highly participative. It supports participants to continuously reflect on their organisations’ progress and facilitates them working together, with expert support, to share challenges and successes and develop effective strategies to promote the change process.
Action research will support the development of skills and capabilities of staff who are leading a complex and demanding change process.
Project Team
DLA Phillips Fox has been appointed to support Gateway Services and Family Support Services as they work through the major service system change process. Members of the team include nursing, medical and legal practitioners who are specialists in action research, facilitation, governance, service system design, operations and quality improvement processes, and are:
- Dr Heather Wellington, a medical practitioner and lawyer, who has extensive experience in government policy, service governance and operations, planning and review, and practice quality and safety issues.
- Ms Elise Sullivan, a registered nurse with expertise in public policy, change management and applied action research in the Victorian health sector.
- Ms Catherine Brown, a lawyer and management consultant with extensive experience in the development of not-for-profit organisations, which includes applied action research in the disability sector.
What is the role of participants in action research?
The project is designed to support participants as they work through the change process. Participants in this project will:
- Have regular opportunities to meet with their colleagues to explore the causes of and effective approaches to common issues arising from the change management process
- Draw on each other’s experiences, and the experiences of the project facilitators, to address problems and capture opportunities
- Work together to develop sustainable approaches to continuous improvement within your organisations, to ensure the reform outcomes are sustainable.
During 2010, services in the disability support sector will also be engaged in this action research project.
What is the role of the project team?
The project team will work closely with participants, assisting them to:
· identify common barriers and opportunities for change; and
· develop practical and effective strategies to address those barriers and opportunities and create cultures of continuous improvement within their organisations.
What will the project entail?
Participants will be provided with background material including guidance and tools to support change management.
The project team will work with participants to assist them to analyse issues and options and develop strategies to address priority issues.
Facilitated regional action learning circles of participants will be convened regularly, to support sharing of experiences and the development of shared approaches to problem solving.
State-wide forums will be held 6-monthly to enable project participants to share their experiences in the change management process with each other and with other stakeholders.
Between August 2009 to February 2012 there will be:
- 6 state-wide forums held every 6 months to inform and engage service providers and other key stakeholders in the project; and
- 3 monthly facilitated regional workshops with representatives of the Gateway and Family Support Services. These will be highly interactive and practical workshops which will build capacity to manage the changes associated with the reforms, and create organisational cultures of continuous improvement.
For more information
Contact Elise Sullivan at DLA Phillips Fox (elise.sullivan@pfhealth.com.au)