Introduction to the Disability Sector Quality System

1
Introduction to the Disability Sector Quality
System

• Awareness Raising Workshops for Service Providers

2
Workshop Objectives

• Increase knowledge on the Disability Sector
  Quality System and what it means for your
  organisation
• Opportunity to reflect on what will need to occur
  for your organisation to be ready
• Share ideas for engaging staff, committees,
  service users, families and carers

3
Session One

• Legislative context
• Organisational Context
• Disability Services Qld Context

4
Legislative Context

• Qld Disability Services Act (1992) provides the
  basis for service provision
• Under the Act, DSQ sets conditions for funding
• DSQ has established Disability Service Standards
• Disability Sector Quality System provides the
  framework for monitoring the Standards

5
Organisational Context

• Provides a framework for internal organisational
  planning and review activities
• Provides a framework for governance
• Provides a framework for engaging all stakeholders

6
DSQ Context

• Provides a framework for linking service quality
  with funding
• Provides a framework for organisations to
  establish continuous improvement processes that
  reflect organisational visions, goals and service
  delivery
• Provides sector wide benchmarks (standards)
  against which internal processes can be measured

7
Session Two

• Overview of the System

8
Overview of the Disability Sector Quality System

• Ten Disability Service Standards (industry)
• Continuous Improvement Cycle (internal)
• Develop/review internal quality management system
  continuous improvement program
• Monitor continuous improvement processes
  regularly
• Self-assessment (internal audit) three yearly
• Certification System (external)
• Initial Certification assessment/audit conducted
  by a Certification Body
• Yearly maintenance visits
• Three yearly certification audits

9
Disability Service Standards

• Service access
• Individual needs
• Decision-making and choice
• Privacy, dignity and confidentiality
• Participation and integration
• Valued status

• Complaints and disputes
• Service management
• Protection of legal and human rights and freedom
  from abuse and neglect
• Staff recruitment, employment and development

10
Format for each Standard

• Descriptor
• Statement of Intention of the standard
• List of Service Standard Indicators

11
Examples of Evidence

• Assessment Guidelines
• Evidence questions
• Examples of evidence
• Assessment Workbook
• Opportunity to customise evidence examples to
  reflect own service type, values, goals etc.

12
Continuous Improvement Cycle (internal)

• Develop/review internal quality management system
  continuous improvement program
• Monitor continuous improvement program regularly
  (3, 6, or 12 monthly)
• Full Self-assessment every 3 years

13
Certification System (external)

• Initial Certification assessment/audit conducted
  by a Certification Body
• Yearly maintenance visits
• Full certification assessment/audit every three
  years

14
Standards Review Activity (1)

• Participants to work individually
• Choose standard(s)
• Choose two different perspectives
• e.g. support worker, service user, board member,
  family member, service manager
• Define standard from each perspective and write
  on separate cards
• Contribute to group discussion

15
Activity (1) Debrief

• The Standards are relevant irrespective of your
  role or relationship to the service
• Standards mean different things to different
  people
• All perspectives are valid

16
Session Three

• Contextualisation of the Standards

17
Assessment Guidelines Workbook

• Opportunity for contextualisation of the evidence
  examples to reflect
• Service type
• Diversity of needs of service users/families/carer
  s
• Organisational values, mission, goals etc.
• Community expectations

18
Contextualisation Activity (2)

• Work in a group to develop evidence examples for
  standard 2 Individual Needs
• Document examples on OHT
• Report back to group ask for feedback

19
Activity (2) Debrief

• There is scope for standards to reflect different
  service types and a diversity of service user
  needs
• Stakeholder input is needed to ensure examples of
  evidence are meaningful and relevant to the day
  to day operations of the service

20
Group Brainstorm Activity (3)

• From a service user perspective, brainstorm a
  positive and a negative example of each standard

21
Activity (3) Debrief

• Reference point for all continuous improvement
  activity should be the quality of service to the
  person with a disability/families/carers
• Service user perspectives on quality vary over
  time, across service types, and between
  individuals.
• All perspectives are valued in a quality system

22
Session Four

• Where to from here?

23
Information Sharing

• Identify key stakeholders
• Negotiate suitable times and places to run
  information sessions, e.g.
• Staff meetings
• Social gathering with clients/families/carers
• Management committee meeting
• Inservice
• Info on notice boards etc..

24
Five Steps

• Establishing the quality system
• Service user assessment
• Self-assessment
• Continuous improvement
• External assessment/audit (validation)

25
Support for participation in the DSQS

• Plan to allow for two cycles before linking
  funding to certification
• Plan to provide a range of financial and other
  supports to organisations

26
Reflection Activity (4)

• Work on your own or with others from your
  organisation
• Reflect on where you consider your organisation
  to be at in terms of readiness for the new
  quality system
• Complete the reflection activity sheet
• Share with the group (optional)

27
Summary

• Disability Service Standards are the reference
  point for service provision and the Quality
  System
• Responsibility of the organisation to establish
  their internal system and a program of continuous
  improvement
• External certification component for validation