IHCS 
International Health Consulting Services
IHCS provides National and Regional Governments and Non-Governmental Organisations in Australia, Asia and the Pacific Region with services in such areas as Capacity Building; Infrastructure Strengthening; Total Quality Management, Reviews of National Programs; Evaluation of Service Provision; and Advice and Training in Quality Assurance and Change Management.
Aged Care Division
Recently completed activities include
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IHCS in cooperation with Queensland University of Technology conducted a trial in the use of Independent Assessors for the direct appraisal of Residents of Aged Care Facilities without relying on the Facilities' documentation. The project developed an embryonic Classification Assessment Tool (CAT) comprising ten care domains which were a subset of the Resident Classification Scale with three ratings for each domain. Three Principal Trial Assessors conucted assessment interviews with a total of 84 residents in 21 facilities across four states with each interview being video recorded. Three groups of Independent Assessors viewed the videos and carried out their assessment using the CAT under controlled circumstances. The resulting 588 assessments were analysed for inter-rater reliability. The overall finding from the study showed that the CAT was shorter, simple and less complex than the RCS and that inter-rater reliability was high. | ||||
IHCS developed and delivered training seminars in all States and Territories in Australia for Directors of Nursing, Clinical Nurses, Personal Carers, Allied Health Professionals and Service Provider Management in the use of the Resident Classification Scale and in Care Needs Assessment, Care Planning and Documentation.
The Economic Effect of and Ageing Population
IHCS principal, Euan Lindsay-Smith, was awarded the Keith Crosthwaite Memorial Fellowship by the Geriatric Medical Foundation of Queensland to examine the Economic Effect of an Ageing Population. The report was published by International Health Consulting Services.
Review of the Resident Classification Scale
IHCS principal, Euan Lindsay-Smith, was a member of the Ministerial Task Force established by the then Minister of Aged Care, Warwick Smith, to carry out a review of the Resident Classification Scale (RCS). The RCS is used to distribute approximately 4 billion dollars each year in federal government subsidies to residential aged care facilities throughout Australia. The review addressed the extent to which experience reflected the rating of care needs and funding outcomes predicted in the development of the RCS, the extent to which the RCS adequately described care needs, its effectiveness in both nursing homes and hostels, its adequacy in reflecting dementia care needs, whether the guidelines were clear and enabled the RCS to be used as intended, and the adequacy of the training and support materials. The report was published by the AGPS as Aged and Community Care Service Development and Evaluation Report No 36.
National Evaluation of Psychogeriatric Units
IHCS carried out the Evaluation of Psychogeriatric Units (PGUs) across Australia.. The evaluation determined the appropriateness of the service delivery model in meeting the objectives of the initiative, the effectiveness of each individual unit, including their use of funding, and the extent to which quality of life had improved for unit clients
The report, published by the Alzheimer’s Association of South Australia included:
Ø the extent to which quality and care for the target group improved through access to the PGUs
Ø the impact of PGUs on the residential care service providers
Ø the impact of PGUs on other related services, eg State Mental Health services
Ø the extent to which PGUs were accessible to the target group and service providers
Ø the value of additional expert diagnosis and assessment in meeting the care needs of the target group
Ø how the budget holding role of PGUs impacted on the target group and service providers and how the funds were being used
Ø the cost benefit of the budget holding role
Ø the degree of satisfaction of all key players
Ø the extent to which PGUs had not been able to provide assistance to the target group and service providers
Development of the Resident Classification Scale
IHCS , in cooperation with the University of Western Australia, developed the Resident Classification Scale which assesses the level of health and personal care needs of residents of aged care facilities, nursing homes and hostels, and is used to distribute approximately 4 billion dollars each year in federal government subsidies to residential aged care facilities throughout Australia. The development involved carrying out community consultations to identify key issues in the care of the elderly with representatives of, and service providers in, the Aged Care Sector throughout Australia, including Medical, Nursing and Health Professionals, Advocacy Groups, Peak Body Groups, State and Commonwealth Government Officers and Residential Aged Care Nursing, Health and Personal Care Staff. Using the results of the consultation process, and reviewing and evaluating existing Aged Care assessment instruments from Australia and overseas the new instrument was developed. An important part of the development of the RCS included a study of a stratified random sample of 20,000 residents of Australian nursing homes and hostels. The study required the design and implementation of 40 training workshops throughout Australia. The report, in three volumes, was published by the University of Western Australia.
National Review of Respite Care in the Community
IHCS, in cooperation with the University of Western Australia, carried out a review of Respite Care in the Community. This was the largest of three reviews in the area of Respite Care, carried out for the Commonwealth Government, to determine the extent to which existing services met the needs of Users, Recipients and Non-users of Services and to examine Best Practice in the provision of Respite Care.
Important components of the review included community consultations and individual and focus group interviews to identify key issues in the Care of the Elderly with Service Providers, Medical, Nursing and Health Professionals, Advocacy Groups, Peak Body Groups, State and Commonwealth Government Officers and Residential Aged Care Nursing, Health and Personal Care Staff in the Aged Care Sector throughout Australia. This information was used to design a postal survey of more than 1,700 Service Providers. Additionally, telephone interviews with more than 1,100 respondents, comprising users, recipients, and those who were regarded as potential users, but who were not using existing services, in order to determine client satisfaction with current services and barriers to use. The Report was published by the AGPS under the title Respite Review Supporting Paper Number 2.
Page last updated 31 March 2005
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