Consensus Software Awards

The 2019 Consensus Awards Winners

The 2019 Consensus Awards Winners

Centro ASSIST and our parent company Holocentric, were awarded a Highly Commended recognition at the Consensus Software Awards this year. Consensus specialises in industry development, awards and recognition programs. They are committed to supporting innovation and enterprise. The importance of the awards was recognised by Malcom Turnbull in 2017. He stated "...The Consensus Awards have a history of celebrating some of the most cutting-edge and innovative Australian tech companies.”

Centro ASSIST entered the competition to show the value of what we are doing for the community. We conceived Centro ASSIST to bring compliance to the disability sector. We have seen service providers, especially those in the NDIS, struggle with compliance and regulation.

According to data collected from our existing customers:

  • 60% of policies don’t over new regulations

  • 30 on average need to be rewritten

  • 192 hours of effort is required to write new audit-ready content.

Sourced from: Centro ASSIST Expert Policy and Process Check Results (January 2019)

 We realised that many smaller providers don’t have the resources to address this problem. Australia also can’t afford for the NDIS and care industries to fail. So we decided to offer a better way to do compliance. Centro ASSIST is the first to offer a technology platform, specialised content and guidance. The platform has reimagined policies and processes. We are excited about how compliance technology can make a difference, especially to smaller providers.

 The judges of Consensus stated they “were impressed with how Centro ASSIST manages the compliance needs for the NDIS registration and how this software provides policies and processes in a user-friendly manner.”

Our customers echo this statement. They are enthusiastic and grateful for our product. Receiving the Highly Commended recognition has validated our vision and made us proud of our work. We hope this recognition will open more doors to partners and expansion so we can help more communities in Australia.

CEO Bruce Nixon, Head of Disability Solutions Walter Tran and CTO Derek Renouf with our Highly Commended recognition

CEO Bruce Nixon, Head of Disability Solutions Walter Tran and CTO Derek Renouf with our Highly Commended recognition

 

The latest from Arahni Sont

Arahni's Blog
“Complex needs” in a complex service system
“Complex needs” in a complex service system

How do you provide support via the NDIS to the homeless for example? Teena spoke about the new project, Project Embark. The Project Embark website includes useful resources and information to help support people experiencing homelessness and psychosocial disability to access the NDIS.

Goals, complexity and sustainability - Highlights from the NDIS Quarterly Report to coag
Goals, complexity and sustainability - Highlights from the NDIS Quarterly Report to coag

After reading the NDIS Quarterly Report to the COAG Disability Council of 31 January 2020, some highlights are:

  • The new “Goal Attainment Framework” will also provide the NDIA with valuable evidence as to the kinds of supports and service providers that are achieving the best outcomes across all participants.

“Oh What a Year - living with a revolution in care” - December 18, 2019 by Arahni Sont
“Oh What a Year - living with a revolution in care” - December 18, 2019 by Arahni Sont

What an exciting year it has been for Centro ASSIST as we work to support providers improve their quality and compliance management across the aged and disability care sectors in Australia.

At the human services sector level, we saw various parliamentary enquiries and Royal Commissions into aged care, out of home care, mental health and the NDIS.

Centro-ASSIST-team
Blog 13 December 2019: Digital disruption, being customer centric, reform of the NDIS and creating alternate futures from Day 2 of the NDS CEO Meeting 20-21 November

A very passionate address by Bill Shorten on Day 2 of the meeting, starting with “it’s quicker to buy a wheelchair on Amazon than from the NDIA.” There’s a huge burden on PWD to prove everything and they have the added cost of paying for lawyers when appealing a decision of the NDIA. 1000 matters at the AAT now.

Blog December 2019: Let's Make it Work - Three Views of the NDIS!
Blog December 2019: Let's Make it Work - Three Views of the NDIS!

The NDIS Quarterly report released last week shows there are currently 310,000 participants in the NDIS. Of those, 114,000 are receiving support for the first time. The scheme will cover an estimated 500,000 people by 2025 and is expected to require an additional 90,000 workers. The report shows that there are 13,434 NDIS providers, including 797 new ones this quarter.

NDIA Annual Report 2018-19 – an Extract by Arahni Sont, Strategy and Partnerships at Centro ASSIST 29/10/2019
NDIA Annual Report 2018-19 – an Extract by Arahni Sont, Strategy and Partnerships at Centro ASSIST 29/10/2019

You will find below, my 14 page summary taken from The NDIA 2018-19 Annual Report of 182 pages. I have highlighted various sections of interest to me and my readers, namely service providers, participants in the scheme and Government policy makers.

My Carer Journey - Raising my son in Mozambique and Sydney
My Carer Journey - Raising my son in Mozambique and Sydney

This year the theme for Way Ahead’s Mental Health Month is “Share the Journey”, so I thought I would share my journey as an active and committed carer and advocate. I was a carer representative for Carers NSW for 10 years and a carer advocate with Mental Health Australia for 7 years.

4 October Blog: DIIU Innovation in Disability, Centro at the NDS WA conference and HLB Mann Judd’s ENFP NDIS event
4 October Blog: DIIU Innovation in Disability, Centro at the NDS WA conference and HLB Mann Judd’s ENFP NDIS event

I attended this event and was able to meet the new Director, Professor Jackie Leach Scully (former Director at University of Newcastle PEALS, UK), and network with other leaders in disability research and advocacy from the university, disabled people's organisations and the wider community.

September 2019 – NDIS Updates, Resources and Conferences
September 2019 – NDIS Updates, Resources and Conferences

The law firm Piper Alderman attended the first public sitting day of the Royal Commission on 16th September and provided an excellent summary. Senior Counsel Assisting the Commission Rebecca Treston QC then made opening submissions, introducing her fellow counsel assisting, further explaining the terms of reference, highlighting that up to 1 in 5 Australians has some level of disability, and the extent of abuse and violence in Australia and the impact on those with disability.

Belinda-Drew
Day 2: Quality and Safety in the NDIS conference, 20-21 August 2019 in Sydney

Belinda Drew, CSIA gave the keynote address on Day 2 of the conference, about understanding the role of collaboration in meeting the customers’ needs. The Productivity Commission (2017) stated “Early evidence suggests that many (but not all) NDIS participants are receiving more disability supports than previously, and they have more choice and control”.

 
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