From the Board

Welcome to the first edition of “From The Board”. I have introduced this initiative so that I can make sure our Sunnyfield families and members up to date with the work of your Directors.

In March 2010, the Board held a Strategy Meeting with the Leadership Team to assess and review our strategy and how well we all felt we had made progress with the strategy. It was so pleasing to see that all Directors and all members of the Leadership Team confirmed that the Sunnyfield strategy remains the right direction and the best way to provide outcomes for the people we support and their families.

The Board unanimously agreed that we need to place additional emphasis on our relationship and interaction with Government/political parties if we are to meet our goal of being a driver of social and legislative change.

The Board is very well aware there are major changes in the current environment within the disability sector. We have seen our sector starting to move towards the adoption of person centred approaches and individual funding. This we feel is as a result, in part, of Sunnyfield’s efforts and our commitment to these very principles in our strategy. The proposal for a National Disability Insurance Scheme has been referred to the Productivity Commission and Sunnyfield intends to take advantage of the election years to bring this and the many other issues in the disability sector before governments and politicians.

One of the Board’s main aims for Sunnyfield is to emphasise better communication with our families and members. The Directors view our relationship and dealings with our families and members as a crucial element in not only implementing the strategy for the people we support, but also allowing this most important stakeholder base to have a voice in future changes. We will also be considering how we can put more value into membership of Sunnyfield thereby encouraging all families to consider becoming a member rather than just receiving a service.

Some important points from the March Board meeting; the Board:
• approved two new members,
• reviewed the work of each division of the company against its business plans,
• considered the implications of the Modern Award which affects our staff rosters, and endorsed the decision of the Leadership Team not to reduce our staff payments in line with the award,
• congratulated the Enterprises Team on winning a new $1million contract to supply TAFE Hunter Valley,
• reviewed the feedback from the survey of families using Respite Care services at Sunnyfield, noting the very high level of satisfaction recorded, and discussed the upcoming Family and Membership Survey which will provide further information on the views of our families and members,
• considered and provided direction to the Leadership Team on several projects currently underway at Sunnyfield, and
• considered the financial and management reports, noting a better than budget performance year to date for the company.

The next meeting of the Board will be held in May 2010 and, as always, if members have any items they would like the Board to discuss and consider, they can be forwarded through the CEO’s Office.

Patricia McKenzie, Chair