Stronger as one

BaptistCare NSW & ACT and Baptistcare WA are pleased to announce the completion of the merger, to create one of Australia's largest not-for-profit care providers.

Since announcing our intention to merge in March, both organisations have been working closely together, allowing us to begin planning to implement our vision for the future.

Charles Moore as Chief Executive Officer will lead the merged organisation. Amanda Vivian, formerly CEO of Baptistcare WA will lead the WA people and services in her role as Executive Director WA.

With over 125 years of collective experience, both organisations are excited about this next chapter and the opportunities to be stronger as one.

Employees can continue to access information and updated Frequently Asked Questions via this webpage.

We are pleased to share with you an update on the merger of Baptistcare WA and BaptistCare NSW & ACT. We have made great progress since announcing our intention to merge in March, with a series of listening and learning activities that have allowed us to come together and begin thinking of our vision for the future.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to all those employees in WA who have hosted visitors from NSW and ACT and been part of arrangements for the Road Show in April, and to those from NSW and ACT who have travelled to WA to learn about and provide support to WA teams.

Establishing a Project Steering Committee

Our executive teams and leaders have been collaborating closely, and we are currently establishing a Project Steering Committee to oversee the planning and implementation of the merger. The members of this include:

• David Maher, Merger Project Manager
• Amanda Vivian, Executive Director WA
• Amanda Rogers, WA General Manager People & Culture
• Liz de Berardis, General Manager People & Culture
• Allan Waters, General Manager Residential & Retirement Living
• Daniel Pettman, Chief Digital and Information Officer
• Benjamin Galea, General Manager Marketing & Communications
• Neville Zammit, Chief Financial Officer
  
  

This committee will be responsible for considering, assessing and determining the best approach to establishing our new organisation; including the timeframes we plan to achieve this in.

Finalising the merger & commencing the journey to become one organisation

Finalising the merger is currently set to take place by the end of this month, at which point we will formally become one organisation. Several project phases will follow, involving planning, prioritising, implementing, reviewing and optimisation of what we are learning as we operate the new organisation.

Included with this update is a Journey Map, which shares the phases and approximate timings of the activities the Project Steering Committee will drive over the next 12-18 months.

A new interim operating structure

An interim operating structure has been established for the new organisation, to ensure our Head Office employees and teams in WA, and Support Services employees and teams in NSW/ACT, have a clear understanding of how our teams will work together when we become one organisation, later this month.

This structure will commence on 1 June. It is likely that some elements of this structure will evolve and mature as we become a single organisation. We will keep you informed as changes occur.

In summary, and as previously outlined, the merged organisation will be led by Charles Moore as Chief Executive Officer.

The Executive Team for the new organisation will comprise Charles, and the following people and roles:

• Amanda Vivian, Executive Director WA
• Liz de Berardis, General Manager People & Culture
• Allan Waters, General Manager Residential & Retirement Living
• Sarah Newman, General Manager at Home
• Daniel Pettman, Chief Digital and Information Officer
• David Cowdery, General Manager Property
• Benjamin Galea, General Manager Marketing & Communications
• Jenny Blok, General Manager Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care
• Craig Lucas-Smith, Chief Risk Officer
• Robyn Evans, General Manager Community Services & Housing
• Neville Zammit, Chief Financial Officer

All WA General Managers and their teams will report into this Executive Team. We have enclosed a series of organisation charts that outline each team and the reporting lines.

Moving forward, the Project Steering Committee will provide regular updates and how we're tracking toward our key milestones.

You may find you have questions as we move forward, and you are welcome to speak directly with your manager or you can submit a question at the bottom of this webpage.

While there is still much work to be done, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead, and we are confident that we will be able to successfully establish a new, integrated organisation that will provide even better care and support to our customers, residents and clients.

We are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way and look forward to sharing more updates with you soon.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for this exciting new chapter in the history of our organisation.

The Boards and Executives of Baptistcare WA and BaptistCare NSW & ACT are pleased to announce we have decided to merge, to create one of the largest not-for-profit care providers in Australia.

Between our two organisations we have over 125 years’ experience of delivering exceptional care and services that have a real and meaningful impact in people’s lives.

As aged care is an evolving and highly complex sector, this is a positive and exciting opportunity for our two organisations to come together and be stronger as one.

A merger will allow us, as one organisation, to deliver more sustainable care in the aged care sector. By joining forces we will be able to operate at scale and with greater capacity in an increasingly challenging market that is undergoing rapid change.

Our organisations are like-minded and have a values-driven approach to person-directed care and service delivery.

We are confident that this merger will deliver enormous benefits for our valued employees, volunteers, residents, clients, customers and their families.

Charles Moore, currently the CEO of BaptistCare NSW & ACT, will lead the newly merged organisation as Chief Executive Officer.

Western Australia’s Amanda Vivian will be appointed to the new role of Executive Director Western Australia to lead the operations in WA. Amanda will assume this new position when the merger is complete.

Amanda will also join the executive leadership team of the newly merged organisation, and will continue to lead Aurum Catering and Management Services, which will become part of the merged organisation.

The merged organisation will have a workforce of more than 5,000 employees, 750 volunteers, 33 residential aged care facilities, 9,000 home care customers and 25 retirement villages.

Our organisations will continue working closely together to transition into one organisation over the coming months, and we will keep all stakeholders well-informed as the merger progresses.

If you have any additional questions, please speak with your leader or manager. If you need someone to talk to, you can access confidential support from your organisation's EAP (Employee Assistance Program) provider. Our chaplains are also available at every site and service.

Baptistcare WA EAP - 1300 307 912
BaptistCare NSW & ACT EAP - 1300 687 327

We understand change can sometimes feel unsettling, but please know we are committed to providing regular, open and transparent information to all employees and volunteers as we become one organisation.

We look forward to bringing you more information as it becomes available.

The number one priority for both organisations is keeping great people.

We will continue with the current listening and learning activities and conversations that are underway between teams in both States as we work together to plan our vision for the future.

In May, we shared a Journey Map that outlines the phases and approximate timings that we will move through as we become one organisation. In Phase 3 of the journey, we will address various organisational requirements such as the integration of our support services and head office functions, and the timing of changes.

In May, we also advised that an interim operating structure was established for the new organisation, to ensure Head Office employees and teams in WA, and Support Services employees and teams in NSW/ACT, have a clear understanding of how our teams will work together now and over the coming phases.

The number one priority for both organisations is keeping great people. Your ongoing employment is confirmed and remains, in all material ways, unaffected by the merger.

It is vital we retain and grow our service teams across WA, NSW and the ACT so we can continue to provide quality care and support to our residents and customers.

All employees would be aware roles and rosters can change in response to resident, customer or other operational needs. As always, if such cases arise, we will continue to follow our usual consultation processes.

Our focus remains unchanged for both organisations and will continue to be on delivering quality care and services for residents and customers.

When two organisations merge, time is spent reviewing and comparing policies, procedures and processes to ensure the best processes and practices are adopted or implemented.

This process takes time, and we will keep you updated as more information becomes available, however there will be no immediate changes to the care and services you are providing.

Please continue to follow the policies and procedures you are currently working with. Over time we will move to one set of policies and procedures across our new organisation to ensure best practices and consistent approaches. We will communicate with you before any changes take place.

An interim operating structure has been established for the new organisation, to ensure our employees in all states have a clear understanding of how our teams will work together. To find out more about your structure and reporting lines, please speak directly with your manager.

There will be no changes to the conditions under which you were employed, your leave entitlements or arrangements.

Should you be asked by residents, clients, customers or their families about this merger, please reassure them that our focus on delivering quality care and services will remain unchanged.

For WA residents and customers: you can also remind them about the communication/information they have been given and the webpage we have made available to them: bapt.co/strongerWA

We are committed to providing regular updates and being transparent with as much information as we can share while making the best possible decisions for both organisations, employees, volunteers, residents, clients and customers.

We’ll provide you with updates as information becomes available via this webpage.

You can also ask a question via the webpage. We may not have immediate answers to your query, but we do want to hear from you. Our commitment to you is that we will respond to questions as soon as we have further information we can share.

All employees and volunteers are reminded you have access to your organisation’s Employee Assistance Program:

Baptistcare WA - 1300 307 912
BaptistCare NSW & ACT Flourish self-care program - 1300 687 327