::: Quality Lifestyle Alliance ::: www.qla.org.au :::

Ask Us:

If you have any question do not hesitate to contact us on 07 5443 9777 or send us an email contact@qla.org.au

FAQ:

Q: Can you tell me more about the organisation?
A: To put it in a nutshell ...

We are an incorporated organisation with a constitution, members and a management committee.
We aim to provide a support service managed by people with a disability for people with a disability.
We aim to empower and enable people to the greatest extent possible, through securing flexible and responsible networks appropriate to each individual’s life situation.
One of our objectives is to maximise the potential of people with a disability to function as independently as possible in personal, domestic, vocational, cultural and recreational environments.
The management committee employs a Coordination Team which looks after the independent living issues of consumers.

Q: What support can the coordination team give me?
A: The team has the following members:

A full-time general manager
A part-time service coordinator
A part time case manager / payroll manager / WH&S Officer
A part-time case manager / Quality System manager / Rehab Coordinator
One part-time admin assistant

The coordination team supports both support workers and consumers. Each consumer's living issues are unique and thus the role of the coordinator will differ from consumer to consumer.

QLA will make every reasonable effort to make the Service User aware of the standard of service that they can expect and that service will be provided in a safe manner, which respects their dignity and independence and is responsive to their social, cultural and physical needs.

Access to the service will be decided on the basis of need and the capacity of the service to meet that need. QLA will take into account the Service Users views in planning and evaluation of the service.

Our members firmly believe that individualised funding is the most cost effective and beneficial way for people with a disability to receive the service they require. The person with the disability, after securing funding and entry into the service has his/her dollar value calculated in available support hours. The funding remains the property of the Service User, not the organisation.

QLA seeks to assist as much or as little as requested by the individual Service User, keeping unnecessary intervention to a minimum and aiming to encourage each individual to progress towards the most confident and autonomous position possible.

Q: What commitment is asked of support workers?
A: Following is an indication.

Each prospected worker has the opportunity of filling out an employment questionnaire. The information given in the questionnaire is securely filed and past on by the relevant case manager to service users who are looking to employ new staff.

Once an employment is secured, the worker will have an induction session with the case manager of the service users they will be supporting. All information that is needed for the induction is published in hard copy and also available in electronic format (pdf) as the "support workers handbook".

Employment as a support worker is governed by Commonwealth and State legislation and regulations, the Queensland Disability Service Standards and the policies and procedures of the organisation. This means that the following requirements are mandatory:

Completion of training in manual handling and lifting
A signed and witnessed consent for a police check
A current blue card for working with children if applicable
A signed privacy and confidentiality agreement
A signed agreement to work a minimum of one hour
Remuneration according to the DSW or SACS Award as a casual employee
Workplace Health and Safety responsibilities as described in organisational policy

QLA is dedicated to help workers meet these requirements. Please check the workers info page for supports available through our organisation.

Q: How can Service Users complain?
A: Complaints handling uses a system approach.

QLA welcomes feedback from Service Users which will enable the organisation to improve the quality of services.

Service Users have the right to complain or express concerns about a service without fear of losing the service or suffering any other recriminations. There is a range of options. The Service User can choose to make a query, express a concern but choose not to formalise their expression or lodge a signed statement to initiate a formal enquiry and handling of the complaint. The staff of QLA will ensure that the Service User is satisfied his/her query, concern or complaint is properly understood, documented and followed up on.

QLA's complaint handling has been systemised to operate under the Australian Standard for Complaints Handling and Queensland's Disability Service Standard number 7.

Q: What about Privacy and Confidentiality?
A: QLA recognises the right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality in all aspects of life.

QLA believes that each Service User has a right to the same level of privacy, dignity and confidentiality expected by other members of society. In addition, the preservation of that right is of paramount importance to service delivery. Support Staff are required to complete and sign a privacy and confidentiality agreement at the time of their induction.