Representing 55 care facilities and 4,500 beds, Domain Principal CEO Gary Barnier (pictured) was ‘delighted’ to be invited to speak at the recent Catholic Health Australia’s conference to give a platform to his major concern that the ‘value’ delivered by the aged care sector is not understood by consumers.
He says “We are too ready to talk about the bad things such as underfunding and crises. Instead we need to describe the value we provide – why come to us”. He says Domain Principal supports the Productivity Commission strategy to move to a market based sector and consumer centric choice.
But he warns that is a different operating environment. His value proposition: providing people support who would otherwise suffer from social isolation, malnourishment, confusion and dementia.
“We support staying at home as long as possible but we will be there to step in at the right time. The biggest thing is to give our clients moments they didn’t think they would get - we will improve their situation compared to if say they stay at home. It is time to start this conversation”.
Looking forward, people will be asking ‘why should I choose you’. He states Domain Principal is absolutely committed to growth but also has to clearly communicate what it offers – as does the rest of the care sector.
