Buckland Aged Care July 2025 Update
To all residents, families, and representatives,
Warm greetings from Buckland Aged Care Services.
It gives me great pleasure to provide you with an update on what’s been happening across the facility and to share some exciting developments as we continue striving for excellence in aged care.
General Update & Clinical Improvements
We are pleased to report ongoing improvements across key areas of the home:
Infection and Incident Reduction: June saw a welcome drop in overall incidents and infections, even during the winter season. Wound care outcomes have improved, and our risk mitigation efforts are clearly making an impact.
Call Bell Response Times: Our average call response time in June was 2 minutes and 28 seconds, which remains within an acceptable range. We are continuing to explore ways to reduce this further.
Aged Care Quality Readiness: A recent audit by Provider Assist confirmed that Buckland is well-prepared for the upcoming changes to the Aged Care Quality Standards. A Continuous Improvement Plan is now in place.
Environmental Upgrades: Preventative maintenance and environmental safety inspections are being increased to every two months. We're also trialing autonomous cleaning technology to enhance hygiene across the home.
Welcoming Our New Hospitality Services Manager
We’re delighted to welcome Mr. Darren Almond as our new Hospitality Services Manager. Darren has over two decades of experience in hospitality and aged care services. With his background as a certified chef and proven leadership in food safety, cleaning, and laundry operations, Darren is well-equipped to lead a transformation of our dining experience at Buckland.
Darren’s professional values align strongly with those of Buckland — he leads with warmth and humility, fosters team engagement, and is committed to continuous improvement. He is already working closely with the team to review our menu offerings, dining service routines, and resident feedback mechanisms to ensure every meal is a satisfying and enjoyable experience.
We encourage you to introduce yourself to Darren next time you visit.
Menu Review
We’re also pleased to share that Plena Healthcare — a provider of mobile allied health services, specializing in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, dietetics, and speech pathology — will be onsite shortly to conduct a two-day review of our menus. Their involvement will support our goal of ensuring that the nutritional needs of our residents are met through enjoyable, high-quality meals.
Enhancing Our Systems
We are currently finalising the selection of a new integrated Human Resource Information System (HRIS). This will improve staff onboarding, training, and performance monitoring — ultimately benefiting the care experience for residents.
Front Door Access Reminder
Please note that the front door is unlocked daily between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
Outside of these hours, access is available using the PIN code 7772E. This can be used for both entry and exit before 6:00 AM or after 6:00 PM.
We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring our community remains secure and accessible.
Looking Ahead
Our upcoming priorities for July include:
- Finalising the HRIS system selection
- Reviewing our autonomous cleaning trial
- Continuing to implement feedback from our quality audit
We Value Your Feedback
We always welcome input from residents and families. We have increased the number of feedback boxes across the facility, please feel free to use them. If you have questions, suggestions, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or any member of the Buckland leadership team. We are here to listen and to act.
On behalf of everyone at Buckland, thank you for your continued support and trust. We remain committed to delivering safe, high-quality care in a home where people feel respected, connected, and well cared for.
Kind Regards
Pearson Kasawaya
General Manager
Buckland Nursing Home