Aged Care National Peak Body Appoints New CEO
27 March 2012 at 11:01 am
The Chairman of UnitingCare Ageing (NSW.ACT), Adjunct Professor, John Kelly has been appointed the new CEO of the national peak body peak of Not for Profit aged care providers, ACSA – Aged & Community Services Australia.
The appointment follows the February announcement that ACSA’s plans to merge with the for-profit Aged Care Association Australia had failed.
ACSA National President, Rob Hankins says that following a national search for a CEO, the Board has appointed John Kelly who is currently Director and Chairman of UnitingCare Ageing (NSW.ACT).
Kelly will take up the role in April.
Hankins says Professor Kelly is an outstanding choice to become ACSA’s CEO.
“His strong leadership skills, extensive clinical, management and consulting background in the health & aged care sectors, governance experience at a national level, advocacy and stakeholder representation in national professional associations, faith based and secular not for profit entities as well as for profit community & aged care service providers, makes this an exceptional appointment at a vital time for the aged care sector," Harkins said.
“Professor Kelly is a dynamic person to lead Australia’s peak body of over 1100 faith based, charitable and community-based providers,” Hankins said.
Professor Kelly has had continuous experience as a Director of Not for Profit, remunerated health and aged care related Boards as well as Government Boards and Statutory Committees, since 1994.
He also operates the law program in the Masters of Health Administration at the University of Technology, Sydney, manages a specialist boutique national health and aged care legal and consulting practice, has been a partner in national law firms specialising in the health and aged care sector.
He was the recipient of the University of Technology, Sydney’s prestigious 2010 Alumni Award for Excellence and in 2009 was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2010 Professor Kelly held the position of Commonwealth Aged Care Commissioner, appointed by the Federal Government.
“It’s a significant time for the sector and the community as the Government prepares to formally respond to the Productivity Commission’s Report on ‘Caring for Older Australians’ and the discussions surrounding the establishment of the Australian Charities & Not for Profits Commission,” Professor Kelly said.
Pro Bono Australia News reported in February that less than a year after the national peak body for Not for Profit aged care providers Aged and Community Services Australia announced its plans to merge with the for-profit Aged Care Association Australia, the ACSA board has resolved to no longer pursue the merger.
ACSA said at the time that the board reaffirmed its commitment that “given the urgency to focus on a once in a lifetime aged care reform opportunity, as well as the need to actively influence the emerging Not for Profit environment – which includes the nascent establishment of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) – it would be focusing its full attention on the importance of these priorities to the Not for Profit sector.”
ACSA National President Rob Hankins said that despite the decision not to progress with the merger, widespread support across the sector for wholesale reforms remains essential during this critical period.
