Tech council moving in with provider peak

The aged care sector’s technology council and provider peak body are merging, the two organisations have announced. 

The move – announced at the Innovation and Technology Across Care conference on the Gold Coast on Wednesday – also sees Aged Care Industry IT Council independent chair George Margelis taking on the role of chief technology advisor at the Aged and Community Care Providers Association.

ACIITC was established in 2007 to unite the voice and efforts of innovation and technology in aged care at a time when there were two peak bodies – one representing not-for-profit providers and another for-profit organisations.

But the world is different today with a single peak representing all providers, ACCPA chief executive officer Tom Symondson told ITAC delegates via a video address where he announced the news. 

The ACIITC board and secretariat have “made incredible efforts to elevate innovation and build the digital maturity of the sector over many years,” he said. “By embedding the work of the council within ACCPA, we can continue that important legacy whilst at the same time drastically enhancing its resources and reach through the broader strength of the ACCPA team.”

Mr Symondson also thanked Dr Margelis for agreeing to continue sharing his expertise in his new role with ACCPA. “In combining the strength of both the council and ACCPA, our sector will enjoy one clear voice on technology and innovation for aged care. That also means that ACCPA will proudly host the ITAC conference in 2025,” he said.

The move means technology and innovation will become one of the sector’s core pillars, Dr Margelis told Community Care Review following the announcement.

“For providers, it’s a real plus because it means that now the technology part of their work has become mainstream,” Dr Margelis said. “We will be part of that ACCPA framework of technology use and for an aged care provider it’ll just improve their access to our information.”

In the video below Dr Margelis tells CCR about:

• the future of ACIITC and his new role at ACCPA
• what the merger means for providers
• ITAC conference highlights and takeaways for providers.

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