Farewell another aged care leader
For ACS NSW & ACT’s retiring CEO, it’s been a ‘Pretty’ good innings.
Above: CEO of ACS NSW & ACT, Jill Pretty (left), retires from organisation’s top post
By Yasmin Noone
Thousands of aged care professionals on Australia’s east coast will bid farewell to their leader next week, when the current CEO of Aged and Community Services Association NSW & ACT (ACS), Jill Pretty, steps down from the top post and moves into retirement.
ACS CEO for the last three and a half years, Ms Pretty, will be replaced by Illana Halliday, who has 20 years experience in health-related roles for a range of employers including the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Homecare and various NSW local councils.
Ms Pretty said her decision to leave the organisation was purely a personal one based on a yearning to retire, travel and, when at home, enjoy the surrounds of Nelson Bay on the NSW north coast.
“It was always the plan to eventually retire there. I planned to retire three and a half years ago but it didn’t happen,” Ms Pretty said in humour.
“I’m hoping that in retirement, I’ll still be involved in the sector… perhaps as an advisor on a representative committee…live at Nelson Bay and not work five days a week.
“My husband and I will go on a seven week holiday to the UK and America. And we are certainly hoping to do Australia [some time after that].”
Leaving an organisation after 15 years of employment will not be an easy task for Ms Pretty. But, she said, she rests assured knowing that ACS is in a “very very strong position at the moment”.
“It also gives me a real satisfaction to be able to retire from an organisation, knowing that it is in safe hands.”
Reflecting on her time at ACS, Ms Pretty recalls so many memorable moments. But if she had to pick one, it would have to be the time she realised she had just made one year as CEO.
“When we looked at where ACS was, how it had grown, and what we had achieved in 12 months – that was probably the highlight.”
Other memories include receiving feedback and support from the organisation’s members “and being able to be able to share in some of their troubles, and seeing their difficulties overcome”.
Surprisingly however, Ms Pretty initally hesitated to take up the top job. As she explains, from 2007 to 2008 two CEOs resigned. “So in between CEOs, I acted in the position…[but] I had no intention of being CEO at all.
“I guess having acted in that role because of the resignation of two previous CEOs, I sort got a feel for the job. I thought, ‘I wouldn’t mind doing this’…So after the second CEO resigned, I thought I’d apply.
“I didn’t want a long contract. I wanted two years as I still had retirement in my fate. Then the board accepted the two year contract.”
The contract was renewed and Ms Pretty consequently stayed on at CEO. The constant changes in government policy and legislation, she said, kept her on her toes while the responsibility of advocating on behalf of ACS members kept her commitment to the organisation strong.
“It’s been a challenging job but also a very rewarding one…We’ve really been able to see the organisation grow over the years. That’s been very rewarding.”
Although Ms Pretty won’t technically be working full-time in the sector any more, she said she will be keeping a close eye on its movements, especially throughout NSW and the ACT.
“I’m hoping that some of the good things that have been proposed in the Productivity Commission’s aged care report are actioned.
“I think there is a strong need for more funding in aged care. That has been one of the problems in the past year. So, I’m hoping that in the future that side [of things] will improve and older people will have more choice and improved access to the services they need.
“What I hope will come out of the changes for NSW and the ACT, would be a very strong recognition of the [need] for really high quality services in rural and remote areas.”
She also wishes that the aged care system of the future will focus on the development of education and career pathways for staff “so that young people see aged care as a carer opportunity and not just a job”.
Times, they are a-changing!
Ms Pretty started her career 22 years ago as an aged care nurse and later went on to work as a director of nursing in a residential care facility.
“There’s been massive changes in the sector since that time,” she commented.
“When I first worked in a nursing home, most of the residents were mobile. They were there because they didn’t have family to look after them or they had chronic blisters or were unable to do all of those domestic chores on their own at home.
“That’s very different from today where nurses [now look after] the very frail and sick people with complex medical conditions.”
With time however came improvement in care standards and accommodation for older people. “We’ve also seen a real benefit from an increase in community care services. Older people [now] have more choice than when I first started in aged care.”
Having worked in the industry for many years, Ms Pretty knows more than a thing or two about aged care reform and policy implementation. She hopes that, when reforming the sector in the future, the government really does take into consideration the consultations currently being carried out with consumers and providers.
One of the other things to be cautious about, she said, is that “ things don’t happen too quickly. And that any new policies are well researched before they are implemented”.
“I think what [ACS should also be] watching out for is that our members are involved in meaningful consultation and that the peak bodies are really recognised for its abilities.
“…I think that, [in the past], the experience of a peak body was not fully recognised by government.
“They were concerned that we are, perhaps, too narrowly focused in our view or too protective of what we’ve got. I think that’s incorrect. Our peak body is very open to addressing change.”
One of the biggest internal changes on the cards for the future of aged care is the merger between the sector’s two peak national bodies.
“I don’t think it will affect ACS as we have a strong membership base and are the strongest [single state] peak body. The merger, [if it goes ahead], will have some benefits. But, I think the concerns do arise again around whether or not [the new policies] will be well-researched and whether they will be implemented without a proper understanding of what the merger is meant to achieve.
“My advice would be that the members of the two boards should sit around the table and be honest about what the issues and differences area and decide how they can best put a structure in place that addresses those differences.”
Jill is a national treasure who will be sorely missed by all in aged care. She was a fabulous colleague for many years and I wish her all the very best in her retirement.
Frontline care solutions wishes that jill Pretty has the most deserved and rested time on a well deserved holiday and retirement. We will miss the leadership she offered our clients who are ACS members. We hope she still keeps a hand in the upper leadership forums.
Good Luck Jill.
Jill has incredible knowledge of aged and community care and even better she will share that knowledge with anyone. Many times I have phoned her for advice, a point in the right direction or just simply “what to you reckon on this Jill”.
We have tagged teamed with politicians in Canberra and Jill has an ease about her that people like and trust.
I concur 100% with our colleague Pat Sparrow – Jill is a gem. Dont go too far away Jill we will want to see you talking to our members in the West when we need some clear advice on big issues. Thanks Jill
Jill was a valued colleague for the whole of my ten years at ACSA. We sat on ACFI committees together and more recently around the Association CEO table. Jill, for one, never lost sight of why we were there. We have ‘compared notes’on many occasions. I wish her well in her retirement, she deserves it!
Jill Glad to see you are taking time to enjoy your well earned time away from work 24 hours a day I imagine like me you will quickly get involved in lots of things
I do want to speak with you about some ideas and would welcome you contacting me with your email and phone number
Congratulations on all you have achieved
love Judy Lumby