The Quality Improvement Partnership (QIP)

What is QIP?

Quality Improvement Partnership logo

The QIP is a formal partnership of six advocacy organizations in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.

The Regional Information & Advocacy Council (RIAC) invited some like-minded advocacy organizations to join together in 2009 to improve the overall quality of their advocacy practices. In the past, apart from participating in a range of networks, advocacy organizations operated mostly in isolation.

QIP is a great way to share practical information and resources and to work collaboratively to 'raise the bar' of quality within each of the QIP partners.

QIP members

  • Regional Information & Advocacy Council (RIAC) - its advocacy service covers a large area of northern and central Victoria and the Wentworth and Balranald Shires in south-western NSW. Offices in Shepparton, Bendigo and Mildura.
  • Disability Advocacy NSW - covering a large area of northern and eastern NSW - including the Hunter, Mid North Coast and New England regions. Offices in Newcastle, Taree, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Tamworth and Armidale.
  • Disability Advocacy Information Service (DAIS) - covering an area of north-eastern Victoria and southern NSW. Offices in Wodonga and Benalla.
  • People with Disabilities Inc. - covering NSW and large parts of Queensland.
  • The Speak Out Association of Tasmania - its advocacy service covers the whole of Tasmania. Offices in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.
  • Advocacy Tasmania Inc - statewide advocacy service, with offices in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, covering the older persons, disability, mental health and Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) sectors.

The partnership

All partner agencies entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that requires all parties to participate in bi-monthly teleconference meetings and to work together in sharing policies and procedures and to discuss any matters of concern in relation to advocacy practice. The MOU required an initial three year membership. It also specified procedures about:

  • grievance
  • a member agency electing to withdraw from the QIP
  • additional advocacy agencies seeking to gain membership to the QIP.

A recent example which demonstrates the value of the QIP arose when a member agency raised the issue of how to deal with a complex Human Resource Management issue which included significant industrial relations implications. Following considerable discussion, another QIP member was able to access pro-bono legal advice, which has been used by all QIP members to significantly reduce the risk to their ongoing operations.

Peer assessment

All partner agencies agreed to annual peer assessments to determine the quality of members' policies, procedures and documented practice. For 2009/2010 the peer assessment toolkit was developed to evaluate each QIP member's compliance with the Draft Disability Advocacy Standards, with all peer assessments over 2 consecutive days in March-May 2010. Each peer assessor sought evidence of compliance and then prepared a report to the Board Chairperson of the assessed QIP member agency. Where the peer assessment revealed partial or non-compliance according to the MOU, the assessed agency would implement the necessary changes to meet the required standard. This process was repeated in mid 2011.

The work plan

In July of each year a meeting is to be held of the Board Chairpersons/ Presidents and Managers/ Executive Officers of the QIP member agencies. This is held to review the Peer Assessments and to evaluate any evident trends, to develop an annual Work Plan for the QIP and to discuss any matters of concern or interest to the partnership. At this meeting all QIP members' agencies will formally declare that any deficits identified in the peer assessments will be addressed. The meeting will also examine any modifications needed to be made to the QIP Peer Assessment toolkit. The meeting will also enable the opportunity for Board Chairs/ Presidents to meet separately from the Managers/ Executive Officers for discussion and information sharing.

QIP in the future

The QIP has proven to be a very effective mechanism in allowing six small to medium sized advocacy organisations to work collaboratively to improve the quality of their services, through sharing of policies and procedures and discussion of common issues relating to advocacy practice, training and organisational structures. The beauty of the QIP model has been its grass roots including the sharing of work associated with the QIP meetings and Peer Assessments. Importantly the QIP members have been able to meet all the costs associated with the QIP from within their own resources to date.

The QIP members have worked on the development and use of a QIP logo that will be incorporated into each member's stationery and publicity promoting their commitment to quality assurance.

The QIP members recognize their participation in QIP will not only strengthen and improve their organisations but also provide sound preparation for the National Disability Advocacy Program Quality Assurance auditing procedure.

For any queries regarding QIP, please contact Steve Doran, RIAC (03) 58221944.