Making Quality Visible: Governance & Systems Approaches for Better Outcomes
About this Event
This full-day interactive workshop equips board members, executives, and quality leaders with a systems-thinking approach to quality governance, grounded in real-world lessons from five NDIS civil penalty cases.
Co-facilitated by Amber Crosthwaite (Partner, Lavan) and Kelly Smitham (Director, Ignis Consulting), the workshop responds to heightened governance obligations now facing NDIS registered providers – including the duty to ensure care is safe, to exercise due diligence in quality oversight, and to comply with the new SIL Practice Standards that commenced 1 July 2026. These obligations are no longer prospective: five Federal Court civil penalty decisions confirm what regulatory failure looks like in practice and what it costs.
Attendees will benefit from gaining an understanding of the potential for strengthened governance through:
- codesigned strategic quality governance frameworks to create a shared and agreed understanding of what quality means in your organisation, and a united approach to its achievement
- systems thinking approaches to system review and design including the use of tools designed in the United Kingdom as part of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
- statutory obligations and the examination of case studies
- the design of board reporting frameworks to better detect emerging risk before it becomes harm.
Through plenary presentations, provider experience sessions with DPV Health and Aruma, and concurrent breakout workshops, participants will examine how systems and system factors interact to create or prevent safety failures – and what boards and operational leaders must each do to close the gaps.
The agenda below sets out the session structure, facilitators, format, and key learning objectives for each segment.
Registration includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, with refreshments available throughout the day.
Agenda
🕑: 09:00 AM
Welcome and Context Setting
Info: Introduction to the conference objectives, key themes, and the importance of quality governance within the NDIS sector.
The Regulatory Landscape for NDIS Governance
Info: Understand the legal responsibilities of boards, executives, and providers under common law, the NDIS Act, and WHS legislation, and explore their implications for quality governance.
Case Studies – Introductions
Info: Examine NDIS Commission civil penalty case studies to understand the critical role quality governance plays in compliance, risk management, and service quality.
Board Governance
Info: Explore the characteristics of effective board reporting, including how data, insights, and risks can be presented to support strategic oversight and decision-making.
BREAK
Systems Thinking & Strategic Quality Governance
Info: Gain an overview of Systems Thinking and Strategic Quality Governance, explore leading UK approaches to safety and improvement including PSIRF and SEIPS, and participate in discussion and Q&A.
Operationalising Strategic Quality Governance & Systems Approaches to Incident
Info: Discover how operational systems can be aligned with the Strategic Quality System model and how human-centred approaches can strengthen system design and incident investigation.
Case Studies: Using SEIPS to understand contributing factors to system failure
Info: Explore how the SEIPS framework can be used to identify contributing factors to system failures and better understand the relationship between governance, risk, and service quality.
BREAK
Concurrent Breakout A: Board/Executive Workshop
Info: Collaborate with peers to redesign board reporting and governance responses, using examples of governance failures to identify early warning indicators and effective oversight actions.
Concurrent Breakout B: Operational Workshop
Info: Work together to establish a shared definition of high-quality service delivery and explore practical ways to embed quality into operational systems through human factors and systems design approaches.
Cross-Group Debrief
Info: Share key learnings from the breakout sessions and discuss how insights can be applied to strengthen governance and operational practice.
Provider Spotlight: The Aruma Way
Info: Discover how The Aruma Way connects strategic quality objectives, operational systems, and board reporting to support effective governance and continuous improvement.
Provider Spotlight: DPV Health's Excellent Care Model
Info: Explore DPV Health's systems-based approach to quality improvement and organisational excellence through its Excellent Care model.
Bringing It All Together
Info: Consolidate key learnings, reinforce governance obligations, and identify practical actions to strengthen board and executive oversight while embedding quality as a strategic organisational priority.
🕑: 04:15 PM
Event Concludes
Event Partners
Lavan
Host: Lavan
Info: Lavan is Western Australia’s largest independent law firm, providing strategic legal advice to organisations across the disability, aged care, seniors living and community sectors. Lavan advises boards, executives and service providers on governance, regulatory compliance, risk management and organisational strategy, helping clients respond to a rapidly evolving regulatory environment while maintaining a focus on quality outcomes.
Ignis Consulting
Host: Ignis Consulting
Info:
Ignis Consulting partners with disability, health and community service organisations to strengthen governance, quality and operational performance. Through practical consulting, training and capability-building services, Ignis helps organisations implement effective systems that support compliance, continuous improvement and better outcomes for the people they serve.
DPV Health
Host: DPV Health
Info: DPV Health is a leading not-for-profit provider of health, disability and community services supporting diverse communities across Victoria. With extensive experience delivering integrated health and support services, DPV Health is committed to continuous improvement, quality governance and person-centred care. Through its participation in this workshop, DPV Health will share practical insights into applying systems-thinking principles to strengthen service quality, safety and organisational performance.
Aruma
Host: Aruma
Info: Aruma is one of Australia’s largest disability service providers, supporting more than 4,000 people with disability across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT. As a registered NDIS provider, Aruma is committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred services that promote inclusion, choice and independence. Drawing on its experience operating at scale, Aruma will provide practical perspectives on governance, quality systems and the implementation of strategies that support safe and effective service delivery.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
AUD 213.08 to AUD 1589.58
