Case studies:

The client 

Churches of Christ is one of the leading not-for-profit providers of residential aged care in Australia, operating 30 residential aged care services throughout 28 locations in Queensland and 2 in Victoria.

The Marana Gardens Aged Care is a homely, 71 bed aged care community tucked away beside beautiful bushland at Southport where compassionate & quality care is key. 

Sidekicker discussed the challenges of casual aged care staffing with Suzanne Warrington, Administrator, and Danielle Manning, Service Manager at Marana Gardens. 

The challenges

Lack of control over agency staff

Marana Gardens has faced challenges with aged care staffing agencies due to a lack of transparency over hired agency staff, as they feel they’ve received minimal information of the workers and their experience. 

“Agencies send the next available person and all you get is a name (sometimes that isn’t even right) and hope they have experience. You then receive invoices long after the shift is complete and have to spend time going back trying to reconcile.”

Receiving compassionate, high-quality aged care staff who know what they’re doing is critical for Marana Gardens. 

“When managing an Aged Care community; you need to know that you have a quality team supporting the residents with the care & dignity they deserve. Our residents are central to our operation and it is so important they are & feel cared for.”

Access to staff on-demand

Marana Gardens requires carers and nurses 24/7 that will ensure their residents receive personalised, thoughtful & supportive care. With tough new rules in place for aged care along with a high demand for nurses nationwide and an ageing workforce; it is a true challenge for communities to fill shifts during sick calls, outbreaks & leave periods. 

Contacting the traditional aged care staffing agencies via phone for staff requests slows down the process of bringing someone onsite.

“Traditionally when you place a request with an agency over the phone & wait on hold, tying up phone lines & your time.”

The solution

Modern approach to temporary labour hire 

Seeking a better solution for their temporary aged care staffing, Marana Gardens started using Sidekicker in November 2023. 

The perks that the Sidekicker platform brings is the control and transparency Marana Gardens have over the applicants via their detailed profile, which helps them feel confident in securing high-quality and experienced staff. 

“It’s so quick to post a shift , and you can see all applicants' details including their photo, name & experience which help make the best choice when hiring”.

The results

Streamlined hiring process

Integration of Sidekicker has improved service quality through streamlined hiring processes. Marana Gardens no longer need to wait to get through to the phone with their aged care staffing providers, as they can post their shifts directly onto the Sidekicker platform 24/7. 

Finding the platform quick & easy to use, they have filled over 70 shifts using Sidekicker in the last 3 months.

Being able to add all shift details onto the request, including arrival details and uniform requirements helps workers show up work ready, and in-platform timesheets have allowed to optimise the process even further. 

Marana Gardens feel that the Sidekicker workers are qualified professionals, which has guaranteed continuity of care with minimal disruptions. 

They find the transparency around pricing at the time of making a request highly beneficial, and receive their invoices the week following the completed shift. 

Improved efficiencies

Additionally, efficiency has been enhanced through quick shift fulfilment and communications around this process, saving a lot of admin time and resulting in increased productivity and therefore cost savings. 

“Sidekicker has become a regular tool in our commitment to providing quality care, driving excellence and innovation in our residential community."