Carers NSW

Tell us about a time you used data analysis to identify and address a service gap.

In 2024, analysis of the National Carer Survey 2024, Carer Gateway CRM, and linked NSW Health datasets revealed that carers aged 25–44 — often employed part-time and living regionally — had high distress scores yet low engagement with Carer Gateway services. Using Excel Power Query and SPSS logistic regression, I identified a 1.8× higher disengagement risk at the post-intake stage. This evidence informed the co-design of the Warm Transition Protocol, introducing digital wellbeing check-ins at 14 and 30 days post-referral and automated alerts for carers showing declining wellbeing. Within six months this model lifted follow-up completion by 23 % and reduced distress scores by 17 %.

How did you integrate multiple datasets to inform program or policy decisions?

I merged Carer Gateway CRM activity logs, National Carer Survey 2024 results, and NSW Health Integrated Care records through Excel Power Query to standardise fields and remove duplicates, then ran SPSS logistic regression to quantify predictors of disengagement.

Describe how you translated complex statistical findings into actionable insights.

I converted regression outputs into an interactive Power BI dashboard displaying referral-flow bottlenecks, wellbeing-risk heatmaps, and follow-up completion trends. These visuals guided executives to authorise the Warm Transition Protocol rollout.

How do you make decisions when faced with incomplete or conflicting data?

I triangulated quantitative results with qualitative consultations held with the North Coast Primary Health Network and the Northern NSW and Mid North Coast Local Health Districts, coding feedback against the AIHW Carer Indicators and NSW Health Integrated Care Framework domains to validate interpretations.

Give an example of when you redesigned a process or pathway to improve outcomes.

I led design of the Warm Transition Protocol, a new follow-up workflow co-developed with regional health partners. It added digital wellbeing check-ins at 14 and 30 days post-referral and automated alerts from the Carer Gateway CRM for carers with worsening scores. The pilot increased follow-up completion by 23 % and reduced distress by 17 % within six months.

How did you use evaluation results to guide continuous improvement?

Outcome data from the pilot were embedded into the Carers NSW Quality Improvement Plan 2025–26 to standardise post-referral follow-up protocols across all regions.

How do you ensure recommendations from analysis are implemented and sustained?

I integrated the Power BI dashboard and new KPIs into Carers NSW’s internal reporting suite, linking them to quarterly service-planning reviews with DCJ and PHN partners.

Tell us about working with multiple agencies or partners to validate findings or co-design solutions.

I coordinated cross-sector workshops with the North Coast PHN, Northern NSW LHD, and Mid North Coast LHD to validate data insights and jointly design the Warm Transition Protocol’s follow-up workflow.

How did you manage differing stakeholder perspectives during a reform?

How did you manage differing stakeholder perspectives during a reform?

Describe influencing outcomes when you had no formal authority.

By presenting transparent Power BI evidence showing time savings and improved wellbeing outcomes, I secured voluntary adoption of the Warm Transition Protocol by regional partners without directive power.

How have you used tools like Power Query, SPSS, or Power BI to improve reporting and decision-making?

Power Query streamlined data cleansing, SPSS logistic regression identified disengagement predictors, and Power BI visualised referral flows and distress hotspots to guide executive decisions.

How do you ensure data quality, privacy, and consistency when integrating systems?

I implemented de-identification and secure data-matching rules compliant with NSW Health and PHN privacy protocols, and validated consistency through random audit samples and cross-source comparison.

How did you measure success and impact in your project?

Key KPIs included: (a) 23 % increase in follow-up completion within six months, (b) 17 % reduction in distress scores for re-contacted carers, and (c) dashboard utilisation by three regional teams within the first quarter.

Tell us about a time you developed new indicators or KPIs to track performance.

I introduced indicators for “14-/30-day follow-up completion rate” and “change in distress score per carer,” now standard metrics in Carers NSW quarterly performance reports.

How did your evaluation findings influence future planning or funding?

The findings informed Carers NSW’s submission to the NSW Carers Strategy 2024–26 Mid-Term Review, supporting continuation of regional outreach funding for the Warm Transition Protocol.

Describe how your work aligned with broader policy or strategic frameworks.

The evaluation was explicitly aligned with the AIHW Carer Indicators and the NSW Health Integrated Care Framework, ensuring consistency with state population-health priorities.

How have you ensured your initiatives contributed to statewide or population-health goals?

By enhancing retention and wellbeing of working-age carers — a priority group under the NSW Carers Strategy — the project advanced state goals of improving carer mental health and preventive support.

Give an example of translating organisational evidence into policy influence.

Project findings and dashboards were cited in the Carers NSW submission to the NSW Carers Strategy 2024–26 mid-term review, demonstrating policy impact and system-level influence.

How did you communicate complex findings to senior executives or policymakers?

I prepared executive briefings combining Power BI visualisations of referral bottlenecks with plain-language summaries linking quantitative results to carer stories.

How do you tailor technical information for non-technical audiences?

I translate statistical outputs into narratives illustrating real-world impact, avoiding technical jargon and framing insights around client experience and policy relevance.

Tell us about using storytelling or data visualisation to drive change.

I combined Power BI distress heatmaps with a short narrative drawn from the data — a 36-year-old regional carer juggling part-time work and caring for a parent. Showing her stalled referral and rising distress scores made the data human and compelling, helping executives approve the Warm Transition Protocol, which later boosted follow-up completion by 23 % and cut distress by 17 %.

Describe taking ownership of an ambiguous or unstructured problem.

When tasked to investigate a “service-access gap,” I defined scope, built the data integration plan, and drove analysis and solution design independently, culminating in the Warm Transition Protocol.

How did you lead others or coordinate cross-functional work without direct authority?

I facilitated joint design sessions with PHN and LHD teams, aligning their operational data flows through a shared Power BI dashboard and governance schedule.

What steps did you take to ensure the improvements were embedded and sustained?

I embedded the dashboard and KPIs into Carers NSW’s Quality Improvement Plan 2025–26 and trained regional staff to interpret the metrics for quarterly reviews.

Tell us about a project that improved access or outcomes for an under-served cohort.

The Warm Transition Protocol targeted carers aged 25–44 balancing employment and parental care responsibilities, a cohort previously under-represented in Gateway follow-ups.

How did you combine quantitative data with lived-experience or qualitative feedback?

I coded carer and provider feedback from PHN consultations against AIHW Carer Indicators, linking their stories to survey and health data for triangulated insights.

How did you ensure cultural safety and inclusivity in your design process?

Regional Aboriginal liaison officers participated in consultations, and protocol language was reviewed for cultural appropriateness and voluntary opt-in consent.

Walk us through how you designed a new engagement or service pathway from insight to sustained uptake.

Regression findings identified high-risk carers; co-design sessions with PHN and LHD partners produced the Warm Transition Protocol with digital check-ins and alerts. It was adopted regionally within six months.

When asked to improve engagement or adoption, how do you decide what to test, measure, and scale?

I prioritised the intake-to-follow-up bottleneck showing 1.8× higher disengagement risk and scaled based on improvement in follow-up completion rate.

How would you design a follow-up system to reduce drop-off after initial service contact?

Use automated CRM-triggered check-ins, two-stage wellbeing surveys, and dashboard alerts for declining scores — the core features of the Warm Transition Protocol.

How did you drive adoption of your new model or dashboard across teams?

I ran demonstration sessions showing real-time tracking benefits and integrated the Power BI dashboard into existing regional reporting templates to embed use.

How do you build readiness and manage resistance when introducing a new process?

By engaging regional managers in prototype testing and showcasing quantitative results (23 % follow-up gain, 17 % distress reduction) to illustrate impact early.

How did you handle disagreement or tension between partner agencies?

When PHN and LHD partners had different data-sharing views, I used the Integrated Care Framework as a neutral reference to align criteria and resolve concerns objectively.

What’s your approach to conflict resolution in collaborative data or service-design work?

Create shared indicator matrices and facilitated sessions linking each partner’s priorities to measurable carer outcomes, emphasising collective benefit over ownership.

What did you learn from that Carers NSW project about improving engagement systems?

Early digital contact and automated feedback loops significantly improve carer retention; real-time data visibility is critical to prevent drop-off.

Looking back, what would you do differently to increase impact or efficiency?

I’d pursue API integration between the Carer Gateway CRM and NSW Health systems earlier to reduce manual matching and enable live updates.