25/06/2020
Great to see more people liking this.
I've had to focus on one Facebook site as managing several has become a big task during these difficult Covid times.
Anyhow, after years of work, I am very happy to post this for all to see.
A NATIONAL CONSUMERS FORUM (NACF)
FOR
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)
25th June 2020
The goal of NACF is to be a facilitator, connecter and enabler to recognise and support effective capabilities that exist within any formal or informal ADHD group.
This information note has been prepared to provide you with the most current picture of what’s happening with regard to the organisation which has personally been asked by the Minister for Health, and the Dept for Health, to undertake this project.
• By way of background, in 2018 the Federal Minister for Health offered funding assistance to improve the circumstances of those impacted by ADHD by forming a single, united, national ADHD consumer organisation.
• In doing so, the aim was to unite, enable and enhance existing formal and informal ADHD consumer support and advocacy groups to allow their programs to work cooperatively, drive change in awareness of ADHD and provide better outcomes for those affected by ADHD.
• The NACF is now moving to undertake this.
• Importantly, NACF will not itself undertake the projects which will come from ADHDers through their groups. Therefor all participating groups and formal organisations will retain their own autonomy.
• The national organisation’s core purpose is to collaboratively improve the quality of life and wellbeing for all those impacted by ADHD. The Australian Government Department of Health (the Department) agreed to a 3-Phase approach over three years.
o Phase 1: Establish the organisation;
o Phase 2: Operate the organisation; and
o Phase 3: Consolidate and sustain the organisation.
• A Commonwealth Grant for Phase 1 was executed on 14 May 2020. Work has already commenced. This note is part of that. It has been advised that successful completion of agreed Phase 1 work activities will trigger action for a Phase 2 Grant and beyond.
• It is acknowledged that alternative financial sponsorship will most likely be required to achieve longer term sustainability.
• All funding arrangements and expenditure will be reported transparently along with monthly progress reporting to the Department.
• The Canberra & Queanbeyan ADHD Support Group (ADDACT) has been appointed as the temporary hosting organisation with accountability to the Department.
• ADDACT will have no further obligations following completion of Phase 1.
• The inaugural board details are below. The initial project management and implementation team are Paul Schwerdt and Jon Hegg. Deloittes is assisting the team and the current only Executive, Adrian Watts, Executive Director of NACF. The Inaugural Board members and their Bios can be viewed here. https://nacf.org.au/board-of-directors/ )
• The independent inaugural Board of Directors has been appointed for early participation to oversee implementation of the establishment of the organisation which includes wide consultation on the organisation’s role, structure, formation and activities, as well as establishing the legal entity.
• No formal structures have yet been decided upon, and the organisation currently has no ‘members’ (and even that last issue itself can take many many hours to debate.) Hence the consultation.
• A project management and implementation team has been appointed consisting of experienced professionals with interest and availability to deliver agreed outcomes and direct the work activities by independent professionals. Independent professional contractors include Deloitte (Private), Nexis Accounting, and LanID. All have significant experience in providing professional services to the Australian Not-For-Profit and NGO sector.
• The project management and implementation team will be sharing details on a program of consultative workshops and other mechanisms to form an inclusive broadchurch organisation.
• Invitations to participate in the consultative process to develop the new organisation’s role, structure, formation and activities can be expected. Alternatively, you may wish to advise a point of contact and / or that you wish to stay informed but not participate in the consultation process. An Email may be forwarded to: awatts@nacf.org.au
• Subject to Covid-19 restrictions, it is hoped that consultative work will be completed by 31 July 2020.
• It is planned that an appropriate for-purpose legal entity be established by no later than end of October 2020 which will trigger action for a Phase 2 Grant and beyond.
• Please note that meetings will be held with all groups representing ADHDers in Australia. Initial discussions are taking place in Victoria purely so that it will at least enable the project management and implementation team to scope the length and breadth of the tasks ahead. Importantly, NO decisions will be made about the structure of the NACF, its governance, it’s reporting lines, its assessment criteria for potential projects, and more issues until all the other ADHDer groups (which the world call ‘consumers’) have had input.
• As a footnote, I, Peter Scholem, do not like the term ‘consumers’, and have raised that amongst the many things you will be asked your opinion about. But don’t forget this is a SINGLE organisation representing us, those affected by ADHD, either because we have it, or our partners / family members have it. NACF needs to ensure it takes note of what clinicians, practioners, and academic researchers have views on, but they all have their own organisations. This is ours, to represent us.
Co-authored by
Peter Scholem
Email : Peter.Scholem@ADHDUnited.com
CEO ADHD United | ADHD Melbourne
ADHD Advocate | Editor ADHD Australia Support
Member of AADPA | Member of World Federation of ADHD
Adrian Watts During 2010 – 2019 Adrian was the Chairman, CEO and Managing Director of the National Health Cooperative for Canberra and the surrounding region. Over many years he has led multi-disciplinary teams within the health and community sectors across healthcare delivery, finance, administra...
