(1) The Department did take note of the comment made by the consultant regarding ACTIV's reporting in 1995/96 and 1996/97. The Department of Health and Community Care changed reporting requirements for funded agencies at the beginning of the 1996/97 funding year, as the Purchaser/Provider model of funding was introduced. The Department did not make comparisons for any organisation as the reporting framework and indicators had mostly changed, from those used in 1995/96 financial year.

As ADDInc was the auspicing body, it was its responsibility to seek explanation of any anomalies that may have existed in the data. Given the data recording system in place at ADDInc, detection of duplicated data could have been detected at the agency level. The Department has further clarified the need for accurate and comparative reporting under the contract, and has received satisfactory reports from ADDInc.

(2)

(a) The Department expects all funded agencies to have appropriate records of staff attendances at the workplace, and leave arrangements. Workers employed by CIN will be employed under the Social and Community Services Award, 1996, with working arrangements and leave prescribed by that Award. The management committee as employers are responsible for supervising the employees and monitoring their attendance at the workplace. The Department has included in the contract a requirement that relevant employment policy and procedures be finalised within three months. Departmental staff will be meeting regularly with organisational representatives to monitor and assist in the initial development of the services.

(b) As with all contracted agencies, CIN will be required to provide quarterly reports on outputs achieved in the reporting time. As noted above, Departmental workers will be meeting regularly with CIN staff and management to look at data and the data collection process.

(c) The information presented in the Survival report was not quantified in any way to allow a significant response to this question. The Department was informed in meetings, and through submissions by individuals that a number of stakeholders questioned the validity of the conclusions regarding staff employment practices at ACTIV.

As the report was commissioned by ADDInc's Board of Management, the Department considered that it should not take action on an internal report prior to action and endorsement by ADDInc. To the Department's knowledge ADDInc has not sought to make the report public, or to officially refer it to the Department for further action.