In the beginning!
It all started with the iminent closing of the large Mental Health institutions in the late 1980's and the resultant move of people out into the community. Many of these people were finding themselves living in boarding houses with minimal supports or homeless. Four nurses had a vision for how these people could still receive high quality support but in a community setting. The service was highly successful, grew quickly and was recognised as an innovative and quality response to client needs.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and ACC
With the change to the Complex Personal Injury Legislation in 1994 to include TBI, Goodwood Park Healthcare Group was approached by the Otara Spinal Unit to be the first organisation to take a residential claimant, under this legislation, with a dual diagnosis of Mental Health and TBI. This was the start of not only a specialist division of our organisation, (Ranworth Healthcare), but the beginning of a close collaboration with ACC to develop targeted services.The delivery of high standard client services with attention to quality and innovation led to rapid growth, within five years Ranworth Healthcare had 19 sites throughout New Zealand and was the largest private employer of occupational therapists in New Zealand.
A New Beginning
In 2007 ACC approached Goodwood Park Healthcare Group looking for a specialised service working intensively with TBI clients. This resulted in our Kelston Services being opened in 2008. The continued relationship with ACC and a willingness to say "yes" when others said "no", saw the group engage with a small number of very high and complex needs clients.
Growth and Diversity
The year 2010 marked a significant year for Goodwood Park Healthcare Group with a successful tender for a brand new ACC contract, Supported Living Service (SLS) and the purchase of Links Integrated Health Limited. This provided an additional 14 Level three residential Mental Health beds.The new SLS service quickly grew and within 18 months was one of the largest in the country. These services led to additional organic growth which continues today.
High and Complex Needs Service
In the last 10 years there has been an increase in the complexity of clients needs, particularly those with multiple diagnoses and challenging behaviours. Goodwood Park Healthcare Group found the challenges of responding to these needs increasingly difficult within its existing facilities. The directors and senior staff made a bold decision to open up a specific service for this client group with its own dedicated staff team, facility and model of practice, and so our first Gated Community opened.
Corrections
With our experience in delivering a large high quality community service, the decision to tender for a world first Department of Corrections contract, Out Of Gate, was a natural step. Having been awarded the tender, we were able to co-design the whole service model and develop an innovative and highly successful service, which has delivered a 6% reduction in reoffending. This makes it one of the Department of Corrections most successful programmes ever.
And what next?
In 2016 Goodwood Park Healthcare Group celebrated winning a major new Waitemata DHB contract to provide residential need services for 16 high and complex needs clients. Goodwood Park Healthcare Group is investing in a purpose built specialist facility, from which to deliver this service. In addition, Goodwood Park Healthcare Group is also responding to the growing need for more affordable social housing in Auckland and is building two new apartment blocks in New Lynn. These will provide high quality sustainable housing options for up to 24 clients.