Service improvement

Revolutionary service system change Program evaluation Service improvement Program design Health systems development

Leading practices for (r)evolutionary results

Service and workforce improvement can be challenging. The real world is messy, but working on the frontline you need clear practical solutions that work.

We provide practical tailored solutions for any service who works with people who use drugs. We support better responses to alcohol and other drug issues in mental health, primary care, welfare, justice and education sectors, as well as the specialist alcohol and other drug sector.

Our cutting-edge practices connect evidence-based practice with practice-based knowledge. As accelerated change experts, we combine more than 25 years of academic research with hands-on clinical experience to develop (r)evolutionary evidence-based practices that actually work. We work with organisations that want to be the best.

Our processes make it straight-forward to understand, implement and sustain practice change. We understand the constraints facing organisations. We distil the data, cut through the jargon, then work full circle with you to engage your workforce to implement effective strategies for service improvement.

An integrated 360 approach

Established consultancy at your service

As the leading specialist alcohol and other drug consultancy in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, we provide a full suite of advisory services to help organisations who offer health and AOD services accelerate change.

By focusing on the process as well as the outcome, you get smooth implementation of the outcomes you need. We have the right combination of alcohol and other drug know-how and understanding of rigorous methodology.

Our consultancy collaboratively and holistically works with you at every stage, wherever you are in the cycle of change. Full circle is how we work.

Extensive experience in alcohol and other drug responses

Our team of experienced pracademics take a 360 approach to reviewing situations from multiple perspectives.

We show you exactly what you need to do in a way that works. We have extensive understanding about AOD services and know how to make it work in the real world.

Improving the quality of programs and services

If you are looking to improve the quality of your programs and services, the most effective way is to establish their impact, effectiveness and reach through a formal evaluation.

Evaluation answers direct questions like ”does this treatment work?”, or “how effective is this approach?” as well as deeper, more complex, questions like why something works, who it works for, and how likely it is that it will continue to work.

Discovering the answer to these questions enables insights from programs known to be successful to be embedded within and across systems.

Evaluation can be formative (where the evaluation has an impact on program or service design) or summative (providing a ‘final answer’ on a program or service’s effectiveness or impact).

360Edge has decades of experience in evaluation, so we know the right methodology to deliver powerful insights and the outcomes you are seeking.

We work closely with you to ensure that we answer the questions that matter, to achieve meaningful and lasting impact.

Evaluation of large or small programs

Evaluation of the National Ice Action Strategy

We were invited by the Australian Government Department of Health to undertake an evaluation of the $451 million evaluation of the National Ice Action Strategy, designed to reduce harms from the drug ice. There were 31 programs funded under the Strategy right across Australia.

We worked with an expert advisory group to develop a detailed framework and then undertake the evaluation. We held more than 60 focus groups from right across health, justice and education.

We analysed data on outputs and outcomes collected by the funded programs, focusing on impact and quality.

Our detailed page report in March 2021 details the evaluation outcomes of all 31 programs. Our findings highlighted the importance of proactive evaluation of programs to ensure their effectiveness and responsiveness.

In 2021 we are embarking on the mid point review of the National Drug Strategy.

Read the NIAS evaluation report here

Evaluation of Thorne Harbour Health’s ReWired 2.0

Thorne Harbour Health, approached 360Edge to assist in evaluating their methamphetamine support program ReWired2.0 for men who have sex with men (MSM).

We undertook best-practice review of the literature on alcohol and other drug programs for MSM, with a focus on methamphetamine as a drug of concern. From this we developed an evaluation tool to be used to measure the success of the ReWired 2.0 program.

We supported Thorne Harbour Health to embed the evaluation tool into the program, providing a comprehensive set of outcomes for alcohol and other drug use, motivation to change, mental health, self-stigma. There was also measures of satisfaction with the program to enable ongoing improvements.

Process improvement for services

Whether it’s a program or a whole service that needs process improvement, our tailored reflective methodology ensures that we capture all the right information to understand what’s working well and what’s not.

There are three key questions to resolve in service review:

Does the model of care align with best practice?
Do staff have the required skills to deliver on our best practice?
Do structures and procedures, including outcome measurement, support continuous improvement?

We take a co-design approach that goes beyond consultation and benchmarking. Because we have a deep understanding of service provision, we can pinpoint how the service environment impacts on workflow, productivity and client outcomes so your team is freed up to give their best.

We offer a 360 service with post-review support including program design and development, evaluation, and a full range of workforce development options.

When you implement our practical recommendations, your program has the best possible outcomes, with sustainability.

"A strong academic background plus the clinical expertise"

UnitingCare ReGen is committed to evidence-based clinical service provision. To this end we constantly ask how can we do better? What does the scientific literature tell us? What works in a clinical setting? What are the views of consumers of our services? We have chosen 360Edge to assist us to answer these questions on a regular basis. Nicole and the 360Edge team not only have strong academic backgrounds but, importantly, they also have the clinical expertise to know that clinical research can be a little messy at times! It is this skill and understanding combined with professionalism and patience that has really impressed us.

Laurence Alvis, CEO UnitingCare ReGen

Consistency check of Toora Women’s unique residential and day programs

In 2021 Toora Women Incorporated approached 360Edge to undertake a review of their alcohol and other drugs residential and day programs.

We undertook a a ‘gap and map’ exercise , including a rapid review of program operations and resources to identify strengths and limitations and areas for possible improvement,

This stage involved a desktop review of existing program documentation as well as a small number of consultations with senior leadership and program staff.

We synthesised our review findings in a comprehensive report for Toora Women senior staff, outlining best practice and evidence alignment of current operations and providing recommendations for enhancement, improvement or expansion of services.

Improving alignment with contemporary treatment at Sunrise Way

360Edge and our partner QNADA, were invited by Sunrise Way, an alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation service in Toowoomba, to review their clinical program.

The focus was to ensure that the program was aligned with industry best practice and reduce contract and financial risk so the service can grow in line with strategic objectives.

We developed best practice benchmarks. We reviewed service documents and spoke with senior staff, program staff, external stakeholders, past and current service users. We compared current practice to expected standards for this type of service.

Sunrise Way is now in a good position to redevelop their residential program and expand their treatment services to potentially provide an end to end wrap around service for their clients in the future.

Designing programs that work

What stays out of a treatment program is as important as what goes in, and designing an engaging and an effective learning experience for participants is the difference between so-so and great outcomes.

If your current program is a series of group discussions or a folder full of activities, we can ensure it aligns with contemporary best practice, is easy to deliver by anyone in the treatment team, and applies the right instructional design to lead to real behaviour change.

Whether it’s a program for individual treatment, group programs, therapeutic day programs or residential rehabilitation, 360Edge practitioners have real world experience in treatment settings so they know what it takes to engage participants to learn new skills and apply them to the real world.

We use everyday ideas and tools in an innovative way, so the content is meaningful and engaging. From music to theatre to arts and crafts, we ensure that participants are so interested they cannot help but learn the skills they need to help their recovery.

We take a co-design approach to program development, involving management, practitioners and consumers in the process. We stay across best practice so you can be sure the content reflects the most up to date behaviour change knowledge.

We provide a 360 turnkey solution including designing program manuals and resources for facilitators and participants, timetables and schedules and routine program evaluation.

Designing best practice

Toora Women day program design

Toora Women Inc. is a not-for-profit organisation supporting women with complex issues associated with past or present trauma. After a full service review, Toora Women Inc wanted to revitalise their day program and bring it up to latest best practice.

The 360Edge team of clinical specialists developed a program framework with an 8 week timetable, incorporating new and existing programs, such as case coordination. We developed innovative content on a range of topics that are important for women’s health including healthy body image, communication skills, and nourishing relationships, managing moods, exploring family influences, parenting, and other skills for living a full and meaningful life without alcohol and other drugs.

Designing complex health systems

Health services are complex, and planning the most effective use of limited resources requires evidence-based system design.

Health services planning should draw upon a variety of data sources on system capacity, service needs and staffing resources to ensure a sustainable health service, given the patchy and often uncertain funding of the sector. Every new health services venture should be guided by a clear model for the future.

360Edge delivers specialist expertise in healthcare planning, with a key focus on working within budgetary constraints and ensuring service needs are met as efficiently as possible. We provide short and long term projections for your service, utilising best-practice approaches to complex logistics and health systems analysis.

Mapping investment

In 2021-22, seven Queensland PHNs jointly funded 360Edge to conduct state-wide mapping of investment in alcohol and other drug treatment and services.

The project was the first step to improve planning and coordination between funders across the state and to deliver best-practice approaches to service commissioning.We mapping alcohol and other drug investments across Queensland by major funders and carried out extensive consultation with service providers and funders to capture key insights on commissioning and reporting processes.

We found that despite being a relatively new player in the alcohol and other drug commissioning space, PHNs contribute a significant proportion of alcohol and other drug funding. PHN commissioning was seen as advantageous in responding to local needs, which could be further supported by effective contract management, focused reporting, best practice planning, and advocacy to government on behalf of services.

Eastern Melbourne PHN engaged 360Edge in preparation for a new commissioning process to provide a range of alcohol and other drug services for its catchment area.

The project involved a detailed needs and gaps analysis, using extensive health services data for the region, and a detailed and in-depth co- design process with the sector to develop a new model to enhance alcohol and other drug service delivery.

We undertook consultation workshops with over 150 sector managers, workers and consumers, and engaged other groups through an online consultation process.