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Last Updated
22-Jul-2002

How to contact the
Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre

Far North Coast

All our staff can be contacted on free call 1800 059 059 or from a mobile on 02 66 286 911. When you call us, all our staff should give your their first name. When you call, you may not be able to always speak to the staff member you need as they may be on another call or out of the office. Whichever staff member you speak to will pass on your name and contact number and to the most relevant staff member. Please call us again if you have not heard from us by 4pm on the day of your call and your call is about emergency respite. If your situation is not an emergency and we have not returned your call within 2 days, please call us again.

During office hours, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm, the following staff are available:

Programme Manager

The Programme Manager has day-to-day responsibility for the management
of the centre and its resources, both human and material. The Programme Manager is responsible for ensuring the centre works within the guidelines; standards and performance measures set down by the funding bodies are all met. The Manager also has a role to ensure the centre continues to be responsive to gaps in the respite care system by listening to carers and working effectively with all respite providers. The Manager has a further role to promote the role of the centre and to ensure the centre continues to improve its performance.

Service Coordinators, Main Office and Outreach Office

The Service Coordinator handles most of the calls from carers and coordinates all respite for carers both on a planned basis by referring carers to other services or on a one off or short-term basis. The Service Coordinator liases with respite services about the individual needs of carers through phone calls and a range of different meetings. The Service Coordinators also help carers coordinate support groups, run pampering days and other carer events.

Service Coordinator - Family & Community Services

This worker does all the above but has a specific focus on carers of those under 30 with severe to moderate disabilities.

Residential Respite Booking Officer

This worker books residential respite in the majority of nursing homes and hostels in Richmond and Tweed Valleys. They take calls from carers seeking this type of respite and works with facilities to keep booking records up to date. This worker can also help explain to carer what residential respite means, the cost of this type of respite and how those being cared for become eligible. In the Clarence Valley, our Outreach worker handles all residential respite inquiries.

Administration Coordinators, Main Office and Outreach Office

These workers are office based and the people you are most likely to speak to when you call our office. These workers aim to provide administrative support to all Centre staff. These workers are also responsible for putting together our 3 monthly newsletters. Outside office hours an on-call worker will be available at all time to assist with emergency in home respite across the Far North Coast area or to pass messages onto office staff if you cannot ring during the day. If you wish to write to us, please write to our Postal Address: Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre PO Box 739 Alstonville NSW 2477 FAX: 02 66 287462 Email: carer@bigpond.net.au

Mid North Coast

Office Hours 8.30 to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
(Closed for lunch from12.30 to 1.15pm)

Outside office hours an on-call worker will be available on 1800 059 059  at all times to assist with emergency in home respite across the Mid North Coast area or to pass messages onto office staff if you cannot ring during the day.

When you call us, all our staff should give your their first name. When you call, you may not be able to always speak to the staff member you need as they may be on another call or out of the office. Whichever staff member you speak to will pass on your name and contact number and to the most relevant staff member. Please call us again if you have not heard from us by 4pm on the day of your call and your call is about emergency respite. If your situation is not an emergency and we have not returned your call within 2 days, please call us again.

During office hours, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm, the following staff are available:

WHO TO CONTACT

PROGRAM MANAGER

The Programme Manager has day-to-day responsibility for the management of the centre and its resources, both human and material. The Manager is responsible for ensuring the centre works within the guidelines; standards and performance measures set down by the funding bodies are all met. The Manager also has a role to ensure the centre continues to be responsive to gaps in the respite care system by listening to carers and working effectively with all respite providers. The Manager has a further role to promote the role of the centre and to ensure the centre continues to improve its performance.

• Sandie Downsborough

SERVICE COORDINATORS

RESPITE COORDINATION
The Respite Service Coordinators handle most of the calls from carers and coordinate all respite for carers both on a planned basis by referring carers to other services or on a one off or short-term basis. These Coordinators also arrange pampering days, carer retreats and carer/care recipient holidays. These Coordinators work to identify, support and assist all Carers in the Community; Carers include Young Carers i.e. Carers under the age of 18).

• Alison McCullough 
• Karren Graham
• Sue Mills
• Sharon McKittrick (Tues-Thurs)

RESIDENTIAL RESPITE BOOKING OFFICERS

These workers are situated with the Aged Care Assessment Teams in Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. They book residential respite in the majority of nursing homes and hostels in the Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Nambucca, Kempsey and Port Macquarie areas. They take calls from carers seeking this type of respite and work with facilities to keep booking records up to date. These workers can also help explain to carers what residential respite means, the cost of this type of respite and how those being cared for become eligible.

Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Nambucca
Sharon Caban 

Telephone: 6656 7647

Kempsey and Port Macquarie
Mary Laing 

Telephone: 6588 2875

INFORMATION COORDINATOR

The Information Coordinator is responsible for identifying information that comes to the centre and is relevant to carers. This coordinator then distributes this information via Information Days, the quarterly Carers Gazette (Newsletter), the Carer Handbook, the Carer Respite Centre Web Page etc.  The information Coordinator will also visit Community Groups on the Mid North Coast to help identify carers in the community.

• Trish Coneybeare

ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANTS

These workers are office based and the people you are most likely to first speak to when you call our office. These workers aim to provide administrative support to all Centre staff.

General Administration
• Lesley Smith (Wednesday to Friday)
• Alex Tamindzic (Casual)

Bookkeeper

Linda English (Monday - Thursday)