Alcheringa Hostel is proud to introduce our CEO, Ann Rough, whom we are extremely blessed to have as our leader. Ann comes to Alcheringa with an impressive and highly successful Resume.

Ann trained as a nurse, working for 12 years with the Royal District Nursing Services, in varied senior / management positions with a strong Aged Care focus. From 1985, Ann opened and managed various Aged Care facilities around Australia, including a 60 bed facility that in 1999 was facing many challenges to meet the accreditation standards. Ann successfully turned the facility around to not only meet all standards but to also become a finalist in the Commonwealth Minister for Aged Care Excellence Awards in Residential Care and later as a finalist in State Training Industry Boards Staff Development and Training Award.

In 2002, Ann was introduced to Alcheringa, when asked to prepare an independent report on the facility's operational management and clincial care practices. At this time, the organization faced many critical issues that required urgent addressing, including depleting financial reserves, industrial unrest, poor clinical care practices and non compliance with 16 of the Government's 44 accreditation standards.

The Alcheringa Board approved Ann's recommended total restructure of the organization. Embracing the challenge, Ann agreed to stay on to undertake the implementation and an Impact Statement was prepared and presented to all stakeholders in March 2003. Ann was eventually appointed CEO in August 2003.

Ann's commitment and dedication have paid off. She has redefined Alchering's core business, vision, mission and value statement, with the introduction of board governance and a strategic plan that is continuing to be delivered upon.

New processes and systems have been introduced to achieve Alcheringa's new vision, mission and value statement accompanied by the introduction of an extensive staff development and continuous improvement program whereby staff have accepted accountability and responsibility and acquired new competencies which are now being applied.

As a result of these and other dramatic changes, Alcheringa Hostel has achieved the objectives documented in Alcheringa's Impact Statement 2003 and successfully met all 44 accreditation standards during both site audits conducted May 2004 and June 2006.

Ann's commitment is to work in partnership with the Directors, staff, residents and other stakeholders to ensure that Alcheringa Hostel Ltd. Swan Hill continually strives to meet it's Vision - "Excellence in Care and Lifestyle Options" and it's Mission - "Quality and excellence in the provision of our aged and community care services."