Frontier Services, the largest provider of aged and community care in remote Australia, is delighted to welcome Phil Burgess to its team in the NT.

As the new Business Manager for NT, Mr Burgess will play an important role in supporting the strategic operations of Frontier Services’ remote aged and community care services.

Mr Burgess said he looked forward to the challenges of living and working in the Territory and was thrilled to join Frontier Services.

“Frontier Services is a unique organisation,” Mr Burgess said. “We take on the services and challenges that nobody else wants to take on. My role will be to serve the Frontier Services team who are working so hard on the frontline, to equip them to do their jobs in the most effective and efficient ways.”

Mr Burgess acknowledged that providing aged and community care in remote areas brought with it a whole range of challenges that did not exist for operators in the city.

“When you look at what we do – the reality is that it is uneconomical. Therefore, it is a matter of working as effectively as we can with the scant resources that we have.”

“In many ways it is an enormous challenge, but it is also an opportunity to deliver aged and community care in a way that is flexible and culturally appropriate to the people we serve.”

Mr Burgess, who has moved from Brisbane to Alice Springs for the role, has an extensive background in business consulting with firms like Rio Tinto and BHP. He also brings with him experience in business management of community services, having spent time working with the Indigenous cross cultural training organisation Why Warriors and almost three years on the Board of Queensland Baptist Care.

At the same time, Frontier Services has farewelled long-serving Manager of Residential Care Rosemary Jeffery, who was responsible for the management of Frontier Services’ 12 residential aged care services in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Derby and Wyndham in Western Australia.

“Rosemary’s contribution over the past 14 years has been remarkable,” said Frontier Services NT Regional Manager Sharon Davis.

Ms Jeffery joined Frontier Services as Director of Nursing for Chan Park in 1998. She had an instrumental role in developing the Frontier Services training service, which has grown into a large operation providing professional training to a large number of aged care staff.

Three years ago, Ms Jeffery became the first person to step into the new role of Manager for Residential Care for Frontier Services, providing excellent leadership and a wealth of experience in the unique challenges of providing aged care in a remote setting.

“I am delighted that Rosemary will still be involved with the development of Frontier Services staff as part of her new position with Dovaston Training and Assessment Centre,” said Ms Davis.