Contentious consequences of changes to work practices

730 Report, 22 March, 2017

This story shows how changing who does the work, and how the work is done, can be viewed very differently by different stakeholders.

Instead of counsellors taking calls at a Rape Crisis Centre, the Federal Government has introduced a triage system in which operators screen calls first, and decide which callers should be referred to specialist counsellors.

Counsellors say changes to the service are failing the people who call in. For example, callers can be asked to call back, which counsellors say puts traumatised women off, and can cause great distress. The Government says the new service is faster and more efficient.

Who is right? An independent evaluation of this work redesign could help to tease out what is really going on, and where the truth lies.

Click here for the story.