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Glossary

AHS Act

Australia Hearing Services Act 1991.

ANAO

Australian National Audit Office.

Annual Report

The yearly report prepared by Hearing Australia in accordance with section 46 of the PGPA Act or the Directors of a Commonwealth company in accordance with section 97 of the PGPA Act. It provides a broad statement of capability and performance, including results against targets published previously for the corresponding year in the corporate plan. It allows the Board and senior management to report to the Minister on the efficiency and effectiveness for which the Minister is ultimately responsible.

ARMC

Audit and Risk Management Committee of the Board of Hearing Australia.

Audiologist

A university qualified professional that evaluates hearing function and provides appropriate rehabilitation, such as the fitting of hearing aids.

Audiometrist

A clinician who has completed a certificate course in hearing assessment, hearing aid fitting and management.

Clinician

An Audiologist or Audiometrist.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Not for profit organisation that provides family-centred therapies, life skills programs, equipment and support for people living with cerebral palsy and their families.

Client Pathway

A follow up system for clients who use hearing aids.

Corporate Plan

A document detailing Hearing Australia’s strategic direction that is required to be prepared for the Minister for Government Services and the Minister for Finance.

CSO

Community Service Obligation.

Digital

The application of technology to provide services for the benefit of our clients, stakeholders and employees.

DoH

Department of Health (used in the Financial Statements - refer also Health)

ESD

Ecologically Sustainable Development that aims to meet the needs of today, while conserving our ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.

EBITDA

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.

Financial Year (FY)

Period of a year being reported upon (commencing on 1 July and ending on 30 June).

Health

Department of Health – administers the Australian Government’s Hearing Services Program.

Hearing Awareness Week

Occurs each year in March.

Hearing Bus

Purpose built vehicles intended primarily to advertise Hearing Australia and provide free hearing screening nationally (except at this time in the NT).

Hearing Centres

Hearing Australia’s service outlets and point of contact for clients.

NAL

National Acoustic Laboratories.

NDIS

National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Network

Hearing Australia’s centres across Australia.

OHS

Office of Hearing Services. A unit within the Department of Health that administered and regulated the Australian Government’s Hearing Services Program. (OHS became part of the Hearing Services Program in November 2017 but may still appear in some sections of this report.)

Outreach

Specialist services provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Permanent site

A permanently staffed hearing centre.

PGPA Act

Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

Remote Site

A location providing for assessment, device fitting and rehabilitation, situated in a locality determined by the Department of Health (using the Modified Monash Model – from 1 October 2019) as being disadvantaged by restricted accessibility of goods and services.

Responsible Minister

Minister with portfolio responsibility for a Commonwealth entity.

SA

Services Australia delivers a range of government payments and services to almost every Australian including Centrelink, Aged Care, Medicare and Child Support.

Tele-audiology

Provision of audiological services remotely from the patient.

Tele-Audiology Follow Up (Tele-FUP)

Support provided remotely in the critical 2-3 weeks after first hearing aid fitting.

Tele-health

Use of telecommunication techniques for the purpose of providing telemedicine, medical education, and health education over a distance.

Visiting Site

A site that is visited on regular basis by a clinician to deliver hearing services; there are no Hearing Australia staff permanently based at a visiting site.

Voice of the Client

Hearing Australia’s initiative to measure the level of its client satisfaction.

White Ribbon

A “not for profit” movement of men and boys working to end men’s violence against women and girls, promote gender equality, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity.

Voucher

Certificate issued by the Department of Health to eligible adults that entitles clients to government funded hearing services.

WHS

Work health and safety.