Apollo Care chief flags plans for Yackandandah Health takeover

Perth-based Steve Becsi was in Yackandandah on Monday June 19, 2023 to address concerned community members at a public meeting.

Yackandandah Health members are to vote on Wednesday June 21, 2023 on a proposal for Apollo Care to takeover aged care, childcare, retirement living and GP clinic services.

Mr Becsi has been bewildered by negativity toward the plan, saying in other places there had been "enthusiasm around a larger provider with scale coming in to save" services.

"This one, it's different," Mr Becsi told The Border Mail.

"I just don't understand why the multiple meetings continue once the board has made what we think is a pretty good decision."

Mr Becsi said it was "completely incorrect" to claim Yackandandah Health would be falling into the hands of a private company, with it being part of an alliance of not-for-profits.

"The model is a unique model, it's been worked through with the ACNC, the charities commission, the ATO, ASIC," he said.

"There are three levels of governance."

Mr Becsi said that involved a community steering committee, the Yackandandah Health board staying with Apollo representatives and the national Apollo board having Yackandandah input.

He said Apollo would not appear on signage with Yackandandah Health.

"The brand remains in place, we don't advertise Apollo Care, all we're doing is providing the back office services and we're promoting and strengthening the local brand, so Yackandandah will remain as Yackandandah," Mr Becsi said.

He said if members approve Apollo's takeover there should be no concern that the organisation has not operated concerns beyond aged care.

"There is no worry whatsoever in relation to childcare or the medical or the retirement village, it's all business as usual," Mr Becsi said.

In response to reservations expressed by the doctors under Yackandandah Health's umbrella, Mr Becsi and PresCare chairman Wayne Knapp said they were happy to meet the medicos before Wednesday night's meeting.

Mr Knapp previously was chief executive at PresCare which operated three aged care homes in Queensland which came under Apollo control in 2021.

He has met Yackandandah locals in the past week, noting they were "not ambivalent" about the health service.

"We engage with the community and actually bring the community into the aged care facility, our residents need to connect with the community in which they've lived their whole life," Mr Knapp said.

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