Procura Alternative: Prioritising Local Support

In an industry that’s evolving at breakneck speed, one recent development stands out: Procura, a division of Complia Health, has been acquired by AlayaCare, a global provider of healthcare software. 

This acquisition raises important questions for care providers seeking the right software solution. One such question is how the newly globalised Procura-AlayaCare compares with a software that has been, and more importantly, will continue to be, locally developed and updated to comply with Australian government legislation and compliance requirements – Nightingale Software.

Nightingale: An Australian Story

Originating as a part of the ANSON Management Consulting brand in 2015, Nightingale Software boasts a legacy of understanding and serving the needs of Australian community service providers. With ANSON’s two-decade-long engagement with Western Australian service providers, Nightingale has enjoyed a privileged position when it comes to grasping the nuances of consumer-directed care.

Through extensive sector consultation and on-ground testing, Nightingale has created a positive impact on providers across Australia. We cherish the trust our clients place in us, and we’re continually energised by the fantastic feedback we receive.

We understand that funding regimes are subject to frequent reviews, and changes in government, policy, law, and competitive forces require care providers to operate in a constant state of change. Instead of resisting change, we embrace it. Our commitment ensures that Nightingale remains current, relevant, and effective, maximising the return on your investment today and into the future.

Nightingale Software, an Australian-bred solution, is purpose-built for the NDIS, Aged Care, and Allied Health markets. With its roots firmly planted in understanding and serving the local community service providers, Nightingale adapts to the evolving sector dynamics, catering to the needs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) providers, and acting as a trusted partner for Home Care Providers amidst ongoing aged care reforms. It combines a rich suite of tools to manage resource allocation, support scheduling, care management, invoicing, and Home Care Package management, thereby enabling care providers to concentrate on their primary goal: delivering excellent care for their clients.

Nightingale’s comprehensive feature set offers unparalleled support to manage both clients and staff, operational workflows, and financial transactions, coupled with a user-friendly mobile app for staff and clients alike. From smart rostering tools, live funding usage tracking, powerful case note systems, automated rostering, in-built award interpretation, to robust operations management tools including incident tracking workflows and custom forms builder, Nightingale puts an organisation’s efficiency at the forefront. The software also offers finance management features such as automatic PRODA claims reconciliation, finance and payroll platform integrations, and automated client billing and claiming. With a steadfast commitment to onboarding, implementation, and 24/7 local support, Nightingale offers a range of services, including online courses, video tutorials, webinars, and a fully featured Knowledge Base. Nightingale stands as a holistic software solution that not only simplifies operations but also adapts to the changes and challenges inherent to the care services industry.

How to Choose

As we have witnessed in the recent acquisition of Procura by AlayaCare, businesses in our industry are in a constant state of flux. While these changes often bring new technologies and broader global networks, they can also lead to a focus on the larger picture, sometimes at the expense of understanding and catering to local needs and compliance requirements.

With the acquisition, Procura is becoming part of a larger, global entity, which may result in a broader, more global perspective. However, there may also be a risk that Procura’s software might not be as quickly or comprehensively updated to align with the rapidly changing local Australian legislation and compliance requirements.

This is where Nightingale, with our local focus and commitment to staying abreast of Australian legislative changes, offers a significant advantage. Our mission is to ensure that our software continues to remain compliant with Australian regulations. We understand the local Australian context and are committed to updating Nightingale in line with local legislative and compliance changes. Our team works hard to ensure that our clients always have the most up-to-date, compliant software at their fingertips, mitigating risks and promoting operational efficiency.


In a world where global entities often overlook the local nuances of aged care and NDIS services, Nightingale stands out with its firm roots in Australian soil, its commitment to adaptability, and its provider-centric approach. We invite providers to experience Nightingale’s unique blend of local understanding, continual relevance, and unwavering support.

The NDIS Code of Conduct

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a significant milestone in the Australian disability sector, promoting the inclusion and independence of people with disabilities. With over 4.3 million Australians living with disabilities, the NDIS plays a crucial role in ensuring they receive the necessary support and services. As participants and providers for the NDIS, it is our responsibility to uphold the NDIS Code of Conduct, ensuring a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all participants.

The Code of Conduct sets out the standards and principles that guide the behaviour of all workers and service providers in the NDIS. It is designed to protect the rights of people with disabilities and ensure they receive quality services. The Code of Conduct encompasses several key elements, which include:

  • act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions
  • respect the privacy of people with disability
  • provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
  • act with integrity, honesty, and transparency
  • promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability
  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse of people with disability
  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.

Extract taken from NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. 

To download the complete NDIS Code of Conduct, we have attached the guidance for both service providers and workers below.

At Nightingale Software, we recognise the significance of maintaining the NDIS Code of Conduct and the profound influence it has on the lives of individuals with disabilities. Our specialised NDIS provider software platform is crafted to assist NDIS providers in effectively handling their support services, scheduling, and documentation, while complying to the Code of Conduct.

Download The NDIS Code of Conduct – Guidance for service providers

Download The NDIS Code of Conduct – Guidance for Workers

Harnessing the Power of Data

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a vital support system for Australians with disabilities, aiming to provide personalised and high-quality care services. As an NDIS provider, it’s essential to deliver effective and efficient services. One approach to achieving this is by utilising analytics through advanced NDIS software solutions. In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of analytics in service provision and how it can enhance your decision-making process.

Uncovering Patterns and Trends

Software with analytics capabilities can reveal valuable insights from the data collected within your organisation. This may include participant demographics, services rendered, and funding distribution. By analysing this data, you can uncover patterns that allow you to make better decisions about resource allocation and service improvement opportunities.

Elevating Service Quality

Evaluating the data captured by the right software can offer essential insights into the caliber of your services. By monitoring metrics such as participant satisfaction, service completion rates, and achieved outcomes, you can pinpoint areas needing improvement and take the necessary steps to elevate the overall quality of your service offerings.

Boosting Operational Efficiency

Robust analytics features in software solutions can help you detect inefficiencies within your organisation. By evaluating data related to staff productivity, resource allocation, and workflow processes, you can identify areas where improvements are needed. This allows you to ultimately deliver superior services to your participants while growing your business.

Maintaining Compliance and Managing Risk

Adhering to NDIS regulations is a crucial aspect of being a thriving provider. By harnessing analytics, you can keep track of your organisation’s compliance status and promptly identify any potential risks or areas of non-compliance. This enables you to proactively address issues and maintain a solid reputation within the industry.

Choosing the right software provider is a crucial decision. Using the data and analytics available to you will not only refine decision-making but also improves service quality, boost operational efficiency, guide strategic planning, and ensures compliance. By leveraging data-driven insights, your organisation can optimise its services and better address the needs of your participants. 

If you’re an NDIS provider seeking to harness the power of analytics, consider investing in a software solution such as Nightingale that offers comprehensive analytics capabilities. Contact us today to organise a demo.

Understanding the Costs and Risks of Legacy CRM Systems

The Need for Change

Changing an organisation’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is often considered challenging by business owners and CEOs. They perceive costs, staff time consumption, and believe that the existing system is sufficient since it’s not “broken.” However, they may overlook the benefits of change, which is why these systems are referred to as “sticky” – they persist in organisations long past their expiration date.

Various factors can force the need for a new system, such as:

  • Outgrowing the current CRM’s capabilities
  • Entering a new line of service or business venture incompatible with the existing system
  • Lack of support for the legacy system within the preferred IT environment (e.g., moving to the cloud for cost and risk management)
  • Unavailability, inconsistent support, or concerns about vendor solvency (Vendor risk)
  • Competitive pressure from organisations offering superior services through advanced systems, either directly or indirectly

Apart from these drivers for change, there’s a cost-benefit analysis for retaining a legacy system versus upgrading to a next-generation CRM. It’s crucial to make this decision based on a comprehensive understanding of costs and benefits.

Identifying a Legacy System

A legacy system is typically characterised by its lack of cloud-based deployment, scalability, and reliance on internal IT systems for data backup and security. Modern, cloud-based alternatives offer greater data center security, scalability, and redundancy.

Challenges with Legacy Systems

Two main factors to consider are:

  1. Business Risk
  2. Business Cost

Business Risks

Legacy software often depends on a small vendor with an unsustainable business model and an insufficient client base to justify investments in software upgrades. This increases the risk of the software failing to meet changing regulatory requirements, leading to additional systems or manual records to maintain compliance.

On-premise systems also pose higher risks than modern cloud solutions regarding data and privacy breaches. These breaches can be costly to remediate and may damage the organisation’s reputation.

Costs(and Benefits of Change)

There are both direct and hidden costs to retaining a legacy system. Direct costs include escalating support costs and potential expenses for new features mandated by regulators. Hidden costs involve the impact on organisational efficiency and productivity.

A modern aged care CRM system can save time, reduce or eliminate manual processes, ensure consistent service delivery, and provide comprehensive audit trail information for compliance.

By increasing productivity, reducing staff and client turnover, and achieving a competitive advantage, organisations can realise significant benefits from upgrading to a current generation system.

Underestimating Benefits and Retention Bias

Organisations tend to underestimate the benefits of transitioning from a legacy system and overestimate the costs or pain of the transition. The decision to replace the CRM is often made years after the cost-benefit analysis would have favored replacement.

Specific Benefits of a Modern CRM System

Some common benefits of a modern CRM system like Nightingale include:

  • Eliminating paper-based client onboarding processes
  • Real-time funding management and tracking
  • Competency-based rostering for improved client satisfaction
  • Streamlined NDIS claims and client invoice processing
  • Single system for all business aspects, including supported employees
  • Improved usability for support workers and increased staff satisfaction
  • Client app for better customer experience and reduced customer churn

Upgrading to a modern CRM system like Nightingale provides numerous benefits that can significantly improve your organisation’s efficiency, productivity, and overall client satisfaction. By making the strategic decision to move away from a legacy system, you can unlock the potential for growth and continued success in an ever-changing business environment. If you’d like to explore how Nightingale’s comprehensive and tailored software solutions can help your organisation thrive, we invite you to get in touch with our team of experts. Let us show you how Nightingale can transform your operations and empower your organisation to deliver exceptional care and services. Contact us today to schedule a personalised demonstration and consultation.