Time Well Spent

Dane Mitchell and Rose Plater
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Time Well Spent is a podcast exploring aged care, the NDIS, and health — through candid conversations with executives and thought leaders shaping the industry. Hosted by Dane Mitchell (Optimum Allied Health) and Rose Plater (Paynters), the show is built on authentic conversations. Each 40-60 minute episode asks bold, sometimes controversial, questions about reform, workforce, finance, design, and innovation — opening space for leaders to tell us what they really think about the industry and its future.

  1. 12/17/2025

    Service, Humility, and the Quiet Work of Caring with Dane and Rose

    In this deeply personal episode of Time Well Spent, co-host Rose Plater turns the microphone toward Dane Mitchell to explore the story that quietly shaped his life, values, and leadership in care. At the heart of the conversation is Lola, Dane’s Nan, a woman of deep faith who devoted her life to raising more than 160 children as matron of a Baptist children’s home. Known simply as “Mum” to every child in her care, Lola believed that every child deserved one thing above all else: a place to call home. Dane reflects on how Lola’s legacy shaped his family’s story, his commitment to service, and ultimately the purpose behind Time Well Spent. Together, Dane and Rose unpack how lived experience — from childhood care, to dementia journeys, to working on the frontline — informs better leadership, better design, and more humane models of aged care. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 min

  2. 12/08/2025

    Why Every Aged Care Provider Has Payroll Errors and What to Do About It with Siobhain Simpson

    Payroll compliance is now one of the biggest risks in aged care. Every provider, even the well-run ones, uncover errors driven by 24/7 rosters, complex Modern Awards and constant legislative change. In this episode, Dane and Rose speak with Siobhain Simpson, Partner at StuartBrown, who has audited hundreds of providers and never completed an audit without finding payroll issues. Siobhain breaks down why errors are unavoidable, which clauses cost organisations the most, why overpayments are harder to fix than you think, and what boards should be asking to protect their organisations. She also shares how transparency builds trust, why independent checks matter, and when AI might finally take over payroll interpretation. A must-listen for aged care and NDIS leaders navigating risk, reform and the reality of paying people right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min

  3. 12/01/2025

    AI, Aged Care & the Automation Revolution with Rob Covino, CEO MIRUS Australia

    In this powerful episode of Time Well Spent, hosts Dane Mitchell and Rose Plater sit down with data evangelist and aged-care innovator Rob Covino, CEO MIRUS Australia, to explore how AI, automation, and predictive technology are reshaping the future of care in Australia. Rob shares candid insights into the challenges and opportunities facing aged-care providers—from workforce fatigue and inefficient systems to the promise of AI-powered documentation, predictive deterioration modelling, and even cloned video avatars that can support behavioural de-escalation for residents living with dementia.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 3m

  4. 11/24/2025

    You’ve had a cyber breach – now what? Why providers need to be prepared with Reece Corbett-Wilkins

    What happens after a cyber breach and how can providers be ready before it strikes? In this episode of Time Well Spent, we sit down with leading cyber lawyer and incident response expert Reece Corbett-Wilkins to explore the realities behind data breaches in the aged care and NDIS sectors. Key links: Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-2025 | Cyber.gov.au – annual status including average costs of cybercrime for businesses Cyber Wardens Foundations - Live and On Demand Webinars - Cyber Wardens – free training for SMEs Questions to ask managed service providers | Cyber.gov.au – questions to ask MSPs about cyber security What are you risking online? | Act Now. Stay Secure. – Act Now, Stay Secure – government campaign about how to build cyber security culture Follow Atmos on LinkedIn  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min

  5. 11/17/2025

    The hidden cost of hospitals acting as aged care waiting rooms and more - with Paul Sadler

    Paul Sadler joins "Time Well Spent" for an unflinching look at Australia's aged care reform: what’s working, what’s gridlocked, and how real change hangs on rights, funding, and workforce realities. From the promise of the new Aged Care Act—putting human rights at the heart of care—to the systemic roadblocks of rationed packages, hospital bed bottlenecks, and a sector under intense financial and staffing pressure, this episode dives deep. Paul explains key shifts in legislation, why equity of access remains elusive, how CHSP and support-at-home models are evolving, and the big question marks hanging over provider confidence and future investment. A candid exploration of high-stakes reform, provider survival, and what it will take to deliver truly dignified, community-centered support for older Australians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    58 min

  6. 11/10/2025

    Aged Care in the Red: Real Strategies to Restore Viability – with Stu Hutcheon (StewartBrown) (Ep 2)

    Stuart Hutcheon from StewartBrown returns to unpack the financial realities facing aged care providers, revealing why profitability remains out of reach and what strategic moves can rebuild sector sustainability. They dive into the stark numbers: residential homes losing $3.10 per bed daily, workforce costs surging 60% since 2021, and the complex challenges of care minutes, technology adoption, and pricing strategies.  A candid chat of the financial pressures, policy constraints, and potential solutions that could transform aged care from a struggling sector to a viable, patient-centered industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min

  7. 11/03/2025

    What the Numbers Say: Inside the StewartBrown Benchmark w/ Stu Hutcheon (Ep 1)

    Australia’s aged care sector has been in the red for a decade, with more than half of homes losing money. Stuart Hutcheon, Managing Partner at StewartBrown, joins Dane and Rose to unpack why viability remains elusive and what must change to rebuild confidence. They discuss the true cost of building sustainable homes, the role of the new accommodation supplement, and how smaller, regional providers can survive as compliance and consolidation rise. A clear-eyed look at the numbers, the policy gaps, and what it will take to make aged care genuinely sustainable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    55 min

  8. 10/27/2025

    Support at Home reforms - we know the challenges but where are the opportunities for providers with Lorraine Poulos, Managing Director of LPA

    The long-awaited Support at Home reform has arrived, reshaping how aged care providers deliver, price, and manage care. But with the reduction to the care management fee and a shift to a fee for service model, are providers really ready? Lorraine Poulos, Managing Director of LPA and one of the sector’s most practical voices, joins Dane and Rose to unpack what “commercial readiness” actually means, why utilization is now the number to watch, and how providers can stay compliant while maintaining genuine person-centred care. They explore the realities behind the new assessment model, the loss of management income, the importance of clinical governance, and what a reablement-focused future might look like for home care in Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    55 min
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About

Time Well Spent is a podcast exploring aged care, the NDIS, and health — through candid conversations with executives and thought leaders shaping the industry. Hosted by Dane Mitchell (Optimum Allied Health) and Rose Plater (Paynters), the show is built on authentic conversations. Each 40-60 minute episode asks bold, sometimes controversial, questions about reform, workforce, finance, design, and innovation — opening space for leaders to tell us what they really think about the industry and its future.

Information

  • Creator
    Dane Mitchell and Rose Plater
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dane Mitchell
  • Show Website
    Time Well Spent