Additional quality indicators for aged care introduced

As of April 1 2023, residential aged care providers will be required to start collecting additional information as part of the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program). The program  has expanded with  new quality indicators, in addition to the five existing indicators.

The 6 new indicators are:

• Activities of daily living
• Incontinence care
• Hospitalisation
• Workforce
• Consumer experience
• Quality of life

‘Activities of daily living’ will assess the percentage of care recipients who experienced a diminished rate of daily self-reliance, such as eating, bathing, getting dressed, moving and using the bathroom by themselves.

‘Incontinence care’ will review the percentage of care recipients who experience incontinence-associated dermatitis, which develops as a result of feces and urine exposure to the skin. The condition is commonly associated with aged care facilities, with incontinence referring to lacking the control of one’s bowels and or bladder. 

‘Hospitalisation’ refers to the percentage of care recipients who had one or more presentations to the emergency department.

‘Workforce’ indicates the turnover rate associated with staff.

‘Consumer experience’ will look at the percentage of care recipients that gave a positive appraisal of their service.

‘Quality of life’ is a similar metric, which will assess the percentage of care recipients that gave a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating to their overall quality of life.

The QI program is part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, with submission of quality indicator data ongoing through the My Aged Care provider portal.

All approved providers of residential care services have been required to participate in the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program as of July 1 2019 reporting on five existing indicators:

• Medication management
• Falls and major injury
• Unplanned weight loss
• Physical constraint
• Pressure injuries.

Home care, along with flexible care (including transition care), the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme, the Multi-Purpose Services Program, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program; and the Innovative Care Program are excluded from the QI Program.

The QI Program is intended to provide sector wide improvement and substantial improvements in the aged care industry, for recipients of care and workers.

Although it is not a requirement to set targets for quality indicator assessments, it is encouraged, as targets can be used to gauge improvement across the industry and as additional points of interest in data collection.

For more information, please visit the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care website to download the guidance material.

Questions and details relating to the changes can be directed to the My Aged Care service provider and assessor helpline at 1800 836 799.

Do you believe that these new quality indicators will help to identify possible industry improvement opportunities? Let us know.