Review of Quality Standards in Aged Care
The Department of Health is reviewing standards in aged care. Here is your chance to share what you think needs to be done to give older people quality care.
Key points
- Aged Care Quality Standards will be strengthened in response to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
- A new set of standards has been drafted for consultation with the individual care recipient at the centre.
- The consultation runs until 25 November, and individuals can provide feedback via the Aged Care Engagement Hub.
This is your chance to provide input to the development of quality standards governing aged care services.
The Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standards) provide a shared understanding of what is expected in aged care, making quality everyone’s business.
Quality Standards should help older Australians feel secure and supported, give families confidence their loved ones are looked after, and ensure aged care providers and workers know what is expected of them, whatever their size, location or offering.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety highlighted the need to urgently revise the existing Quality Standards to make them relevant and appropriate for the people they are intended to support.
As such, the Department of Health and Ageing is reviewing and revising the Quality Standards.
Through consultation, the Department is strengthening the Quality Standards with a focus on critical areas such as dementia, clinical care, governance, diversity, food, and nutrition.
The revised standards are set out in the diagram below, with greater detail outlined in a detailed or summary version.
The Department wants to hear your views on the strengthened Quality Standards to test critical concepts and seek feedback on any gaps or opportunities to clarify expectations.
This feedback will help inform the final report on the strengthened Quality Standards, which will be presented to the government by the end of 2022.
Public consultation concludes on 25 November 2022, and there will be opportunities to engage via a webinar, surveys, and focus groups.
The consultation paper is also available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Greek, Italian and Spanish.
For more information and to have your say, visit www.AgedCareEngagement.health.gov.au.
Phone 1800 318 209 (My Aged Care’s free call phone line) if you would like to request a copy of the survey by mail.
