Department of Health calls for provider input on proposed staffing quality indicators

A public consultation period has opened with the Department of Health and Aged Care seeking feedback on three new staffing quality indicators that will be part of an expanded National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program).

Key points

• The QI Program collects quarterly data from residential aged care settings to assist in improving the quality of services provided
• There are currently 11 quality indicators across key aged care concerns, including pressure injuries, falls and major injury, consumer experience and medication management
• Three new quality indicators are proposed, covering enrolled nursing (ENs), allied health professionals and lifestyle services
• The consultation process will ensure the Department is well-prepared for a pilot planned for March 

After undergoing a successful expansion period in April 2023, when the QI Program increased to 11 indicators from just five, the Department said the addition of three new staffing indicators is in response to sector feedback regarding 24/7 RN nursing requirements and the AN-ACC funding model.

As outlined in its recently released QI Program Consultation Paper, the Department’s 2023 learnings have revealed a lack of staffing workforce quality indicators that focus on ENs, allied health professionals and lifestyle officers.

This could arguably be linked to the lack of focus on those professionals in the care minute targets with RN direct care contributions prioritised over many of their healthcare colleagues. However, the problem is not isolated to Australia, with the Consultation Paper finding limited quality indicators in countries such as the USA, Canada or New Zealand. 

Creating new quality indicators focused on a wider portion of the aged care workforce would provide Australia with more data to analyse and opportunities to assess the quality of care.

“The lack of QIs focusing on ENs, allied health professionals, and lifestyle officers in the international context highlights an opportunity for Australia to lead in this area,” the Consultation Paper states.

“Developing QIs for these professions could ensure a more holistic approach to assessing quality care and recognising the importance of a diverse range of staff roles in aged care.”

“To help guide and focus the discussion, we have included specific consultation questions. It is important to note that these questions are not meant to be restrictive or to limit the scope of feedback. Instead, they are a starting point for a broader conversation on how best to enhance the QI Program, ensuring it is responsive to the needs and complexities of the residential aged care sector in Australia.”

The full list of questions can be found in the Consultation Paper, with examples including:

• How do the varying levels of resident needs and care complexities in different residential aged care settings influence the staffing hours per resident per day provided by ENs, allied health professionals and lifestyle officers?
• How might QIs for ENs, allied health professionals and lifestyle officers influence the availability and/or volume of service provided by these professions?
• What are the potential challenges providers might face in adopting minimum standards for ENs, allied health professionals and lifestyle officers?

Alongside feedback from the consultation process, a pilot will ensure they have additional insight into the technical feasibility of collecting and reporting data plus the usefulness and impact of the staffing quality indicators.

The Department will recruit approximately 130 aged care providers, of varying sizes, ownership models and locations, to participate in a pilot of the potential indicators in March. Expressions of Interest are open and questions about the project or consultation can be directed to [email protected].