Queensland aged care deaths and failed audits: do we need higher standards for quality in aged care?

This week a series of media reports have raised serious concerns about the quality of care at some Queensland aged care homes that have deeply saddened us.

We’re sure many aged care residents and their families will be feeling the same so we felt it was important to touch on how our aged care homes are assessed and what happens when they are found to not be up to scratch.

Currently the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA) audits all facilities every three years, with regular visits in between to check compliance. They tell us over 4,000 audits and assessments are done every year.

If a facility is found to not meet any of the 44 accreditation standards, they are placed on a timetable for improvement and monitored during this period while they make improvements. If these are not made in time, they undergo a full audit or risk being referred to the Department of Health.

“In most cases, homes that are found to be non-compliant in a particular expected outcome, act very quickly to remedy the issues,” their spokesperson said.

Keeping our system to the highest standards

The fact that some facilities have been found to not meet standards shows the system does work.

Can it work better? Yes.

There are a number of changes underway to ensure aged care providers are held to the highest standards.

This includes the introduction of unannounced accreditation visits (previously services would have prior warning); the roll-out of a single set of standards that all services would be assessed under in July; and the announcement of a new independent aged care commission to oversee the sector this week.

If you are concerned about a particular facility, there are ways you can check that it is meeting the current standards.

The AACQA publishes the accreditation reports for aged care homes on its website here. These show when the home was last audited, how many of the standards it met and staffing levels.

You can also contact the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner on 1800 550 552 if you do have any concerns.

There are some facilities that are not meeting standards and that is a serious concern.

We need an aged care system – and accreditation standards – that residents, families and providers can trust.

We hope these latest reports mean the Government makes the new changes a top priority – so we know all our facilities are delivering the best care to residents.