2018 New Aged Care Quality Standards Now Law

The new Aged Care Quality Standards are contained in the Quality of Care Amendment (Single Quality Framework) Principles 2018.

Providers will continue to be assessed against the current standards until 30 June 2019, with assessment and monitoring against the new Aged Care Quality Standards starting from 1 July 2019. Below you will find details on:

• Standard 1 – Consumer dignity and choice
• Standard 2 – Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers
• Standard 3 – Personal care and clinical care
• Standard 4 – Services and supports for daily living
• Standard 5 – Organisation’s service environment
• Standard 6 – Feedback and complaints
• Standard 7 – Human resources
• Standard 8 – Organisational governance
• Print versions of the Aged Care Quality Standards

Standard 1 – Consumer dignity and choice

Consumer outcome

1. I am treated with dignity and respect, and can maintain my identity. I can make informed choices about my care and services, and live the life I choose.

Organisational statement

2. The organisation

(a) has a culture of inclusion and respect for consumers; and

(b) supports consumers to exercise choice and independence; and

(c) respects consumers’ privacy.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:each consumer is treated with dignity and respect, with their identity, culture and diversity valued;

(a) each consumer is treated with dignity and respect, with their identity, culture and diversity valued;

(b) care and services are culturally safe;

(c) each consumer is supported to exercise choice and independence, including to:

(i) make decisions about their own care and the way care and services are delivered; and

(ii) make decisions about when family, friends, carers or others should be involved in their care; and

(iii) communicate their decisions; and

(iv) make connections with others and maintain relationships of choice, including intimate relationships;

(d) each consumer is supported to take risks to enable them to live the best life they can;

(e) information provided to each consumer is current, accurate and timely, and communicated in a way that is clear, easy to understand and enables them to exercise choice;

(f) each consumer’s privacy is respected and personal information is kept confidential.

Standard 2 – Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers

Customer care

1. I am a partner in ongoing assessment and planning that helps me get the care and services I need for my health and well being.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation undertakes initial and ongoing assessment and planning for care and services in partnership with the consumer. Assessment and planning has a focus on optimising health and well being in accordance with the consumer’s needs, goals and preferences.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) assessment and planning, including consideration of risks to the consumer’s health and well being, informs the delivery of safe and effective care and services;

(b) assessment and planning identifies and addresses the consumer’s current needs, goals and preferences, including advance care planning and end of life planning if the consumer wishes;

(c) assessment and planning:

(i) is based on ongoing partnership with the consumer and others that the consumer wishes to involve in assessment, planning and review of the consumer’s care and services; and

(ii) includes other organisations, and individuals and providers of other care and services, that are involved in the care of the consumer;

(d) the outcomes of assessment and planning are effectively communicated to the consumer and documented in a care and services plan that is readily available to the consumer, and where care and services are provided;

(e) care and services are reviewed regularly for effectiveness, and when circumstances change or when incidents impact on the needs, goals or preferences of the consumer.

Standard 3 – Personal care and clinical care

Consumer outcome

1. I get personal care, clinical care, or both personal care and clinical care, that is safe and right for me.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation delivers safe and effective personal care, clinical care, or both personal care and clinical care, in accordance with the consumer’s needs, goals and preferences to optimise health and well being.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) each consumer gets safe and effective personal care, clinical care, or both personal care and clinical care, that:

(i) is best practice; and

(ii) is tailored to their needs; and

(iii) optimises their health and well being;

(b) effective management of high impact or high prevalence risks associated with the care of each consumer;

(c) the needs, goals and preferences of consumers nearing the end of life are recognised and addressed, their comfort maximised and their dignity preserved;

(d) deterioration or change of a consumer’s mental health, cognitive or physical function, capacity or condition is recognised and responded to in a timely manner;

(e) information about the consumer’s condition, needs and preferences is documented and communicated within the organisation, and with others where responsibility for care is shared;

(f) timely and appropriate referrals to individuals, other organisations and providers of other care and services;

(g) minimisation of infection related risks through implementing:

(i) standard and transmission based precautions to prevent and control infection; and

(ii) practices to promote appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use to support optimal care and reduce the risk of increasing resistance to antibiotics.

Standard 4 – Services and supports for daily living

Consumer outcome

1. I get the services and supports for daily living that are important for my health and well being and that enable me to do the things I want to do.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation provides safe and effective services and supports for daily living that optimise the consumer’s independence, health, well being and quality of life.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) each consumer gets safe and effective services and supports for daily living that meet the consumer’s needs, goals and preferences and optimise their independence, health, well being and quality of life;

(b) services and supports for daily living promote each consumer’s emotional, spiritual and psychological well being;

(c) services and supports for daily living assist each consumer to:

(i) participate in their community within and outside the organisation’s service environment; and

(ii) have social and personal relationships; and

(iii) do the things of interest to them;

(d) information about the consumer’s condition, needs and preferences is communicated within the organisation, and with others where responsibility for care is shared;

(e) timely and appropriate referrals to individuals, other organisations and providers of other care and services;

(f) where meals are provided, they are varied and of suitable quality and quantity;

(g) where equipment is provided, it is safe, suitable, clean and well maintained.

Meaning of services and supports for daily living

   4. Services and supports for daily living include, but are not limited to, food services, domestic assistance, home maintenance, transport and recreational and social activities.

Standard 5 – Organisation’s service environment

Consumer outcome

1. I feel I belong and I am safe and comfortable in the organisation’s service environment.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation provides a safe and comfortable service environment that promotes the consumer’s independence, function and enjoyment.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) the service environment is welcoming and easy to understand, and optimises each consumer’s sense of belonging, independence, interaction and function;

(b) the service environment:

(i) is safe, clean, well maintained and comfortable; and

(ii) enables consumers to move freely, both indoors and outdoors;

(c) furniture, fittings and equipment are safe, clean, well maintained and suitable for the consumer.

Meaning of service environment

4. An organisation’s service environment means the physical environment through which care and services are delivered, but does not include an individual’s privately owned or occupied home at which in home services are provided.

Standard 6 – Feedback and complaints

Consumer outcome

1. I feel safe and am encouraged and supported to give feedback and make complaints. I am engaged in processes to address my feedback and complaints, and appropriate action is taken.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation regularly seeks input and feedback from consumers, carers, the workforce and others and uses the input and feedback to inform continuous improvements for individual consumers and the whole organisation.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) consumers, their family, friends, carers and others are encouraged and supported to provide feedback and make complaints;

(b) consumers are made aware of and have access to advocates, language services and other methods for raising and resolving complaints;

(c) appropriate action is taken in response to complaints and an open disclosure process is used when things go wrong;

(d) feedback and complaints are reviewed and used to improve the quality of care and services.

Standard 7 – Human resources

Consumer outcome

1. I get quality care and services when I need them from people who are knowledgeable, capable and caring.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation has a workforce that is sufficient and is skilled and qualified, to provide safe, respectful and quality care and services.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) the workforce is planned to enable, and the number and mix of members of the workforce deployed enables, the delivery and management of safe and quality care and services;

(b) workforce interactions with consumers are kind, caring and respectful of each consumer’s identity, culture and diversity;

(c) the workforce is competent and the members of the workforce have the qualifications and knowledge to effectively perform their roles;

(d) the workforce is recruited, trained, equipped and supported to deliver the outcomes required by these standards;

(e) regular assessment, monitoring and review of the performance of each member of the workforce.

Standard 8 – Organisational governance

Consumer outcome

1. I am confident the organisation is well run. I can partner in improving the delivery of care and services.

Organisation statement

2. The organisation’s governing body is accountable for the delivery of safe and quality care and services.

Requirements

3. The organisation demonstrates the following:

(a) consumers are engaged in the development, delivery and evaluation of care and services and are supported in that engagement;

(b) the organisation’s governing body promotes a culture of safe, inclusive and quality care and services and is accountable for their delivery;

(c) effective organisation wide governance systems relating to the following:

(i) information management;

(ii) continuous improvement;

(iii) financial governance;

(iv) workforce governance, including the assignment of clear responsibilities and accountabilities;

(v) regulatory compliance;

(vi) feedback and complaints;

(d) effective risk management systems and practices, including but not limited to the following:

(i) managing high impact or high prevalence risks associated with the care of consumers;

(ii) identifying and responding to abuse and neglect of consumers;

(iii) supporting consumers to live the best life they can;

(e) where clinical care is provided—a clinical governance framework, including but not limited to the following:

(i) antimicrobial stewardship;

(ii) minimising the use of restraint;

(iii) open disclosure.

Print versions of the Aged Care Quality Standards

• Aged Care Quality Standards PDF
• Aged Care Quality Standards WORD