The Australian aged care system provides subsidised care and support to older people. It is a large and complex system that includes a range of programs and policies. It has evolved, including during the Royal Aged Care Commission in 2022. Some changes to the system have been far-reaching and others incremental, but all have contributed to the development of the aged care system.
One of the newest implementations in the aged care sector is Star Ratings which became available for all residential aged care services on My Aged Care in December 2022.
About Star Ratings
Star Ratings will support older Australians and their representatives to easily compare services and make informed choices based on an overall Star Rating and four sub-categories:
- Compliance is based on non-compliance decisions made by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission reported daily.
- Residents’ Experience – at least 10% of older Australians living in residential aged care homes are interviewed face-to-face about their overall Experience at their residential aged care home by a third-party vendor annually.
- Staffing minutes – derived from reporting under the Quarterly Financial Report and Annual Financial Report, case-mix adjusted through the Australian National Aged Care Classification and reported quarterly.
- Quality Measures – data on five existing quality indicators (pressure injuries, physical restraint, unplanned weight loss, falls and significant injury, and medication management) reported quarterly.
Why Star Ratings are Important
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended developing and publishing Star Ratings based on measurable information.
Star Ratings will help older Australians and their families to compare the quality and safety performance of different services.
Benefits of Star Ratings
The introduction of Star Ratings is a critical milestone in the aged care reforms and will deliver a range of benefits, including:
- transparency about the quality of care in all aged care homes
- An easy way to compare the quality of aged care homes using the free ‘Find a provider’ tool on the My Aged Care website
- nationally consistent quality measures to monitor, compare and improve aged care
- Providers will be engaged to continuously improve their Star Ratings continuously, enhancing the quality of care for older Australians.
Star Rating Partners
The department has developed Star Ratings, with assistance from the University of Queensland (UQ)-led consortium, including:
- the UQ Centre for Health Services Research (CHSR)
- the Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIITC)
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Together we have completed the following:
- research
- consultation
- design
- testing
You can find a range of resources about Star Ratings, including fact sheets, frequently asked questions, a ‘how to mini-video and a detailed provider manual’ here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/star-ratings-resources
You can watch the Star rating provider webinar recording here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/videos/star-ratings-webinar-star-ratings-information-for-residential-aged-care-providers
Australia’s ageing population has implications for government policy, the economy, health and social services, housing, and other areas.
If you would like to become involved as an Aged Care Provider and receive government funding to assist your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here. We will be in touch to discuss and answer any questions you have.
SOURCES | The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care ‘Star Ratings for residential aged care’ |
