Questions about quality of aged care
Who assesses aged care homes?
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission assesses all government-funded aged care homes against provider responsibilities to deliver safe and effective care services.
These responsibilities are set out under the Aged Care Act 1997 and include the Aged Care Quality Standards.
How often are aged care homes assessed?
How often aged care homes are assessed depends on:
- the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of those older people receiving care in that home
- the performance and service history of the aged care provider
- the expiry date of the home’s accreditation period.
Will I be notified if my aged care home’s Star Rating for Compliance changes?
Generally, you won’t be notified of changes, unless an aged care home receives:
- a Notice of Requirement to Agree, or
- a Sanction from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
In both situations, the Commission will send all residents a letter explaining why it has happened and what it means.
You can check your aged care home’s Star Rating and rating for Compliance through the Find a provider tool.
I have made a complaint to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission about an aged care home. Will this impact its Compliance Rating?
The Commission uses a range of tools to monitor compliance. Making a complaint does not automatically change an aged care home’s Compliance rating.
However, the Commission will assess your complaint and determine the best way to resolve your concerns. This process may result in compliance or enforcement action if it is needed. This compliance or enforcement action may then impact the aged care home’s Compliance rating.
See the Commission’s website to learn more about the complaints process.
Why can't I see any Resident Experience Survey results for my aged care home?
Reasons why the Residents’ Experience Survey results may not be available may include:
- the survey has not been completed because the aged care home is new or operating under new ownership,
- it is a very small home and the results could not be published anonymously, in this case the results are still used to generate the Residents’ Experience rating,
- they have been unable to participate due to a serious and unavoidable event such as a health outbreak or weather incident,
- the home has chosen to not participate in the survey.
Can I request to be involved in a Residents' Experience Survey for my aged care home?
No, you can’t. The surveys are done by an independent third-party (on behalf of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing). Residents are randomly selected by the third-party surveyors on the day of the scheduled visit to the home. Every resident in the residential aged home has a similar chance of being randomly chosen to participate.
What does it mean if an aged care home has been issued a specific formal regulatory notice?
Every aged care home needs to meet a number of government requirements to protect and enhance the safety, health, and wellbeing of older people receiving care. If an aged care home doesn’t meet these requirements, the Commission may issue a formal regulatory notice.
The type of formal regulatory notice reflects the nature and severity of the non-compliance issue(s) found at an aged care home. A Notice of Requirement to Agree (NTA) and Notice of Decision to Impose Sanction are two of the most serious.
What does it mean if an aged care home has a 1-star Compliance Rating?
If an aged care home has a 1-star Compliance rating, it means that:
- there are serious issues at the home, and
- the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has issued one of the most serious formal regulatory notices.
This means conditions have been placed on the home until the serious issues are fixed.
What does it mean if an aged care home has a ‘Notice of Requirement to Agree’?
The Commission may issue an aged care home with a Notice of Requirement to Agree where:
- the provider’s non-compliance poses an immediate and severe risk to the safety, health and wellbeing of residents
- the aged care home has made submissions in response to a non-compliance notice that are unsatisfactory, or
- the aged care home has failed to comply with an undertaking to remedy its non-compliance.
What does it mean if an aged care home has a sanction?
The Commission may place a sanction on an aged care home if there is:
- continued non-compliance, or
- an immediate and severe risk to the safety, health or wellbeing of someone receiving aged care services.
A sanction can also be placed on an aged care home if it previously received a Notice to Remedy but has not fixed the problem by an agreed deadline.
What are Star Ratings and where can I find them?
Star Ratings can help you compare the quality and safety of aged care homes and choose a service that is right for you.
All aged care homes have an Overall Star Rating and ratings against Residents’ Experience, Compliance, Staffing and Quality Measures.
View Star Ratings by visiting the Find a provider tool on this website.