As part of a key reform by the Royal Commission info Aged Care Quality and Safety, Star Ratings have been designed to help senior Australians accurately compare the quality of residential aged care homes (nursing homes).
What are aged care Star Ratings?
Each residential aged care home receives an overall Star Rating and a rating against four sub-categories:
Residents’ Experience: residents are interviewed about their overall experience of their aged care home. This category makes up 33% of the overall Star Rating
Compliance: regulatory decisions by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, including compliance with the Aged Care Quality Standards. This category makes up 30% of the overall Star Rating
Staffing: the amount of care received from a Registered Nurse, Enrolled Nurse or Personal Care Worker, compared to the average care targets set by the Australian Government. This category makes up 22% of the overall Star Rating
Quality Measures: information about the five crucial areas of care – falls and major injury, unplanned weight loss, pressure injuries, medication management and the use of physical restraint. This category makes up 15% of the overall Star Rating
What do the stars mean?
Aged care homes receive ratings between 1 and 5 stars:
1 star – significant improvement needed
2 stars – improvement needed
3 stars – an acceptable quality of care
4 stars – a good quality of care
5 stars – an excellent quality of care
How often are Star Ratings updated?
Residents’ Experience Rating – updated annually
Compliance Rating – updated daily
Staffing Rating – updated quarterly
Quality Measures Rating – updated quarterly
What are the benefits of Star Ratings in aged care?
Star Ratings are designed to increase the transparency about the quality of care in aged care homes and will help to rebuild trust in the sector. Other benefits include:
A greater understanding of how each home is performing
The ability to benchmark against other providers
The opportunity to see the results of continuous improvement
The opportunity for providers to showcase their performance and quality of care
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