Five Home Care Quality Indicators: consumer experience and quality of life confirmed

Home care providers diligently watching their residential aged care colleagues prepare for onerous National Quality Indicator Program are wondering when it will be their turn to start reporting for home care.

The Government updated their website this month, announcing there will be 5 Quality Indicators including “consumer experience and quality of life measures for in-home aged care”. Making up two of the five Home Care Quality Indicators (QI).

Statement from the Department of Health and Aged Care:

“Introduction of the quality indicators is expected to align with the new in-home aged care program, due for implementation from July 2024. The development and introduction of quality indicators for in-home aged care will likely follow an established process of sector consultation, testing in a national pilot and ministerial agreement.”

Learnings that can be taken from residential aged care providers is to be proactive and plan through the details well ahead of the due date.

And specifically, for consumer experience and quality of life measures, if you aren’t currently monitoring, assessing and reporting internally, the sooner you start to measure this information, the sooner you can act on any deficits before you commence regular reporting to the Department of Health and Aged Care. 

For many home care providers consumer experience and quality of life have been seen to be a “nice to have” and therefore many do not have established Voice of Customer programs in place to track, monitor and improve the experience and quality of life for the people they serve. Often it’s been an afterthought, that focuses on complaint management as the main measurement of how clients perceive their service.

Want to plan ahead for Home Care QI reporting? Not sure where to start? Drop us a line at hello@carepage.com.au and a friendly team member will be in contact.

Want more information about Home Care QI’s?

The rollout of Home Care QIs was earmarked in the 2021–22 budget measure: Empowering consumers of aged care with information to exercise choice and is part of the Federal Government’s response to The Commission’s Final Report.

Find out more about your requirements on the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.