The Australian Government has announced three new staffing quality indicators as part of the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) for residential aged care. These indicators, set to take effect on 1 April 2025, will focus on enrolled nurses, allied health workers, and lifestyle assistants. This expansion increases the total number of quality indicators from 11 to 14.

This article will briefly explain the new quality indicators, as well as other indicators that were trialled as part of the pilot program, to help prepare you for the changes. 

Quality indicators measure critical areas of care that can affect the health and wellbeing of aged care residents. By providing insights into key areas of performance, they help the government and residential aged care providers monitor and improve the quality of services for older people. The introduction of these new staffing indicators underscores the crucial role of staff in delivering high-quality care.

Providers will begin collecting data for these new indicators starting 1 April 2025, with submissions required through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) by 21 July 2025. Notably, much of the required data is already captured in the Quarterly Financial Report, minimising the additional reporting burden for aged care providers.

Key Points

• collect staffing data from 1 April 2025 (quarter 4, 2024-25)
• report quarter 4, 2024-25 staffing data through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) by 21 July 2025.

New Indicators

The three new indicators focus on measuring the contributions of enrolled nurses, allied health workers, and lifestyle assistants. Each role plays a vital part in ensuring the holistic wellbeing of residents:

• Enrolled Nurses: These professionals provide essential clinical care under the supervision of registered nurses. The new indicator tracks their time spent on direct care activities, ensuring that their contributions are adequately recognised and optimised.
• Allied Health Workers: Covering roles such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists, this indicator evaluates their impact on residents’ health outcomes. By monitoring these contributions, the program aims to highlight the value of preventative and rehabilitative care.
• Lifestyle Assistants: Responsible for activities that enhance residents’ quality of life, such as social engagement and recreational programs, this indicator measures their role in promoting mental and emotional wellbeing.

Proposed Additional Indicators

As part of the pilot program, a number of additional quality indicators were trialled and considered not ready for implementation without further research and evaluation. The main reason was the additional administrative burden these indicators would have placed on providers in terms of data collection.

However, they give a useful insight into the kinds of data the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is interested in collecting in the future. The indicators trialled but not yet considered suitable were:

• Allied Health: Percentage of care recipients who received at least one instance of care form an allied health professional.
• Allied Health: Proportion of care recipients whose care plan recommended an allied health service who received at least one instance of care from an allied health professional.
• Lifestyle Officers: Percentage of care recipients who received at least one lifestyle officer service.
• Lifestyle Officers: Proportion of care recipients whose care plan included a lifestyle recommendation who received at least one service delivered by a lifestyle officer.

Implementation and Reporting

Providers will need to start collecting data for these indicators from 1 April 2025, with submissions due quarterly through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) starting July 2025. Importantly, much of the required data is already included in the Quarterly Financial Report, reducing the administrative burden for providers.

To ensure seamless implementation, providers should:

•  Train Staff: Educate team members about the importance of these indicators and how their activities contribute to compliance.   
• Update Systems: Integrate quality indicator tracking into existing management systems to streamline data collection and reporting.
• Engage Stakeholders: Collaborate with allied health professionals, lifestyle assistants, and enrolled nurses to align their activities with the indicators.

Why It Matters

The expanded QI Program not only drives accountability but also encourages continuous improvement in aged care services. By recognising the contributions of key roles, the program ensures a more holistic approach to care that prioritises residents’ health, safety, and quality of life.

The introduction of these indicators reflects a commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in residential aged care services. Including these roles in the QI Program acknowledges their contribution to the health and wellbeing of aged care residents and aims to enhance care quality nationwide.

Last year, the Department of Health and Aged Care conducted a consultation process, including a six-week pilot involving 69 residential care providers. This process revealed strong support for the additional indicators, with many stakeholders emphasising the importance of recognising the contributions of enrolled nurses, allied health professionals, and lifestyle officers.

The Department believes this initiative will allow Australia to lead globally in data collection and analysis of lifestyle quality indicators. As part of the broader QI Program, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) will publish the collected data, building on existing quality indicators such as medication management, hospitalisations, and pressure injuries.

This expansion is a significant step towards improving the quality of residential aged care in Australia and recognising the critical roles played by enrolled nurses, allied health workers, and lifestyle assistants.

To learn more about the 3 new staffing quality indicators, visit Introduction of 3 new staffing quality indicators – Webinar | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Nicole Chen

Nicole is a Principal Consultant at Ideagen CompliSpace with a background in the healthcare industry across acute, aged, and community services. Throughout her career, she has held various management and clinical positions, contributing significantly to both research and higher education within the sector. Nicole provides valuable knowledge and insights from both a clinical perspective and a nuanced understanding of the operational and strategic aspects of healthcare. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a Postgraduate Certificate and a Bachelor in Nursing.

 

 

Nick Edwards

Nick is a Legal Content Senior Associate at Ideagen CompliSpace. Nick has several years' experience designing and administering eLearning for the Aged Care Sector and holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Technology Sydney with First Class Honours.