Complaints put pressure on aged care reforms
Change continues to ring through the aged care system, and so do complaints. Seniors and their families are encouraged to speak up.
Complaints about in-home and residential aged care increased over the past year, with customer dissatisfaction with medication, finances, and communication topping the list.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has released complaints data in its report, Complaints about aged care – Year in review (July 2023-June 2024).
It is the third report published by the commission sharing insights and lessons from complaints about aged care services. This latest report explores information and data from thousands of complaints made in 2023-24.
During the period, residential aged care complaints were up almost 7% and in-home complaints increased less than 1%.
How to become a ‘citizen scientist’
Aged care recipients and their families are urged to play an active role in improving aged care services by exercising their voice as “citizen scientists”.
The Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) project empowers residents in aged care and their families to document and share their care experiences.
It’s expected the research will lead to a digital platform documenting detailed accounts of their experiences and preferences.
The initial focus will be on infection management and antibiotic use in aged care facilities. These areas have been identified as significant concerns, with issues like overuse of antibiotics and infection control affecting residents’ quality of life.
“Details of our healthcare experiences often go unheard,” AIHI’s Associate Professor Magda Raban said. “This project will give older Australians and their families the tools to share these vital details, contributing to the design of more person-centred care practices.”
The citizen science model is anticipated to have significant implications for the future of aged care.
AIHI says by leveraging personal accounts, the research aims to inform policies and practices that can lead to improved care delivery and better health outcomes.
Residential care: the most frequently raised issue was medication administration and management, followed by concerns about personal and oral hygiene, and personnel numbers/sufficiency.
In-home services: the most frequently raised issue was consultation and communication, followed by fees and charges and management of finances.
In releasing the findings, the commission said complaints are a powerful avenue through which care is improved not just for an individual, “but also for everyone receiving care from that provider”.
The commission draws on complaints as a key source of intelligence, contributing information and findings from its other regulatory and education activities.
Former Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, Janet Anderson, says the report highlights areas of aged care where problems can arise.
“The patterns and trends in complaints tells us where we need to target our monitoring and assessment of providers – holding them to account for addressing older peoples’ needs and preferences.
“We expect providers to use this report to examine their own performance and identify areas where they need to improve,” she said.
The latest complaints report includes information to support people receiving care, and information for providers on how to ensure their complaints management process is meaningful and effective. The report also includes information on the Commission’s complaint- handling performance.
Complaints give people a chance to share their experiences and concerns about aged care services and show providers what is working well, what needs improvement, and what matters most to those using aged care in Australia.
The commission says it is important for older people, their families and representatives to know that:
If you have a problem with your aged care service, it can help you get it fixed
It requires providers to take feedback and complaints seriously and to work with you to put things right.
Ms Anderson said that being open and transparent helps the community to have trust and confidence in aged care services.
“We want to be open and transparent about our complaints data and performance. This is why we publish complaints data on our website every month. We ask providers to join us in being more transparent about the complaints they receive about their services,” she said.
Complaints can be made to the commission by calling 1800 951 822 or by visiting the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s website.
Earlier NSA coverage of the reforms can be found here, and the updated reform website is here.
Other related reading: ACQ 1, ACQ 2, Inside Ageing
