New Aged Care Quality Standards Tool Highlights Consumer Experience

Aged care quality control and monitoring has taken an important step forward, with the national roll-out of a new device to improve evidence collection and streamline customer feedback. 

Officially launching the tablet-style Computer Assisted Audit Tool (CAAT) yesterday, Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said the new system would increase transparency, support more consumer friendly reports, enhance compliance monitoring and deliver accreditation services more efficiently.

“Care is front and centre of our policy commitment, and it is vital residents have input into the direction of that care,” Minister Wyatt said.

“The debut of this hand-held technology marks a major improvement in evidence collection and information processing, to help maintain standards.” 

Quality surveyors can now electronically capture information and evidence through this new technology, Minister Wyatt said. 

“Ultimately, more detailed data will highlight what lies behind poor performance, and what factors are significant in good quality care,” said the Minister.

“This system will allow a risk-based regulatory approach, so we can focus on the right places at the right times to provide greater assurance of the quality of care and services for older Australians.” 

Aged care providers will also benefit, by receiving more in-depth feedback during assessment visits.

The new CAAT system will streamline the production of Consumer Experience Reports from site audit interviews with residents, with these posted regularly on the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency website.
“The standards of residential aged care have never been more important and are at the heart of the Turnbull Government’s significant aged care reforms,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Residents should have a strong voice and our policies will see them increasingly have more choice and control over the care and services they receive. 

“This CAAT innovation comes at an important time, amid well-publicised reviews of assurance processes, and as we finalise a five-year analysis of aged care reform.”

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