Three new Quality Indicators (QIs) for Enrolled Nurses (ENs), allied health and lifestyle coordinators, due for implementation by July 2025, are now open for consultation.
The idea for the new QIs came out of feedback received during consultations on 24/7 RNs, which indicated that the number of ENs, allied health and lifestyle coordinators declined following the introduction of 24/7 RNs.
A pilot of the new QIs is now scheduled for March 2024, with its findings expected to be interesting given the decline in allied health and EN minutes in recent years.
Allied health, EN minutes declining
StewartBrown's latest Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Sector Report for the September 2023 quarter (see image above) noted "significant concern" in the sector over "a number of years" about whether the "funding and use of allied health is sufficient" in residential aged care.
The report shows a decline in the number of direct care minutes from ENs (-7%) and allied health (-24%) between September 2022 and September 2023.
StewartBrown noted it was "somewhat surprising" the number of minutes delivered by lifestyle staff increased (+12%) over the period, considering what they are hearing from providers.
ENs spent 32.2% fewer hours with residents in the 2023 financial year compared with the 2019 financial year, according to the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC) Australia's Aged Care Sector: Full-Year Report 2022-23 (see image above).
Anecdotal evidence suggests that this reduction can in part be attributed to the introduction of 24/7 RNs and the 40 direct care minutes with an RN requirement in residential aged care in July and October 2023 respectively with many operators looking to employ RNs over ENs in order to meet the requirements.
Australia's QI program
Australia's Mandatory QI Program commenced on 1 July 2019 with three indicators: pressure injuries, unplanned weight loss, and use of physical restraintsm and has since expanded to 11 QIs including medication management, falls, major injuries, activities of daily living, incontinence care, hospitalisation, workforce, consumer experience and quality of life.
You can find out more about the consultation here.
The Government has also introduce a home care QI program at a yet-to-be announced date.