Aged care quality – more than ticking boxes
Aged care should ultimately be based around a model that is “individual” and “subjective”, one that delivers “much more” than the older person expects and wants, according to Dr Stephen Judd, HammondCare chief executive.
HammondCare chief executive, Dr Stephen Judd, claims the challenge for achieving quality in the provision of aged care is that it is not formulaic.
Dr Judd has welcomed the opportunity to be a part of the Aged Care Quality Advisory Council, announced recently by the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Mitch Fifield.
He says the Council’s extensive industry, advocacy and clinical representation could assist greatly in working towards best quality aged care throughout Australia.
“The challenge for achieving quality in the provision of aged care is that it is not formulaic. The natural and easiest desire is to have objective criteria and, don’t get me wrong, objective criteria is important. But what aged care should be about is, ultimately, an individual and subjective matter,” Dr Judd says.
“For example, yes we must ensure that the temperature of the fridge is right for storing perishables; yes, the temperature of the cooked food must be right. But we can easily tick all those boxes and still serve up mush that no one should be expected to eat.
“Similarly demonstrating quality in clinical care must also not be about ticking boxes and drowning in paperwork. It is about the right and appropriate clinical care for the individual,” he says.
According to Dr Judd, quality in aged care is not just about regulatory compliance or inputs. It is also about the outcome of focusing on what the older person needs and expects and wants – and then delivering much more.
“I look forward to being a part of this Advisory Council in supporting consistency of quality in aged care,” he says.
Alongside Dr Judd, the members of the Aged Care Quality Advisory Council are: Andrea Coote (Chair), Carol Bennett, Dr Matthew Cullen, Associate Professor Rosanna Capolingua, Paul Sadler, Ian Yates AM, Rae Lamb (ex officio).
Read more about the appointment of the Aged Care Quality Advisory Council.
