How Aged Care providers can turn complaints into action, and action into excellence
Standards Wise International Australia
Supporting Excellence in Senior Living & Human Services
It's human nature to avoid negative feedback or criticism, but in the Aged Care industry, welcoming complaints and constructive feedback is an important element of providing excellent care.
Providers should embrace complaints as vital tools for continuous improvement, compliance, and enhancing their Star Ratings and overall service delivery.
A lack of complaints doesn’t mean there are no issues – instead, it may indicate that systems are failing to capture concerns. According to the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care, fewer than 4% of dissatisfied individuals formally lodge a complaint.
Most issues only come to light during Resident Experience surveys or regulatory assessments by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC).
This highlights the need for an open and proactive complaints management system that ensures timely issue resolution before problems escalate.
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Why should Aged Care providers welcome complaints?
Complaints act as an early warning system, identifying red flags before they become serious. Ideally, these complaints will be addressed before an ACQSC audit uncovers them.
More than just problem indicators, complaints provide valuable insight into the quality of care that your residents are receiving around the clock, even when management isn’t present.
Addressing complaints leads to continuous improvement in work practices, quality of care, communication, and culture. When resolved effectively, they build trust and confidence among residents, families, and staff.
Dismissing complaints isn't an option, and will only tarnish your reputation and dissuade families from choosing you as a provider. Analysing complaint trends and root causes helps create lasting improvements in aged care systems, ensuring high-quality care for all residents.
If most complaints are not received through verbal channels, it may indicate that staff are not properly capturing or escalating concerns.?
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Uncovering areas of concern
Some of the most commonly reported complaints relate to:?
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While some of these complaints may not be addressed overnight, encouraging complaints helps to uphold the rights outlined in the Charter of Aged Care Rights, including the right to receive safe and high-quality care and services, the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and – importantly – the right to complain free from reprisal and have complaints dealt with fairly and promptly.
It's up to the aged care service providers and all staff to create a safe environment where residents' concerns can be expressed without fear. The goal is to empower residents, ensuring they receive the best possible care while feeling heard and respected.
By highlighting compliance gaps, complaints hold providers accountable and promote continuous improvement. They also help residents and families better understand their rights and obligations, fostering a more open and positive relationship with service providers.
Ultimately, complaints drive investigation and resolution, leading to meaningful improvements in aged care services.
By embracing complaints as a crucial feedback mechanism, aged care providers can transform challenges into opportunities for excellence.
If your organisation wants to strengthen its complaints management system, Standards Wise is here to assist in developing effective, person-centred strategies that drive high-quality care outcomes.
Contact Standards Wise to learn more.