About the program
Quality indicators measure important aspects of aged care services. This helps to improve the quality of aged care services provided to older people.
Residential aged care providers currently report on 11 quality indicators, with 3 staffing quality indicators to be added in 2025.
We are also expanding the QI program to include quality indicators for in-home aged care providers.
We consulted extensively with the sector and aged care experts to develop the quality indicators.
Learn how to submit your QI Program data.
Why it’s important
Reporting on the quality of care helps:
- approved providers measure, monitor, compare and improve the quality of their services
- older people find information about the quality of aged care services when making choices about their care
- government monitor the quality of aged care provided to residents, and make policy decisions based on sound evidence.
The QI Program addresses recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Quality indicators for residential aged care
Residential aged care providers must report on the following 11 quality indicators for each resident every 3 months:
- Pressure injuries
- Physical restraint
- Unplanned weight loss
- Falls and major injury
- Medication management
- Activities of daily living
- Incontinence care
- Hospitalisation
- Workforce
- Consumer experience
- Quality of life.
We are expanding the QI Program to introduce 3 new staffing quality indicators.
See how we consulted the sector on the new staffing quality indicators.
Quality indicators for in-home aged care
We are developing new quality indicators for in-home aged care, following extensive consultation with the sector.
In-home aged care quality indicators will:
- only apply to providers under the new Support at Home program
- start after 1 July 2026.
Reporting
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) publishes QI data at national, state and territory levels, and by geographical remoteness for each quarter of reporting.
Legislation
The QI Program is governed by:
- the Aged Care Act 1997
- the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Quality Indicator Program) Principles 2021
- Accountability Principles 2014
- Records Principles 2014.
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