Older people in Australia have the right to access high-quality aged care services.
Over recent years, the Australian Government has been implementing a series of reforms including the introduction of the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program (QI Program), a star rating system and legislative changes such as the introduction of the Aged Care Act 2024 (the Act) from 1 November 2025.
To ensure the Australian Government achieves their overarching objectives to improve the quality of care for older people, the Department of Health, Ageing and Disability (the Department) will undertake comprehensive assurance activities of quality indicator data submitted by registered providers for residential aged care services. The assurance activities must be supported by a sustainable and robust assurance methodology.
About this resource
Background
Older people in Australia have the right to access high-quality aged care services.
Over recent years, the Australian Government has been implementing a series of reforms including the introduction of the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program (QI Program), a star rating system and legislative changes such as the introduction of the Aged Care Act 2024 (the Act) from 1 November 2025.
To ensure the Australian Government achieves their overarching objectives to improve the quality of care for older people, the Department of Health, Ageing and Disability (the Department) will undertake comprehensive assurance activities of quality indicator data submitted by registered providers for residential aged care services. The assurance activities must be supported by a sustainable and robust assurance methodology.
The assurance methodology for the Quality Indicator Program (QI Assurance Program) will support the reliability and accuracy of data submitted on critical areas of care through the QI Program. This data is relied upon by people to make important decisions about residential aged care and provides the Australian Government with important information about how residential aged care services understand and comply with their legislative requirements and the QI Program Manual.
Purpose and scope
The Department engaged KPMG to design and develop the methodology for the purpose of undertaking comprehensive assurance activities on QI Program data submitted by Government-subsidised residential aged care services under the QI Program. The objective of this project was to develop an assurance framework that included an assurance methodology, sample selection methodology and supporting assurance tools, templates or instruments to prepare for the effective execution of future assurance activities. The assurance activities will be performed by Departmental staff and/or organisations assisting the Department (Assurance Team).
The objective of the QI Assurance Program is to support the accuracy, consistency and reliability of data related to quality indicators. As part of this project, the key objectives of the assurance methodology underpinning the QI Assurance Program were developed. These objectives are to:
- Verify that the data submitted to the Department is accurate and reliable.
- Check that data submitted was sourced and interpreted consistently by services.
- Verify that data submitted can be depended upon for making policy decisions about the Australian residential aged care sector.
- Support a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and uplift in capability in the residential aged care sector as it relates to data integrity of quality indicator submissions.
- Improve the quality and safety of care provided to individuals receiving residential aged care.