CEO For New Australian Aged Care Quality Agency

I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Ryan as the CEO of the independent Australian Aged Care Quality Agency.

The Quality Agency, which began operating on 1 January 2014, is providing a more integrated and robust approach to quality for aged care providers.

Mr Ryan has extensive experience in both the aged care sector and the public service, including as CEO of one of Queensland’s aged care peak bodies, Leading Age Services Australia, and as a senior executive with the Department of Premier and Cabinet in Queensland.

As CEO, Mr Ryan will be responsible for making independent accreditation and quality decisions, as set out in the legislation.

I congratulate him on his appointment to the Agency as it implements its new responsibilities.

Since 1 January, the Agency has been accrediting Australian Government-funded aged care homes and monitoring the quality of their services, having replaced the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

And from 1 July 2014, it will become responsible for monitoring the quality of Australian Government-funded aged care services in the community.

This will include Home Care Packages, the Commonwealth HACC Program and the National Respite for Carers Program–all of which are currently monitored by my department.

At that time, the Quality Agency will become the sole body that aged care providers deal with for the quality of the aged care services they deliver, whether in an aged care facility or in the person’s own home.

This represents a simplification of the quality process, allowing aged care providers to focus on service delivery over more paperwork.

Without compromising safety, providing quality across the industry should not have to be an onerous process for providers.

The Quality Agency will also continue industry education activities to support and promote quality in aged care delivery.