Standard 7. Human resources

This Standard requires an organisation to have and use a skilled and qualified workforce, sufficient to deliver and manage safe, respectful, and quality care and services, which meet the Quality Standards.

This Standard includes four key concepts:
 

• The sufficiency of the workforce – Organisations providing care and services are expected to have enough skilled and qualified staff to meet consumers’ needs. Organisations are responsible for using Australian Government funding to make sure they have the staff numbers and mix of skills needed to provide consumers with quality care, including engaging or appointing infection prevention control (IPC) lead(s).

• The attributes, attitude and performance of the workforce – The workforce need the right skills, qualifications, and knowledge. They are expected to be able to do their job effectively and be able to communicate and build positive relationships with consumers. A focus on consumer-centred care encourages the right interactions with consumers to find their strengths and understand their goals.

• Organisational support for the workforce – Organisations should respect their workforce for their diverse skills and qualities. They need to support them to deliver the outcomes the Quality Standards describe. Organisational support means that the service gives the workforce the time and the tools needed to deliver quality care to consumers every day while maintaining the health and safety of their workforce in the event of an outbreak.
  This includes delivery of any new or developing training in areas such as, but not limited to, outbreak management and infection control and prevention for all staff. This training includes any mandatory training for IPC lead(s). 

• Assessment, monitoring and review – To meet this Standard, an organisation needs to regularly assess, monitor, and review its workforce through an effective human resources system. This includes the workforce makeup, suitability, and performance. This is vital to delivering safe, respectful, and quality care and services that meet consumers’ needs and preferences.

Other than noting that compliance by organisations will be required, this Standard does not consider work health and safety or areas of human resources that deal with in other Acts, legislation, or codes.

Standard 7 supports all of the other Quality Standards. This is because it supports how the organisation focuses on workforce planning to demonstrate it has the capacity to run the organisation and deliver safe, effective and quality care and services, in a safe comfortable environment. It requires the organisation to support the workforce to deliver the outcomes required by these Standards.

Intent of this requirement

This requirement expects organisations to have a system to work out workforce numbers and the range of skills they need to meet consumers’ needs and deliver safe and quality care and services at all times. This system needs to be in line with current legislation and guidance where it applies. The system for managing the workforce may be different for each type of care and service. It’s expected that an organisation uses a structured approach for rosters and schedules, hiring and keeping members of the workforce, managing different types of leave and the use of contracted staff.

Organisations are expected to consider the different levels of skills and abilities needed to meet consumers’ needs. This includes working out the registered professional and support staff needed, and the supervision and leadership needed.

Regularly reviewing workforce levels and their mix of skills is expected. This includes adapting these levels to respond to the changing needs and situations of consumers. As part of this, organisations need to manage growth and changes in workforce needs.

The organisation’s approach is expected to include ways to promptly identify and manage issues and risks that might result in not having enough members of the workforce, such as an influenza outbreak. They also need to think about ways to deal with shortages across the workforce.

In addition to having enough staff to deliver the usual work of the organisation, it is expected that the organisation will have considered its staffing needs during an internal or external emergency.

Reflective questions

• Is there a system to calculate the workforce numbers and range of skills the organisation needs so they can assess, plan and coordinate care and services to meet the needs of consumers and deliver safe and quality care and services at all times? How is this worked out?
   
• What processes does the organisation use to enable the workforce to give feedback on the number of staff and mix of skills needed to deliver care and services and any deficits?
   
• How has the organisation considered the skills needed to meet consumers’ needs across the different types of competencies of the workforce? This includes registered professionals, support workers, supervision and leadership roles.
   
• How does the organisation regularly review and adapt the workforce levels and mix of skills to respond to the changing needs and situations of consumers? How does the organisation know that the workforce is sufficient and can carry out the care and service needs of consumers?
   
• How does the organisation consider continuity of care and services for consumers in their planning workforce strategies and processes?
   
• How does the organisation identify short or long-term shortages in the capacity or skills of it’s workforce, and how do they tackle these shortages?
   
• Does the organisation use innovative ways of working, tailored to the needs of consumers?

Examples of actions and evidence

Consumers

• Consumers say they know the members of the workforce who care for them and that they have continuity of care.
   
• Consumers say they get quality care and services.
   
• Consumers say the organisation delivers their care and services as planned and safely.
   
• Consumers say members of the workforce have the time to deliver care and services and they don’t feel care and services are cut short or rushed.

Workforce and others

• Observations of workforce numbers and mix deployed at the service in relation to the consumers’ care and services plans.
   
• Observations that the delivery of particular care and services is undertaken by suitably qualified members of the workforce consistent with safe and quality care.
   
• The workforce say the organisation has enough staff and the right mix of staff to plan and deliver care and services so that consumers get safe and quality care.
   
• The workforce can describe how the organisation allocates staff to support continuity of care and services and build relationships of trust with consumers.

• The workforce say they know what to do when the organisation is experiencing staff shortages and are confident management will respond.

• The workforce can describe how there are enough staff rostered to meet consumers’ preferences. This includes showering at a particular time, or asking for a member of the workforce of a specific gender to care for them.

Organisation

• Evidence of a system for planning and managing the workforce that shows the organisation has the right number of workforce members, with the right blend of skills, delivering care and services at any time.
   
• Work schedules or rosters for the workforce show how the organisation makes sure there are enough workforce members to provide safe and quality care and services every day.
   
• Records show that when the organisation has a workforce shortage, they act on this promptly. This makes sure consumers receive safe and quality care and services. 

Intent of this requirement

The way the workforce interacts with consumers can have a big impact on the outcomes of their care and services, including their safety, health and well-being. With this requirement, it’s expected that the workforce behaves in a kind, caring and respectful way.

In day-to-day interactions with consumers, the workforce is expected to treat each consumer as an individual with their own unique life experiences, preferences, needs and abilities. A consumer-centred approach needs the workforce to work with consumers in a flexible and responsive way. This means consumers receive the best possible care and services.

Reflective questions

• How does the organisation know that the workforce interacts with consumers in a kind, caring and respectful way? How does it drive this culture?
   
• How does the organisation support the workforce with up-to-date information, tools and resources to respond to consumers’ life experiences, culture and diversity?
   
• Does the organisation include the behaviours it expects from its workforce in its public documents, job statements and position descriptions?
   
• How does the organisation respond when a member of the workforce does not respect consumers’ identity, culture or diversity or show kindness and a caring attitude?
   
• How does the staffing model at the organisation support a culture of care and respect?
   
• Does the staffing model support the consumer’s gender and diversity needs and preferences to be met?
   
• Are any workforce policies or practices creating barriers to caring and inclusive care?

Examples of actions and evidence

Consumers

• Consumers say members of the workforce treat them with kindness and the workforce cares about them.

• Consumers say that the workforce respects their identity, culture, and diversity and the care and services choices they make.

• Consumers say they have a trusting relationship with members of the workforce supporting them and the relationship is respectful and caring.

Workforce and others

• Observations of the delivery of care and services that show the workforce interacts with consumers in a way that is kind, caring and respectful.

• Management of the organisation can describe how they lead a culture of respect for diversity. They can also describe how they monitor whether consumers have positive interactions with the workforce.

• The workforce can describe how they are proactive about cultural diversity. They can also describe how they respond to the diversity of consumer’s needs, backgrounds and identities.

• The workforce can provide examples from their day-to-day practice of respectful care and services.

• The workforce can describe what they would do if they saw other members of the workforce being disrespectful or unkind to consumers.

Organisation

• Evidence of communications that show the organisation is committed to respectful care and services.

• Evidence of the organisation’s recruitment processes that consider value based requirements such as a caring and compassionate nature.

• Feedback or records that show consumers have interactions with the workforce that are kind and caring. Interactions are also respectful of their identity, culture and diversity.

Intent of this requirement

This requirement is intended to make sure the workforce has the skills, qualifications and knowledge they need for their role to provide care and services. The requirement covers an organisation’s systems to regularly review the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of their workforce. If personal or clinical care is provided, it’s expected that the organisation has systems to monitor whether staff are working within the scope of their practice, responsibilities and skills. The way staff delivering clinical care work needs to be in line with current legislation, guidance and the organisation’s clinical governance framework in accordance with relevant public health orders.

Reflective questions

• Has the service appointed an infection prevention control (IPC) lead(s), which report to the approved provider? Has the IPC lead(s) completed an identified IPC course? Has ongoing infection control and prevention training occurred for all staff?
• How does the organisation know that only suitably skilled and competent members of the workforce are delivering care and services?
• How does the workforce know their responsibilities and accountabilities? How does the organisation assess the workforce against these?
• How does the organisation test the competence and skills of its workforce and ensure they continue to develop skills relevant to their roles?
• How does the organisation keep up-to-date on policies and the scope of practice requirements for registered health practitioners?
• How is the workforce supported to manage conditions that are common in aged care? For example understanding how to support consumers with memory problems, arthritis, visual or hearing loss?
• How does the organisation demonstrate that training for all staff in infection management and control is contemporary and in line with best practice, including those specific requirements for IPC lead(s)? 
• How do staff access information about and understand their individual role(s) in the Outbreak Management Plan? 
• Has the service consulted and prepared with their workforce a plan to respond effectively to an outbreak?

Examples of actions and evidence

Consumers 

• Consumers say they have confidence in the workforce. They feel the workforce is trained, competent and skilled.
• Consumers say the workforce is able to meet their social, cultural, religious, spiritual, psychological and medical care and support needs.
• Consumers say the organisation has collaborated with other providers when their care and service needs are beyond the ability of the workforce to provide.
• Consumers say the workforce has communicated their outbreak management plan and it is available upon request.

Workforce and others

• Observations that the delivery of care and services is by suitably competent and qualified members of the workforce consistent with safe and quality care and scope of practice.
• Observations that delivery of care and services is provided by members of the workforce consistent with their assessed needs, goals and preferences and any risks associated with the care and service.
• The workforce can describe how they work within their skills, qualifications and knowledge base.
• The IPC lead(s) can describe how they meet the requirements of their role to support design, implementation and continuous improvement of infection prevention policies, procedures and practices within the service.
• Staff, including the IPC lead(s) can describe how outbreak management planning and preparedness occurs within the service, including implementation and quality improvement policies, processes and practices are managed within the service.
• The workforce is satisfied with the supervision and support they receive from the organisation when they are learning new skills.
• The workforce believe that colleagues and subcontractors who deliver care and services have the skills, qualifications and knowledge base to competently perform their roles.
• The workforce can describe regular professional development or training to improve their knowledge so they can effectively perform their roles.
• The workforce feels safe to come to work and confirm that they are supported to undertake their role, particularly in the context of a pandemic.

Organisation

• Evidence of records that show the organisation assesses and checks that members of the workforce, including IPC lead(s), have the skills, qualifications and knowledge to be competent at their job.
• Evidence that systems to identify if the workforce has the right mix of skills, qualifications, knowledge and competencies are operating and gaps identified are addressed.
• Evidence that the organisation acts promptly on any workforce shortages.

Intent of this requirement

This requirement covers the organisation’s support for the workforce to deliver the outcomes for consumers in line with the Quality Standards. Meeting this requirement will support the workforce in their day-to-day practice and can protect against risk and improve the care outcomes for consumers.

When recruiting, organisations should identify the specific requirements of roles and reflect on the outcomes required by these Standards. It’s expected that workforce induction prepares members of the workforce for their role. The organisation needs to make sure members of the workforce are supported, skilled and ready to carry out their roles. Where appropriate, members of the workforce should be supervised until they can show that they have the competence they need to carry out their role unsupervised.

It’s expected that members of the workforce receive the ongoing support, training, professional development, supervision and feedback they need to carry out their role and responsibilities.

Organisations need to review the training, learning and development needs of the workforce regularly and when practices change. It’s expected that organisations support members of the workforce to take up training, learning and development opportunities, so they can meet the needs of their role.

Reflective questions

• Does the organisation’s current recruitment, training programs, workforce support and resources meet the outcomes required by these Standards?
   
• Are recruitment processes fair, reasonable and transparent?
   
• When a third party carries out recruitment and checks on new employees, how does the organisation make sure that practices and checks are complete and satisfactory?
   
• How does management of the organisation learn about and respond to members of the workforce who feel they don’t have enough training or support to do their job and aren’t meeting these Standards?

Examples of actions and evidence

Consumers 

• Consumers say they are satisfied that the organisation trains, supports and prepares its workforce enough.
   
• Consumers say they have confidence in the ability of members of the workforce that deliver their care and services.
   
• Consumers say they can take part in training of members of the workforce who provide their care and services to make sure the way they deliver the care and services meets their needs, goals and preferences.

Workforce and others

• The workforce can describe the training, support, professional development and supervision for them to be able to carry out their role.
   
• The workforce can describe how they give input and feedback to the organisation about their training and support needs and how to improve the training and support provided.
   
• Management of the organisation can describe how they work out what training will be needed for the workforce in line with new or the changing needs of their consumers.

Organisation

• Evidence of effective recruitment and selection processes and appropriate checks being undertaken for the workforce. This includes police and reference checks.
   
• Records of selection and interview processes that check the accuracy of applications.
   
• Evidence of induction and other training and development programs for all members of the workforce relevant to these Standards.

Intent of this requirement

All members of the workforce are expected to have an appropriate person regularly evaluate how they are performing their role, and identify, plan for and support any training, and development they need. This requirement looks at how organisations need to regularly assess the performance and the capabilities of the workforce as a whole. Performance reviews can also support continuous improvement and development of the members of the workforce.

Reflective questions

• Are there policies and procedures to make sure the organisation monitors each member of the workforce’s duties and responsibilities? What about the workforce’s overall ability to provide safe and quality care and services?
   
• How does management of the organisation respond when performance reviews find a lack of knowledge, skills and ability in the workforce to deliver care and services against the Standards?
   
• How does the organisation assess and monitor the performance of members of the workforce who are subcontractors?

Examples of actions and evidence

Consumers

• Consumers say they are satisfied the workforce providing their care and services perform their roles well.
   
• The organisation involves consumers with diverse life experiences and characteristics in assessing, monitoring and reviewing the workforce at all levels of the organisation.

Workforce and others

• Members of the workforce can confirm they have had a performance review or have one scheduled.
   
• Members of the workforce can describe how the organisation’s ongoing assessment of their duties, responsibilities and performance happens. They can describe how this links into their performance development.
   
• Members of the workforce can describe how they assess the safety and quality of the care and services they deliver. They can also describe how they monitor their own work performance and any areas for further training and support.

Organisation

• Evidence that the organisation regularly assesses and monitors the performance of members of the workforce. This includes during probation periods.
   
• Evidence the organisation uses performance assessments to work out training needs. It also uses performance assessments to review duties and responsibilities, and maintain the workforce’s overall ability to provide safe and quality care and services.
   
• Records or schedules detail the percentage of staff with completed performance reviews and follow up of those who don’t take part.

• Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth), User Rights Amendment (Charter of Aged Care Rights) Principles 2019
• Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
• Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
• State and Territory anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation