Aged Care Quality Association

ACQA is unique as it is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and is facilitated by a voluntary management committee of members. The original program consists of system audit, incident, compliments, consumer feedback and improvement registers. The ACQA program is constantly reviewed and updated based on feedback from members.

ACQA in collaboration with Joanna Briggs Institute is now facilitating the Joanna Briggs Institute Aged Care Unit which will be focusing on Evidence Transfer (Implementing evidence based practice). Members now have direct access to this 'aged care specific' collaborating centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) via the Director (Trish McReynolds) at the ACQA network meetings. This collaboration will provide members with the opportunity to access and input into aged care specific systematic reviews, clinical guidelines and education sessions.

http://www.joannabriggs.edu.au/About%20Us/Joanna%20Briggs%20Collaboration/Australia%20Aged%20Care%20%28JBC%29

This unique collaboration with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) will be focusing on the implementation of Evidence Based Practice and will be introducing and assisting members to participate in the JBI Clinical Audit Program. This will provide members with the opportunity to compare their clinical practice to evidence based criteria and to apply for JBI endorsement.

This collaboration has recently set up the Aged Care Quality Association (ACQA): Evidence Utilisation Group which will now facilitate an aged care specific Clinical Audit Program. The ACQA network meetings will be used to discuss and assist members to implement changed at the clinical level within their organisations. Outcomes of these audits will be published in the PACEsetterS and or the International Journal of Evidence Based Healthcare (IJEBHC). Members who participate in this Evidence Utilisation Group will be able to apply for JBI Endorsement.

http://www.joannabriggs.edu.au/Access%20Evidence/Education%20and%20Learning/Endorsement

ACQA is excited about this innovative collaboration as it now gives member access to 45 national and international affiliated and collaborating centres of the JBI Institute who are focusing on:

• Evidence reviews
• Evidence transfers
• Linguistic translation

Member Benefits Initial on-site orientation and training to ACQA On-line data submission Automated sector specific monthly benchmarking audit reports Automated site specific indicator graphing once data is entered Email alerts to advise that audits are due to assist members to adhere to the audit timetable Email alerts to advise members of changes to the website A change log to keep members up to date with website changes Education and access to JBI clinical audit program (must be a JBI Connect member) Particiation in the NEBACU/ACQA Collaboration (Aged Care): JBI Evidence Utilisation Group A format for and support in reporting and presenting continuous improvement projects. Bi-monthly network, peer support and quality education meetings at no cost (except for meals) Your own site mentor from within the ACQA network group Shared resources among members including policies, forms, online forum, etc Site specific data analysis of your data (extra fee) Access to qualified Aged Care Assessors who can conduct audits of your home to identify risk against the Aged Care Accreditation Standards (extra fee) Reduced fees on web development and marketing material Input into the ongoing developement of the ACQA/NEBACU programs and website development at not cost.

LERWIN NURSING HOME ACHIEVES 1 YEAR JOANNA BRIGGS ENDORSEMENT ACQA members would like to congratulate Lerwin Nursing Home for being the first aged care facility in South Australia to achieve Joanna Briggs Institute Endorsement. This reward was presented at the 2010 Joanna Briggs National Australian Conference on Evidence-based Clinical Leadership on the 22nd November. For more information on The JBI Endorsement Program for hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other health service providers go to: http://www.joannabriggs.edu.au/Access%20Evidence/Education%20and%20Learning/Endorsement     Independent Audits The Aged Care Quality Association is pleased to be able to offer an audit service to both members and non members. ACQA now has a number of qualified registered external aged care assessors who can conduct independent audits against the Aged Care Accreditation Standards at residential aged care facilities. Consultancy audits prepare the residential aged care facility for desk audits, site audits and review audits against Accreditation Standards conducted by the Aged care Standards and Accreditation Agency. It also provides other types of aged care facilities the opportunity to benchmark their care and services against the Aged Care Standards in preparation for their auditing process. Click here for more information and to book your audit.   ACQA is proud to endorse Guild Insurance as its preferred Industry Insurer: At Guild, we have built a unique corporate culture based on providing our customers with a responsive, caring service and products that are tailored to their needs. This culture has enabled us to provide exceptional customer service, and it is this level of service that sets us apart from our competitors. Bringing our highly personalised service model to your industry, Guild’s Aged Care and Retirement Facilities insurance policy has been designed to incorporate your business insurance needs into one easily managed package.