This report summarises the findings of consultation on proposed changes to Star Ratings for aged care services in Australia. Star Ratings help people compare services, support providers to understand their performance and drive quality improvement. The consultation findings focus on three key areas: compliance rating, staffing rating and Star Ratings evaluation. 

Star Ratings for aged care services were introduced in 2022 following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Aged care homes are assigned an Overall Star Rating and ratings against residents' experience, compliance, staffing and quality measures. The introduction of the new Aged Care Act will result in changes to the Star Ratings system. 

Areas covered in this report include:

• inclusion of provider-level impacts in the compliance rating
• display of the exceeding grade while a formal regulatory notice applies to a provider or aged care home
• timeframes for returning to a previous compliance rating after the resolution of non-compliance
• impact of regulatory notices issued by the system governor on compliance ratings
• capping the staffing rating where an aged care home does not meet its care minute targets
• inclusion of the 24/7 registered nurse requirement in the staffing rating
• inclusion of half star ratings
• inclusion of environmental restraint alongside restrictive practices and the quality measures rating.