Public to be given more information on rest homes

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has announced that the Government will be making more information on rest homes available online.

“From November, the Ministry of Health will be trialling a new system giving people access to full rest home audit reports in addition to the audit summaries that are already available,” Mrs Goodhew said.  

“Other changes to the website will allow people to see if a rest home has any current problems and what's being done to fix them.  

“Historical audit summaries going back to 2009 will also be published so people can see what progress has been made and if there are any ongoing issues.”

Improvements will be made to the Ministry’s website so that it is easier for the public to find the information.  Rather than searching through a list of 633 certified rest homes and hospitals, people will be able to click on a map to pull up information on facilities in their area that interest them.

“We want to make sure families who have a relative living in a rest home, or are considering their options, can quickly and easily access the information they need to make the right choice for them,” said Mrs Goodhew.

Alongside steps to make information about rest homes more accessible to the public, the Government is also making information about public hospitals more accessible.  Summary audit reports for district health boards will be published on the Ministry’s My DHB website from November.