[Critical discussion on the current quality debate on long-term care-a plea for a systemic and empirical insight into the development and measurement of quality in long-term care]

[Attitudes to publication of quality testing reports in nursing homes]

BACKGROUND

The Nursing and Living Quality Act (PfleWoqG) regulates the implementation of legally regulated quality inspections and publication of statutory quality inspection reports for residential nursing homes in Bavaria. In the currently valid version, the quality records have to be published but a decision of the higher administrative court (VGH) repealed this rule and it is no longer in force.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

Within the framework of a project for the Bavarian State Ministry for Health and Nursing concerning the revision of the publication of legally regulated quality testing reports, appraisals by the institutional management in nursing homes were collated. The E‑survey reached 24% (n = 529) of all residential care homes for elderly people and residential care homes for handicapped people in Bavaria.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Approximately two thirds of the persons questioned attested that the inspections and the resulting reports reflected an appropriate picture of the quality of nursing carried out in the institutions. Nevertheless, the vast majority did not approve of the obligatory publication of the quality testing records. While the inspections were seen as a valuable basis to reflect on the quality of care in the institutions, it was simultaneously argued that the inspections are only snapshots, which could be misinterpreted by the public. It was criticized that the quality testing records were not comprehensible for users. Furthermore, it was commented that the ratings of the responsible authorities were influenced by the competence of the inspectors and their subjective point of view and there was therefore a risk that invalid results would be made public.