InterRAI is the name for the standardised needs assessment tool being used through all home based support and aged residential care for older people. This tool collects a wide range of data on people’s health and support needs to help plan their care and support and also to help those providing services to evaluate how well they are doing in meeting those needs.

The new website launched by interRAI NZ www.interrai.co.nz in August provides a wealth of information to showcase how far we have come in the interRAI New Zealand journey. It is intended that the website is a key resource for all interRAI users and those who just want to know what it’s all about.  The more people understand interRAI concepts, what it can do and how to use it, the more it can help to improve the care and outcomes for older people.

One of the key tools available to those working in aged care is to access data to use in analysing performance at both a single aged care facility level as well as grouped or organisational level. The national interRAI team can help those working in aged care to analyse the data from their own organisation as well as compare this to overall data from around the country. To find out more check out the data and reporting pages of the interRAI website.

interRAI independent post project review

Meanwhile, an independent Post-Project review of the Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (interRAI) in Aged Residential Care project commenced in June and is being carried out by Evaluation Consult, an independent and experienced Wellington-based firm.

The Evaluation Consult team is currently sending out invitations to all aged residential care facility managers inviting them to participate in an online survey. Running from 16 August to 20 September, this survey provides an opportunity for facility managers to give feedback on behalf of their facility in regards to the introduction and use of the interRAI Long Term Care Facility assessment tool. The review team will also be complimenting the survey results through in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample of both large and small provider organisations.