ISO 9001 and residential homes for the elderly: a Delphi study

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the appropriateness of applying the ISO 9001 quality standard to the residential aged‐care sector. Design/methodology/approach The study undertakes a prospective qualitative survey using the Delphi methodology. A panel of 14 experts in the field constitutes the panel. Findings ISO 9001 has certain shortcomings in the context of the residential aged‐care sector. There is a need to fit generic quality‐management models to the specific characteristics of the sector, and to integrate those generic quality management models with specialised models. Practical implications Managers of residential aged‐care services should ensure: that they have sufficient resources to implement quality‐management models; that all personnel are involved in the implementation; and that generic models are appropriately adapted to the specific needs of the aged‐care sector. Originality/value The paper provides an original conceptual overview of the application of a generic quality‐management system to a specific services sector.