National survey supports quality improvement for home and community support services

The Home and Community Support Services (HCSS) experience survey is one of six national experience surveys led by the Commission.

The results give important insights into what is working well and have already been used by service providers to make improvements.

We developed the survey in partnership with sector organisations and providers and it has been running annually since 2024.

In 2024 and 2025, 12,062 people responded to the survey from 17 providers. Of these people:

• 84 percent were aged 65 years or over
• 74 percent were identified as having a disability
• 10 percent identified as Māori
• 2 percent as Pacific peoples
• 5 percent as Asian
• 83 percent as European or other.

Their responses have created a consistent, reliable dataset. Providers and the wider sector can use it to track performance and identify opportunities for improvement at local, regional and national levels.

Results from 2024 and 2025 show stable and generally positive experiences. People report being treated with respect and receiving care that recognises their culture, identity, beliefs and circumstances.

The survey also highlights areas for improvement. People reported challenges with communication, contacting providers and scheduling support. 

While overall experiences are positive, these remain priority areas for improvement.

Survey results can support providers to focus their quality improvement efforts, with measurable improvements.

We support providers to use their results through quality improvement training and resources, including the workbook ‘HCSS survey - using survey data for quality improvement’. 

Using survey insights leads to measurable improvements in service delivery. Providers who have acted on their results have demonstrated improved client experiences.

Access the HCSS survey - using survey data for quality improvement workbook

In 2025, two providers participated in a workshop ahead of the survey. They focused on improving their lowest scoring question: whether clients were informed in advance about changes to their support arrangements.

Using a structured plan–do–study–act approach, both providers made targeted changes and in less than a year showed measurable improvements.

This demonstrates the value of using client feedback to identify priorities and guide improvement.

Question: If there were changes to your support arrangements, did someone from your provider let you know in advance?

Provider A reported:

• 2024: 60% respondents answered yes
• 2025: 76% respondents answered yes

Provider B reported:

• 2024: 29% respondents answered yes
• 2025: 37% respondents answered yes

Provider A

“The 2024 HCSS survey results prompted us to reflect on and refine how we engage with whānau — not just how we ask questions, but which questions we ask and why. This has led to meaningful changes in our organisational approach.”

Provider B 

“The HCSS client experience survey has been a valuable source of feedback. In response to what client whānau told us about communication and scheduling, we made practical changes, including clearer coordination roles, more consistent use of regular support workers, and providing weekly schedules in advance. While we’re encouraged by the improvement in our results, this is part of our ongoing commitment to listening and continually improving the experience of the people we support.”