Strengthened Quality Standards

About the program

The current Aged Care Quality Standards will be strengthened as part of the new Aged Care Act and regulatory model.

In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended that the Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) review the Standards.

They recommended that the reviewed Standards include vital areas such as:

  • food and nutrition
  • dementia
  • diversity
  • governance
  • clinical care.

The Department conducted consultations, reviewed and revised the draft strengthened Standards. We contributed to the revisions as national aged care services regulator.

The strengthened Quality Standards will commence from 1 July 2025, in line with the new Aged Care Act. The existing Standards will remain in effect until then.

To prepare the aged care sector for the upcoming changes, we are implementing the Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program.

Through the program, we are:

  • changing how we assess the quality of aged care and services
  • building awareness and capability in the aged care sector
  • simplifying our processes and resources so they are consistent and easy to understand

For more information, read our Stronger Standards, Better Aged Care Program Vision Statement

Sector support

The Commission has produced a suite of draft guidance resources for providers and workers on the strengthened Quality Standards.

We conducted a public consultation from 6 February to 19 May 2024 seeking feedback on the draft resources. We received feedback via written submissions, surveys and roundtable discussions.

A report is now available on the outcomes of the public consultation. 

We are now updating the resources in response to your feedback and will release the updates gradually.

The registration categories included in the drafts are no longer current. The 6 proposed registration categories are available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Standards guidance

The strengthened Quality Standards guidance supports providers and workers to understand and comply with the strengthened Standards. It also promotes best practice in service provision.

We have considered your feedback following last year’s public consultation and made changes to make the guidance more effective and easier to use. Read the updated guidance for providers.

The digital guidance tool is currently being updated with the improved guidance and will be unavailable while we make these updates. We expect it to be available again in January 2025. It will feature the updated guidance for provider organisations, as well as guidance for governing bodies and workers.

Audit guidance

The draft audit guidance resources support providers to understand what to expect from us when we assess performance against the strengthened Quality Standards.

The resources available are:

We are currently in the process of updating these resources following public consultation. The updated resources will be available in 2025.

Guidance for workers

The draft worker guidance provides aged care workers with an overview of the strengthened Standards and what it means for them.

The guidance applies to anyone employed or engaged by a registered provider to deliver aged care services to older people. This includes volunteers, care managers or coordinators, clinicians, care workers, cleaning staff, kitchen staff, lifestyle or activities staff, and people in management or administrative roles.

Fact sheets and posters

We have released a suite of overview fact sheets to help providers understand the new strengthened Quality Standards and your obligations in meeting them.

In these fact sheets, you will find:

  • Key concepts and themes for each strengthened Quality Standard.
  • Statements from older people and workers which describe how they will feel and act when the Quality Standard is being upheld.
  • Information about demonstrating conformance with the Quality Standard.
  • Reflective questions.
  • Other resources which give you extra detail on the Quality Standards and draft guidance if you are interested in learning more.

We have also released a quick reference guide which gives you an overview of why there are different registration categories, what this means for you in practice, and how you can support your workers.

You can download the fact sheets here:

We have also developed two printable A3 posters that will help workers and older people understand the intent of the strengthened Standards.

You can download those posters here:

Up to Standard videos

Our Up to Standard video series gives you the latest updates and answers to the most common questions we have received about the strengthened Standards.

Webinars

We hold regular webinars to update the sector about our work on the strengthened Standards. Go to the webinar page to register for upcoming webinars or to watch recordings of past events.

Framework analysis

To support the sector in understanding the changes to the Standards, we conducted a framework analysis by comparing the current Standards with the draft Standards.

Training presentation

Providers can download this strengthened Quality Standards training package to deliver to their own staff. The format enables you to add your own brand and logos and adjust the content to suit your service category.

Online learning 

Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards learning modules

This series of online learning modules aims to help aged care workers understand what is expected of them under the strengthened Quality Standards.

The 8 interactive modules provide a foundational understanding of the strengthened Standards, supporting workers to deliver rights-based, person-centred care in line with the new Aged Care Act. 

The modules are available through Alis, our online learning platform. Register for Alis to access. 

Strengthened Quality Standards in practice - workshop

We have developed an on-demand workshop for executives, managers and educators to learn about the strengthened Quality Standards, and how these can be applied within your workplace. Register now for the Strengthened Quality Standards in practice workshop.

Watch the Strengthened Quality Standards workshop video below for an introduction to the workshop and to learn more.

Transcript for 'The strengthened Quality Standards in Practice Workshop'

Strengthened Quality Standards pilot

We conducted a pilot project to test:

  • how the draft strengthened Standards will be applied in practice
  • whether the draft Standards support the delivery of high-quality aged care 
  • a proposed audit methodology
  • the draft assessment grading
  • how we can support providers to understand and comply with the strengthened Standards.

The pilot included a sample of 40 providers representative of the aged care sector.

Overall feedback from the participating providers was positive, indicating they found the audit process:

  • more transparent,
  • easier to understand
  • embraced the natural justice process to ensure they could review and comment before compliance decisions are made.

Have your say

We value your questions, suggestions and feedback. We look forward to working together to improve the quality of aged care.

If you have any questions or comments, please email agedcarereform@agedcarequality.gov.au.

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Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, water and community. We pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.