The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (strengthened Quality Standards) are a set of requirements that providers need to meet to make sure your care is safe and high-quality.
They describe the standard of care you can expect from your aged care provider, whether you live in an aged care home or in your own home.
There are 7 strengthened Quality Standards:
- Standard 1: The individual
- Standard 2: The organisation
- Standard 3: The care and services
- Standard 4: The environment
- Standard 5: Clinical care
- Standard 6: Food and nutrition
- Standard 7: The residential community
They apply to specific aged care providers that:
- receive funding from the Australian Government
- provide care that is complex and medium or high risk.
Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended strengthening the Aged Care Quality Standards to better meet the needs of older people.
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (mentioned above) started on 1 November 2025. They replaced the previous Quality Standards which were in place before the start of the Aged Care Act 2024.
These new strengthened Quality Standards include a greater focus on:
- food and nutrition
- dementia care
- diversity
- governance
- clinical care.
How do the Quality Standards apply to aged care providers?
Each provider is registered in a category from 1 to 6. Their registration category is based on the types of services they provide and what strengthened Quality Standards they need to meet.
Categories 1 to 3
Providers in categories 1 to 3 include:
- Category 1 – home and community services such as domestic assistance, home maintenance and repairs, meals and transport
- Category 2 – assistive technology and home modifications such as equipment and products, and home adjustments
- Category 3 – advisory and support services such as social support and community engagement, hoarding and squalor assistance.
The strengthened Quality Standards do not apply to providers in categories 1 to 3. However, they still need to meet specific responsibilities, including:
- Statement of Rights
- Aged Care Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct).
Categories 4 to 6
Providers in categories 4 to 6 include:
- Category 4 – personal care or care support in the home or community such as personal care, allied health and therapy, home or community respite, community cottage respite
- Category 5 – nursing care and assistance with transition care
- Category 6 – residential care (including respite).
Providers in these categories must comply with:
- Strengthened Quality Standards
- Category 4 – Quality Standards 1 to 4 (and Standard 5 (Outcome 5.1) if they provide care management and restorative care management)
- Category 5 – Quality Standards 1 to 5
- Category 6 – Quality Standards 1 to 7
- Statement of Rights
- Code of Conduct.
How the Quality Standards improve your experience
The strengthened Quality Standards make sure that the care you receive:
- is safe and high quality
- meets your needs and preferences
- upholds (supports) your rights.
The Strengthened Quality Standards poster for older people gives an overview of each of the standards.
You can find more information about each standard in our fact sheets:
- Understanding the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards - Information for older people
- Standard 1: The individual - Information for older people
- Standard 2: The organisation - Information for older people
- Standard 3: The care and services - Information for older people
- Standard 4: The environment - Information for older people
- Standard 5: Clinical care - Information for older people
- Standard 6: Food and nutrition - Information for older people
- Standard 7: The residential community - Information for older people
When care doesn’t meet the strengthened Quality Standards
If you don’t think your aged care provider is meeting the strengthened Quality Standards, it’s important that you tell someone. Talk to someone you trust. This could be a family member, friend, other supporter, or your provider if you feel comfortable talking with them.
Raising concerns isn’t ‘being difficult’ – it’s an important part of helping your care provider to keep improving the care they provide.
Raising concerns with your provider
You can raise your concerns directly with your aged care provider or a worker. This is often the quickest way to fix an issue.
All aged care providers must have a system for managing complaints and feedback.
Raising concerns with us
We’re here to make sure you get the care you deserve. You can raise concerns with us by making a complaint.
You can also provide feedback on the quality of care you’ve received. This isn’t the same as making a complaint. Your feedback helps us when we assess providers on how well they’re complying with the strengthened Quality Standards.
To provide feedback, you can call us on 1800 951 822 or email info@agedcarequality.gov.au.
Nobody should be treated differently, punished or threatened for telling us about their concerns. If you’re worried about this, please contact us on 1800 951 822. You can also find information about how whistleblower protections can protect you in our Managing Whistleblower Protections Policy.
Aged care advocates
If you need help making a complaint or finding information, you can contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN). They provide free, independent and confidential support to people receiving Australian Government-funded aged care.
You can call OPAN’s Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600.
If you need an interpreter, OPAN can get one for you when you call. Or, you can contact a translating or interpreting service yourself.
