Aged Care Quality Bulletin #5-2026 | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

Commissioner’s message

An important part of our role as the regulator of government-funded aged care services is to listen to older people, to help them understand their aged care rights, to help them speak up when something isn’t right and to help resolve their concerns.

Last week we released key insights from research on barriers that stop older people from speaking up when their rights in aged care are not respected.

The findings of this research show that most people would first raise concerns with their provider, which is encouraging. But for many a fear of reprisal, of not being listened to or not being taken seriously prevents them speaking up.

It shows we all have work to do in making sure older people, their families and supporters understand their rights and protections in aged care, that their concerns matter, and that there is a safe and supportive pathway for raising them.

I’m committed to making sure we provide clear information on how to give feedback or make a complaint to better support confidence in speaking up. Our public information program launched earlier this month aims to help normalise speaking up in aged care. You can find out more about how you can get involved via our website, which includes resources to help you support the older people in your care to understand their rights.

We also continue to work with and support providers to meet new responsibilities, uphold people’s rights and provide quality care. This includes charging the right fees for the right services.

To help you understand and meet your obligations we keep improving and creating new resources. Our Monitoring Policy explains how we monitor, assess and respond to risks and the new Registrar Service Charter confirms our commitment to work with providers in a fair, balanced, effective and efficient way when you apply to register or to renew or vary your registration.

I encourage you to look at the latest training, resources and webinars available. These cover topics ranging from restrictive practices to Support at Home pathways.

In this edition, we also highlight some rules around charges and payments. The article on the Residential Care Service List confirms that you must always provide standard services in line with the Aged Care Quality Standards and the Statement of Rights. You can only charge a higher everyday living fee (HELF) for extra services or a higher standard of services.

The rules for accommodation payments changed with the new Aged Care Act 2024 (Aged Care Act). Read the article to understand what you can charge new residents in the period between when they move in and when they have a finalised means assessment.

Care management activities are an important part of Support at Home care and services. We expect you to have processes to make sure you charge and claim for these activities correctly. Our article explains the difference between care management activities and direct aged care services, and where the funds for these come from.

With winter almost here, older people and aged care workers need vaccinations to stay well. Read on to find out which vaccinations to offer residents and workers, and what resources we have to help you plan your annual immunisation program.

Finally, a reminder to get in early to register for our upcoming National Aged Care Provider Conference. I look forward to seeing you in Brisbane in October to reflect on our progress and opportunities as we approach the one year milestone under the new Aged Care Act.

Liz Hefren-Webb
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner

Register now - National Aged Care Provider Conference 2026

A reminder to register now for the National Aged Care Provider Conference 2026, being held on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October 2026 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. We encourage early registration to avoid missing out!

The conference program includes a rich mix of plenary and parallel sessions as we explore ‘Rights and choice, every day: one year in’, and our MC this year is renowned journalist Michael Rowland.

This key national event is aimed at responsible persons of registered aged care providers – including board members, CEOs or senior managers.

Together, we’ll discuss what has changed in practice under the new rights-based Aged Care Act and Aged Care Rules 2025 (Aged Care Rules) and share insights and learnings into how we continue to embed and regulate rights-based aged care across all settings.

Select providers are being offered the opportunity to participate in a limited number of pre-conference pilot workshops held on Monday 12 October 2026 on risk for small providers and on culturally safe care for large providers.

Find out more on the National Aged Care Provider Conference 2026 page.

New research

Trust and safety key to speaking up about aged care concerns

The Commission recently engaged WhereTo Research to explore barriers that stop older people from speaking up when their rights in aged care are not respected.

The findings show that older people’s expectations of care align closely with the new rights-based aged care laws but that many older people do not feel safe or confident in raising concerns about their aged care.

The decision to raise concerns depends on whether people feel that acting on their concerns is worth the effort and for many a fear of reprisal, of not being listened to or not being taken seriously prevents them speaking up.

Nearly 2,300 older people and their supporters were surveyed by WhereTo Research in home and residential care across Australia, combined with 60 in-depth interviews and discussion groups. The researchers also explored barriers specific to First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

The research underpins the Commission’s current public information program, ‘Choice, dignity, respect – your rights in aged care’, aimed at strengthening awareness, confidence and trust in aged care rights across Australia.

The Commission’s aim is to help older people and their supporters understand they have rights and protections in aged care and there is a safe and supportive pathway for raising their concerns.

We encourage all providers and peaks to promote the public information program – we have distributed engaging stakeholder kits to help support your promotion.

A summary of the research findings is available on our website.

Aged care reform update

New monitoring resources

Our new monitoring resources explain the way we monitor, assess and respond to risks.

The Aged Care Act and Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 give us powers to monitor:

providers
workers
responsible persons
digital platform operators.

They also give us powers to collect information and investigate. This is so we can protect older people and help providers and workers provide safe and quality care.

Our Monitoring Policy is in line with our Regulatory Strategy. It guides the way we:

use our powers to identify and assess risks to older people
respond in proportion to risk
focus on prevention and early intervention
address the highest risks first
do targeted enquiries, reviews, inspections and investigations
take action, depending on the situation. For example, this can include:
- making recommendations on how to improve
- using our compliance and enforcement powers
- taking no further action.

Our Inspections fact sheet explains:

what inspections involve
when and why we do them.

Strengthening behaviour support to reduce restrictive practices

Under the Aged Care Act and the Statement of Rights, registered providers must protect the rights, safety and dignity of the people they care for.

Finding the right balance between safety and quality can be challenging, especially when caring for people with changed behaviours. But it’s not impossible.

Responding poorly to changed behaviours can put people at risk of distress or harm. This can also affect other people receiving care, aged care workers, friends and family.

Governing bodies are responsible for making sure their organisation performs well and complies with the law. This includes:

supervising service delivery
identifying inappropriate practices
making sure there are strategies to prevent and respond to behaviour change, address the causes and manage risks.

Our June webinar will focus on how providers can minimise restrictive practices. Find out more in the article below or register for the webinar

Registrar Service Charter – Our commitment to providers

We’ve published a new service charter that sets out our commitment to providers when they apply to register or to renew or vary their registration.

Our Registrar Service Charter says we’ll work with providers in a fair, balanced, effective and efficient way.

This means we’ll:

be objective (not biased) and transparent (clear) in the way we make decisions
make sure our decisions and actions are in proportion to the risks to older people
focus on improving each older person’s experience of aged care
use our resources wisely
be accountable (answerable) to providers and older people for the quality of our service.

The charter explains what you can expect from us when you apply for registration. It also tells you how you can give us feedback so we can improve the way we work.

Registrar Sarah Kelly says the charter makes sure providers are clear about how we work with them during registration processes.

‘The charter lays the foundation for a fair but robust registration system where suitable, capable and committed providers work in aged care. This contributes to the quality and safety of aged care,’ she says.

You can find out more about registration on our Provider registration webpage.

Provider guidance – accessing AT‑HM services

Funding

Providers can’t use a participant’s Support at Home quarterly budget for assistive technology and home modifications (AT‑HM), even if there’s remaining funds.

Participants can access AT‑HM by:

completing an assessment and receiving approval for the AT‑HM scheme which can be done at the same time as assessment for ongoing Support at Home funding
using any unspent Home Care Package (HCP) funds if they’ve transitioned to Support at Home from the former HCP Program.

Ongoing or recurring costs

Participants must use their AT‑HM funds to pay for AT-HM items and all associated costs, including ongoing or recurring expenses.

For example, for personal emergency alarms, AT‑HM funding covers both the alarm device and any ongoing monitoring of the alarm. If monitoring is needed beyond the initial 12-month AT-HM funding period, the participant will need to undergo reassessment for that monitoring to continue.

Prescription requirements

Some AT-HM items require a prescription from a qualified professional, such as a nurse or allied health professional, to demonstrate why the participant needs that AT-HM item.

All home modifications require a prescription, but not all assistive technology items do. The AT-HM list outlines which items require prescription.

If a nurse or allied health professional prescribes AT-HM incidentally during an appointment funded through a participant’s Support at Home budget, that prescription can still be used as evidence under the AT-HM scheme.

However, if the appointment is primarily for AT-HM prescription, then it must be paid from AT-HM funds.

If a participant’s AT‑HM funding tier is insufficient for a required prescription, they will need to undergo a support plan review or reassessment.

More information about the AT-HM scheme is available on the department’s website.

Changes to accommodation payments

The Aged Care Act (subsection 294(1)) introduced a change to the accommodation payments rules for people in residential care homes.

It changed what providers can charge residents during the interim period. The interim period is the time between the resident’s start day and the day Services Australia determines their daily means tested amount.

The change means that providers can only charge the Daily Accommodation Payment in the interim period.

You mustn’t charge residents a refundable deposit until they have a finalised means assessment or ‘means not disclosed’ status.

We recommend you review your processes for managing accommodation payments to make sure you’re complying with your obligations.

If you’ve charged a refundable deposit during the interim period since 1 November 2025, or need more guidance, please contact us at F&P.Compliance@agedcarequality.gov.au.

We take a risk-based approach to regulating providers. This means we focus on the safety, health and wellbeing of older people and supporting providers to comply with their obligations.

Residential Care Service List and Higher Everyday Living Fee

The Residential Care Service List sets out the funded services that registered providers must provide to their residents.

Providers must deliver these services in line with the:

Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standards)
Statement of Rights.

Providers can’t charge residents extra fees, such as a higher everyday living fee (HELF), for these services.

However, they can offer residents extra services, or a higher standard of services, and charge a HELF for those.

Providers mustn’t use HELF in a way that reduces standard care and services for older people. That would be in breach of the Aged Care Rules. For example, providers can’t reduce the quality of standard meal options to below the Quality Standards. Residents who choose not to get HELF services, such as premium meal options, must still receive varied and nutritional meals that meet their health and wellbeing needs.

The Australian Government is monitoring how providers are offering HELF. This is to protect the rights of older people.

If a provider isn’t meeting their responsibilities, the Commission can take regulatory action. For example, we can fine providers, give them a compliance notice or revoke (cancel) their registration.

You can find more information on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Residential Care Service List and higher everyday living fee – Guidance for providers

Video on Support at Home short-term pathways

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has developed a new video explaining the Support at Home short-term pathways. It’s for providers to share with older people, their families and carers.

Support at Home provides:

ongoing services for regular care
3 short-term pathways for extra support when a person’s needs:
- Restorative Care Pathway
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme
- End-of-life Pathway.

The video:

explains how the short‑term pathways work and when they can help
helps older people make informed decisions about their aged care
supports meaningful conversations between older people, their families, carers and health professionals.

Watch and share the video. It’s also available in a variety of languages, including Auslan.

You can find out more on the Support at Home webpage.

Incorrect charging for care management activity

Complaints about Support at Home services indicate that sometimes providers include care management activities in the price of direct government-funded aged care services. This is not allowed under the Aged Care Rules. Care management is a distinct service type that providers must charge and claim separately.

For older people receiving ongoing Support at Home services, 10% of their quarterly budget is deducted and allocated into a pooled care management account. The provider manages this account (through Services Australia) and uses it to fund the care management activities they deliver.

Providers must claim for care management activities delivered by care partners from the care management account rather than including these costs in the prices of other services. You can only use the remaining quarterly budget for other funded aged care services, like personal care and domestic assistance services. You cannot charge care management against this part of the budget.

Care management activities focus on the older person and contribute to their wellbeing. You must deliver care management services at least once a month. Section 8-25 of the Aged Care Rules specifies care management activities. These are:

implementing the care and services plan for the individual
service coordination
monitoring
review and evaluation
advocacy
support and education.

You can’t charge administrative costs under the care management service type. This includes work by non-care staff.

Providers are expected to review the activities they’ve charged as care management. Care management activities are an important part of the care and services you deliver to older people, but you must charge and claim for these activities correctly. Make sure:

you don’t include care management activities in the price of direct aged care services
you claim activities that meet the definition of care management against the care management account
you don’t include administrative tasks in care management charges
your prices and claiming practices are in line with Aged Care Rules.

You can find more information on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Care management for Support at Home webpage.

Clinical update

Keeping vaccinations up to date this winter

With winter coming, it’s time to make sure older people and workers have access to the vaccines they need to stay well.

In April all board chairs of residential aged care providers received a joint letter from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Commission about getting ready for winter. Boards are asked to ensure their organisation provides timely, free access to all recommended vaccinations for residents and workers and actively promotes their importance.

Residential aged care providers need to:

offer free influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccinations to all residents and workers
offer free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), shingles and pneumococcal vaccinations to all residents who are eligible under the National Immunisation Program
tell people about the benefits of getting vaccinated.

Older people have a higher risk of getting very sick with the flu. As influenza viruses and vaccines change every year, it’s important to have an annual vaccination that provides protection during the peak flu season from June to September.

Planning winter vaccination

Make sure you plan for vaccination. This includes working with immunisation providers, such as GPs, onsite pharmacists, community pharmacists or accredited immunisers.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) leads can support your vaccination program. They can make sure your service:

checks all new residents to find out what vaccinations they need
keeps correct records of people’s vaccination status, including:
vaccines they’ve had
vaccines they consent to have
vaccines they’re exempt from having (aren’t recommended to have or shouldn’t have)
plans vaccination as part of routine clinical care
uses effective IPC practices
promotes the benefits of vaccines for older people and workers.

You can get more information and support from your:

immunisation provider
primary health network
state or territory health department.

You can find out more from these resources:

Webinars

Strengthening behaviour support to reduce inappropriate use of restrictive practices

Tuesday 16 June 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 pm AEST

This sector webinar will focus on how providers can minimise restrictive practices. We’ll talk about how you can build capability and systems to improve behaviour support and prevent the use of restrictive practices.

Join our webinar to learn about:

what leaders, including board members and managers, can do to improve their organisation’s ability to manage behaviour change
how good governance systems can improve behaviour support and prevent the use of restrictive practices
what your obligations and responsibilities are to uphold the rights of people with changed behaviours.

Registrations will open on our website on 2 June 2026.

Recording available: Open disclosure – the essentials

The recording and slides from our 14 May webinar, Open disclosure – the essentials, are now available. Panellists discussed what open disclosure is and when you need to provide it.

Open disclosure helps older people feel heard, safe and cared for, especially in vulnerable moments where care doesn’t go according to plan. Registered aged care providers must have appropriate policies, systems, and training in place to facilitate open disclosure in response to feedback, complaints, and serious incidents.

Monash University webinar: The A-PRECISE model – preventing infection in residential aged care

Wednesday 1 July 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 pm AEST

The A-PRECISE (Australia – PReventing infECtions In reSidential agEd care) model is an infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy. It includes resources that support infection prevention in residential aged care.

Researchers from Monash University Nursing and Midwifery worked with residents, families and staff to develop the resources. You can find them on the Monash University website.

Monash University is holding a webinar to explain the A-PRECISE model. You can learn about the model design and how to use it.

You can register for the webinar online.

Get involved

Communities of practice for IPC Leads

The University of Melbourne invites infection prevention and control (IPC) leads who work in residential aged care to join an IMMERSE-2 community of practice.

IMMERSE-2 (IMpleMenting Effective infection prevention and control in ReSidential aged carE) is a national initiative to improve IPC capabilities through supportive communities of practice.

Researchers from the University of Melbourne are leading the project and the National Health and Medical Research Council is funding it. The IMMERSE-2 communities of practice will bring together IPC leads across Australia to:

share experiences, resources and best practice knowledge
learn from each other and from IPC experts
strengthen IPC practices in residential aged care.

What’s involved

Each group will meet online monthly for 30 to 45 minutes. These sessions will start in late June and early July 2026 and run for 12 months. The first session will be an opportunity to meet each other, decide on the key aspects of IPC you would like to cover and what you hope to achieve as a group.

You’ll need to fill in a survey at the start and end of the 12-month period.

Key topics

The communities of practice will focus on one of 2 key topics.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) – including surveillance and auditing, wound care and working with pharmacists, GPs, residents and families.
Transmissible infections – moving away from COVID – including transmission-based precautions, breaking the chain of infection, surveillance and auditing, the role of IPCs, and supporting residents with dementia.

How to join

To join a community of practice:

register your interest
choose one of the 2 key topics
select the times that suit you.

Find out more

You can find out more about the IMMERSE-2 project by contacting Dr Joanne Tropea at Joanne.Tropea@unimelb.edu.au

Training and resources

Free online learning for associated providers

Under the new Aged Care Act, registered providers must make sure associated provider staff who work for them have the right training and skills to do their jobs and understand their obligations. To support providers, we’ve extended free access to our online learning platform, Alis, to all associated providers and their staff.

Alis has content for all aged care roles and service types. We develop learning content to help deliver care that protects and improves the safety, health and quality of life of older people. We also host third-party content from other government agencies and departments.

Visit our Alis webpage to find out more about Alis, and to see your options for registering associate providers and their staff.

Online live learning

Places are available for our upcoming live learning sessions in June. Each month, we deliver live learning for people working in the aged care sector. These sessions offer practical tips to support learners to understand how to meet their obligations in their service. Commission facilitators deliver our live learning sessions.

Our workshop topic for June is the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.

Places are limited, so head to our Live learning page to learn more or register today.