Providers delivering care and services in categories 4, 5 and 6 need to meet the Quality Standards outlined in the Aged Care Act. The number of Standards which apply is based on the service types they provide. For example, a category 4 home service may only need to conform with Standards 1-4. 

We assess provider conformance against the Quality Standards.

There are 7 Quality Standards.

Standard 1: The individual

This standard describes the way that providers and aged care workers need to treat older people. It explains how important it is for you to understand that each older person is unique and has a different life story.

Standard 2. The organisation 

This standard holds the governing responsible for setting strategic priorities and encouraging a culture of safety, quality and inclusion. It describes the quality systems and supervision needed to make sure aged care services are delivered safely.

Standard 3. Care and services

This standard describes how you must plan and deliver aged care services. It focuses on the assessment and planning of aged care services, and how you should deliver them to meet older people’s needs. It also focuses on coordination of aged care services.

Standard 4. The environment 

This standard covers environmental aspects of aged care services. It makes sure that older people receive aged care services in a physical environment that is safe, supportive and meets their needs. Effective infection prevention and control measures are a key focus.

Standard 5. Clinical care

This standard describes the responsibilities of registered providers to deliver safe and quality clinical care services, including demonstrating you have systems and processes that enable you to deliver clinical care that is:

• person-centred
• safe
• quality
• based on evidence
• coordinated and multidisciplinary (delivered by different types of registered health practitioners and allied health professionals).

It applies to providers in Categories 5 and 6. Category 4 providers must meet Outcome 5.1 if they provide care management and restorative care management services.

Standard 6. Food and nutrition

This standard describes the aspects of food and nutrition and the overall dining experience. These aspects have an affect on older people’s quality of life. This standard only applies to aged care services delivered in a residential care home.

Standard 7. The residential community

This standard recognises the role community plays in promoting inclusion and belonging for older people. Quality of life is an important part of community. Providers must also make sure older people have a planned transition to and from the service. This standard only applies to aged care services delivered in a residential care home.

Learn more about the Quality Standards in:

• Strengthened Quality Standards – key links and information
• Draft Strengthened Quality Standards Guidance Tool – interactive tool outlining the Quality Standards that apply to your registration category
• Fact sheets on the strengthened Quality Standards – quick guides to each of the Standards.

All providers delivering aged care services must report on the quality of the care they provide.

Category 6 only

The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) includes 14 quality indicators for providers delivering care in a residential care home. The indicators measure, monitor and compare improvement in care quality and outcomes.

Providers delivering aged care services in a residential care home must report on the following quality indicators every 3 months:

• pressure injuries
• restrictive practices
• unplanned weight loss
• falls and major injury
• medication management
• activities of daily living
• incontinence care
• hospitalisation
• workforce
• consumer experience
• quality of life
• enrolled nursing
• allied health
• lifestyle officers. 

Category 4 and 5 only

National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) quality indicators for in-home care are currently in development. 

Providers report QI Program data through the Government Provider Management System (GPMS). 

QI Program data will be published at a national, state and territory level, and by how remote an area is for each quarter of reporting.

Learn more about the QI Program and GPMS in:

• About the QI Program – overview of the QI program, how to submit your data and key links
• Government Provider Management System (GPMS) – overview of the GPMS and key links.

Providers delivering aged care services are responsible for having aged care workers who have the necessary skills, competence, training and experience for the role they undertake.

Providers must show that their workforce is suitable. This means you have obligations to screen all your aged care workers (including volunteers) and responsible persons (this includes, but is not limited to, executive leaders and board members).

We regulate aged care workers (this includes volunteers) and responsible persons under the Aged Care Code of Conduct (code). We take proportionate monitoring, compliance and enforcement responses, and may investigate if an aged care worker presents a higher risk to older people.

You must give adequate training to your workforce and make sure aged care workers have the right skills, training, experience and qualifications to deliver care and services in line with their role.

Category 4, 5 and 6 only

Under the Quality Standards, you need to show that your organisation understands and manages its workforce needs and plans.

You’re responsible for:

• having a workforce strategy that makes sure there are enough qualified aged care workers with the right skills to deliver quality and safe care and services
• having a workplace where people are healthy and safe, and where you monitor and manage physical and psychological risks
• having a human resources management system to confirm an aged care worker’s qualifications, experience and skills before you hire them
• having rostering processes that support quality and safe care and services
• delivering a training system that includes access to supervision and resources
• assessing and monitoring worker performance. 

Category 6 only

Providers delivering aged care services in a residential care home must report every 3 months on workforce indicators as part of the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program).

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publish Star Ratings for providers delivering aged care services in a residential care home. These ratings include a Staffing Star Rating as one of the 4 sub-categories that contribute to the overall Star Rating, which ranges between 1 and 5 stars.

The staffing sub-category measures the average care time older people receive at each residential care home. Care time is based on care minutes delivered by:

• registered nurses
• enrolled nurses
• personal care workers
• assistants in nursing.

The Staffing Star Rating shows how well a residential care home meets or exceeds its minimum care minute targets.

Learn more about your workforce requirements in: 

• Strengthened Quality Standards – overview of the Standards with key links
• What are Star Ratings? Easy Read fact sheet – overview of the Star Ratings in downloadable document form
• Star Ratings – Stakeholder Kit – overview of Star Ratings for residential aged care, in downloadable document form.

Security of tenure is about the person’s rights and the providers’ responsibilities when a person leaves a service. This means people aren’t removed from a residential care home unfairly. Reasons for asking a resident to leave your service must be made clear in the service agreement.

Providers must have enough liquidity to meet their financial and prudential requirements when a person leaves. You must be able to refund the balance on their accommodation payment or bond. 

When a person chooses to leave 

A person using your service can choose to leave or move to another residential care home at any time. 

Once they leave, you must let Services Australia know about the change. 

When you ask a person to leave

There are specific reasons you can ask a person to leave your service. This includes if: 

• the service is closing
• the person is assessed to no longer need the care you provide
• the person hasn’t paid their agreed fees for 42 days since they were due, for a reason within their control
• the person intentionally caused serious damage to the service, or injury to another person
• the person was absent from the service for 7 days or more for reasons that aren’t:
  • emergency leave
  • hospital leave
  • hospital transition leave
  • extended hospital leave, or
  • social leave.

You must give the person at least 14 days' notice before they are required to leave and must give them a written explanation of why they are required to leave.

When you ask a person to leave your residential care home, you’re also responsible for making sure they have suitable alternative accommodation to move into. This means: 

• you must find suitable accommodation that meets the person’s needs
• the new accommodation must be affordable for the person
• you must work with the new service to make sure there is continuity of care, such as care planning and handover.

Once the person leaves your residential care home, you must let Services Australia know about the change. 

You need to show you can provide security of tenure if you apply for a variation of registration that results in people leaving your service. 

Learn more about security of tenure in: 

• Accommodation payments and contributions for residential aged care – overview of accommodation fees and requirements for residential services and key links
• Accommodation bonds  – overview of accommodation bonds and charges and key links
• Notification of changes for residential aged care – overview of provider notification requirements when a resident is exiting or entering your care, with key links.