Code of Conduct for Aged Care – information for workers

Visit the Code of Conduct providers page for information for aged care providers.

Visit the Code of Conduct consumers page for information for aged care consumers.

A Code of Conduct for Aged Care

The Code of Conduct for Aged Care (the Code) has been introduced to improve the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life for people receiving aged care, and to boost trust in services. Watch this video for an introduction to the Code.

 

The following resources will assist you to understand your obligations under the Code as an aged care worker or governing person of an approved provider:

Visit our resource library to explore all the resources on the Code available for providers, workers and consumers.

Webinars

We hosted a series of webinars on the aged care reforms from a regulatory perspective including a Code of Conduct for Aged Care: Aged care worker webinar

Visit our Aged Care Reforms webpage for recordings and slides of other webinars we have hosted, and to keep an eye out for upcoming events.

There are also comprehensive question and answer documents on this webpage capturing our responses to questions raised by providers, workers and peak bodies during our Code and aged care reform webinars.

Further information on the Code is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.

Aged care reform and the Code

Everyone has the right to receive safe and quality aged care services.

The Australian Government is making improvements to address the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

One of these measures is a Code of Conduct for Aged Care (the Code) introduced on 1 December 2022.

The Code aims to improve safety and wellbeing for people receiving aged care and to boost trust in services.

The Code will help you to better understand what is expected of you in the delivery of care, supports and services. 

What is the Code of Conduct for Aged Care?

The Code describes the behaviour expected of aged care providers, their governing persons (e.g. board members and Chief Executive Officers) and aged care workers.

The Code gives the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (the Commission) the power to deal with behaviour that is not consistent with the Code and has been developed based on the existing National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Code of Conduct.

Who is covered by the Code?

The Code applies to approved aged care providers of residential, home care and flexible care services and:

  • their governing persons (e.g. board members and CEOs)
  • aged care workers who are:
    • employed or otherwise engaged (including on a voluntary basis) by the provider
    • employed or otherwise engaged (including on a voluntary basis) by a contractor or subcontractor of the provider to provide care or other services to consumers.

Examples of aged care workers and governing persons of approved providers who are required to comply with the Code are listed on page 10 of the Code of Conduct for Aged Care: Guidance for aged care workers and governing persons.

Note:

  1. Flexible care includes the Transition Care Program, Multi-Purpose Services Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Program.
  2. The Code does not apply to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFACP) however these providers will still be required to provide care that is safe and respectful and to behave in a way that is in keeping with the Code.

What are your responsibilities?

People receiving aged care should always be treated well and feel safe. 

As an aged care worker providing care, supports and services, you have the most contact with people receiving care. Your behaviour affects how people feel about themselves and if they feel safe and supported. 

You must always act in a way that is respectful, kind and consistent with the behaviours set out in the Code. 

Your responsibilities under the Code are in keeping with your existing obligations under the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act), including the Aged Care Quality Standards.

The Code of Conduct for Aged Care: Guidance for aged care workers and governing persons describes these responsibilities, the types of conduct covered by the Code and information about what the Code means in practice.

What are your provider’s responsibilities?

Approved providers must also behave and treat people receiving aged care services in ways consistent with the Code and take steps to make sure aged care workers and governing persons do the same. 

Providers are expected to support, equip and prepare you to carry out your role. This includes, for example, providing training, making sure policies and procedures are easily accessible, and taking action to make sure you meet the Code. 

What can the Commission do?

Our role is to protect and enhance the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of people receiving aged care services.

If we find that an aged care provider and/or the people who provide care have behaved in a way that is not consistent with the Code, we can take action. 

The legislation includes protections to ensure providers or individuals are given the chance to respond to concerns raised. Appropriate procedural fairness applies.

We have access to a range of compliance and enforcement actions to respond to different situations. In severe cases, our action may include banning a current or former aged care worker or governing person from working in aged care. In the case of approved providers, we may apply a sanction or revoke their approved provider status. 

An Aged Care Banning Orders Register (the Register) will be maintained with information relating to individuals against whom a banning order has been made. 

Contact

To make an enquiry, submit feedback, a concern or a complaint, you can:

Changed
Was this page useful?
Why?
Why not?