On 1 November 2025, the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (strengthened Quality Standards) were introduced as part of the Aged Care Act 2024. They replaced the previous Aged Care Quality Standards (previous Quality Standards) that were in effect between 1 July 2019 and 31 October 2025.
The previous Quality Standards were:
- Standard 1. Consumer dignity and choice
- Standard 2. Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers
- Standard 3. Personal care and clinical care
- Standard 4. Services and supports for daily living
- Standard 5. Organisation’s service environment
- Standard 6. Feedback and complaints
- Standard 7. Human resources
- Standard 8. Organisational governance
Strengthening the Aged Care Quality Standards
In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended the government review the Aged Care Quality Standards to better support safe, quality aged care. The areas the Royal Commission found could be improved included:
- dementia care
- supporting diversity
- governance
- food and nutrition
- clinical care.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing led the review to develop the strengthened Quality Standards.
Key changes
The strengthened Quality Standards are more measurable and detailed than the previous Quality Standards. They’re also more streamlined, going from 8 down to 7 standards.
The strengthened Quality Standards have updated requirements for:
- clinical care, with a new dedicated standard (Standard 5)
- person-centred care that recognises people’s diversity
- provider governance
- partnering with older
- food and nutrition, with a new dedicated standard (Standard 6)
- dementia care.
