The new Act is very different from the previous legislation. It focuses on empowering older people and upholding their rights, needs and personal choices. A key feature of the new Act is the Statement of Rights, which clearly outlines the rights older people will have when accessing or seeking to access aged care services.
- Find out what registered providers and workers need to know in this video explaining the Statement of Rights..
- Watch this video with our Commissioner explaining how the new Act is changing aged care for the better.
- Read more about the new rights-based Aged Care Act
For providers, the new Act includes new and different obligations and conditions that impact your delivery of aged care services. It also impacts the way that the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission regulates providers and holds them accountable for complying with their responsibilities. It’s a significant step towards building a stronger, more responsive aged care system that puts the rights, dignity and needs of older people first.
The new Act aims to:
- empower and improve the lives of older people accessing aged care services in their home, the community or residential aged care
- provide a forward-looking aged care system that is designed to:
- uphold the rights of older people under the Statement of Rights
- assist older people accessing aged care services to live active, self-determined and meaningful lives
- ensure equitable access to, and flexible delivery of, funded aged care services that put older people first
- support older people accessing funded aged care services to effectively participate in society on an equal basis with others
- enable older people accessing funded aged care services to exercise choice and control in the planning and delivery of those services
- provide a robust and risk-based regulatory framework for the delivery of funded aged care services, including accessible complaints mechanisms
- ensure older people are free from mistreatment, neglect and harm from poor quality or unsafe care
- provide and support education and advocacy arrangements that can assist older people to understand their rights, make decisions and provide feedback on the delivery of those services without reprisal
- encourage providers and workers to deliver high-quality care.
The new Act:
- addresses recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
- includes feedback from several public consultations run by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- responds to the Aged Care Taskforce on sustainably funding aged care into the future.
Key changes for providers
Under the new Aged Care Act there are some key changes to the way that aged care providers operate and the obligations you must meet.
The new Act requires you to:
- register with us if you want to deliver aged care services. If you are an existing provider of aged care services, you will be automatically deemed as a provider.
- ensure your actions are consistent with the Statement of Rights (including demonstrating you understand the Statement of Rights and have practices in place to ensure the delivery of funded aged care services is compatible with the Statement of Rights)
- comply with your obligations, including:
- conditions of registration
- comply with the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
- comply with the Code of Conduct for aged care (also ensuring workers comply with the Code)
- comply with the Statement of Principles
- comply with the new Financial and Prudential Standards
- ensure workers meet the worker screening requirements
- comply with new statutory duties of care.
Provider Handbook
The Provider Handbook gives a high-level overview of your obligations as a registered provider of Australian Government-funded aged care. It also shows you where to find the information you need to meet your obligations.
It helps you understand:
- what it means to be a registered provider
- what responsibilities and obligations you have as a registered provider
- our role and functions as the national rights-based aged care regulator
- how we will communicate and work with registered providers.
The handbook can be helpful if:
- you’re planning to apply to become a registered provider
- you’re already a registered provider.
To learn more about the new Aged Care Act go to:
