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Quality Standards Resource Centre

The Quality Standards Resource Centre helps extend understanding of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which took effect from 1 November 2025. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome and audience. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.

Displaying 21 to 40 of 46 result(s)
/quality-standards/medication-management

Medication management

Guidance

This resource provides information on medication management in aged care, focusing on psychotropics and antimicrobials. It includes tools for reducing inappropriate use, antimicrobial stewardship guidance, self-assessment resources, and quality bulletins. It aims to improve medication safety, prevent inappropriate prescribing, and support care providers in ensuring safe clinical practices.

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards. 

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Medication management
/quality-standards/polypharmacy-consumer-perspective-national-medicines-symposium-2024

Polypharmacy Consumer Perspective - National Medicines Symposium 2024

Presentations
Published date

This is a presentation on Polypharmacy Consumer Perspective. It includes details of a case example, resolution and care management, and key principles related to medicines and goal of care. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Polypharmacy Consumer Perspective - National Medicines Symposium 2024
/quality-standards/national-health-and-climate-strategy-resources-collection

National Health and Climate Strategy – Resources collection

Guidance
Published date

This is a collection of resources related to the National Health and Climate Strategy. The collection includes the strategy, implementation plan 2024-2028, stakeholder engagement report, governance information and publications. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.10: Emergency and disaster management
National Health and Climate Strategy – Resources collection
/quality-standards/governing-reform-aged-care-program

Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program

Guidance

This resource outlines the Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program, designed to strengthen corporate and clinical governance capabilities for aged care leaders. It provides tools, online learning modules, webinars, and podcasts to support governance improvement and help leaders engage in reform efforts. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards. 

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.1: Partnering with individuals, 2.2a: Quality, safety and inclusion culture to support aged care workers to deliver quality care, 2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures, 2.4: Risk management, 2.5: Incident management, 2.6a: Complaints and feedback management for aged care workers, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 2.7: Information management, 2.8: Workforce planning, 2.9: Human resource management, 2.10: Emergency and disaster management
Governing for Reform in Aged Care Program
/quality-standards/managing-emergency-situations

Managing emergency situations

Guidance

This resource outlines strategies for managing emergency situations, focusing on risk mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. It includes guidelines on emergency planning, crisis leadership, and community engagement, emphasising coordinated efforts across various sectors to handle natural or human-caused disasters.

Guidance and requirements may differ across states and territories. Users are responsible for considering their individual circumstances and specific state-based regulations and legislation.

Author
External resource
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.10: Emergency and disaster management
Managing emergency situations
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-residential-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with a residential aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with cognitive impairment. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions of care. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-home-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with an in-home aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with dementia. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions of care. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care
/quality-standards/safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-aged-care-fact-sheet

Safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for aged care - Fact sheet

Fact sheet
Published date

This fact sheet is informed by the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard (CCS), developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. The CCS describes the safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people with cognitive disability or impairment, in a way that upholds their rights, dignity, health and quality of life. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for aged care - Fact sheet
/quality-standards/guidelines-pharmacists-supporting-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples-medicines-management

Guidelines for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management

Guidance
Published date

This resource describes the professional obligations of pharmacists when supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with culturally safe and responsive care and medicines management. It includes information about appropriate and effective processes, desired behaviour or minimum standards of good practice and information about duties and responsibilities. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
External resource
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Guidelines for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with Medicines Management
/quality-standards/residential-medication-management-review-and-quality-use-medicines

Residential Medication Management Review and Quality Use of Medicines

Guidance

This page provides information on the intent of the Residential Medication Management Review and Quality Use of Medicines (RMMR) Program. It outlines its purpose, participation requirements, claiming and payment processes, frequently asked questions, program rules, and extra available downloads.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Residential Medication Management Review and Quality Use of Medicines
/quality-standards/medicines-use-older-people

Medicines use in older people

Guidance
Published date

This resource is chapter six of the Fourth Atlas 2021 of Healthcare Variations. The chapter examines medicines use in people aged 75 and over, focusing on polypharmacy, medication management reviews (MMRs), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) dispensing. It highlights variations in medication use and recommends improving access to MMR services and interventions for safe, effective medication use in older populations. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Medicines use in older people
/quality-standards/poisons-standard-susmp

The Poisons Standard (the SUSMP)

Guidance
Last Updated

The Poisons Standard (SUSMP) is a resource that classifies medicines and chemicals into schedules for regulatory control in Australia. It outlines guidelines for labelling, packaging, and handling of substances. Key points include updates on scheduling decisions, which assist in public safety, healthcare, and chemical management. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
The Poisons Standard (the SUSMP)
/quality-standards/high-risk-medicines-resources

High risk medicines resources

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance on high-risk medicines, including safety alerts, notices, and best practices for safe prescribing, dispensing, and administration. It includes information on insulin and anticoagulant safety, monitoring tools, and best practice recommendations to improve medication safety and reduce harm from high-risk medications across healthcare settings. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
High risk medicines resources
/quality-standards/national-aboriginal-community-controlled-health-organisation-medicines-pharmacy

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation - Medicines & Pharmacy

Guidance

This resources provides information for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and other communities related to medicine use and management. It includes a collection of resources for health workers involved in prescribing and supplying medicines in these settings.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation - Medicines & Pharmacy
/quality-standards/medicine-safety-aged-care

Medicine safety: Aged care

Report
Published date

This report highlights medicine safety issues in aged care settings, detailing the prevalence of medicine-related problems, inappropriate prescribing, underuse of medicines, medicine regimen complexities, administration errors, and challenges during transitions of care. It provides opportunities for improvements and emphasises the need for safer medication practices, improved pharmacist involvement, and better regulatory frameworks to protect older people from medication harm.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Medicine safety: Aged care
/quality-standards/fact-sheet-enrolled-nurses-and-medicines-administration

Fact sheet - Enrolled nurses and medicines administration

Fact sheet
Last Updated

This fact sheet outlines the requirements for enrolled nurses (ENs) in Australia regarding the administration of medicines. It details the education and qualifications needed to administer medications, the specific conditions under which ENs may administer intravenous medicines, and guidance on removing any limitations from their registration. The document also emphasises adherence to legislation, policies, and safe practices.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Fact sheet - Enrolled nurses and medicines administration
/quality-standards/home-medicines-review

Home Medicines Review

Guidance

This resource provides information on the Home Medicines Review (HMR) program, designed to support the safe and effective use of medicines for patients at home. It outlines the process, eligibility criteria, program variations, claiming and payments, rural loading allowance, and guidance for pharmacists and healthcare providers involved in medication reviews

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Home Medicines Review
/quality-standards/working-older-people-diabetes

Working with older people with diabetes

Guidance

This resource provides materials for health professionals supporting older people with diabetes. Resources cover diabetes symptoms and management, blood glucose monitoring, diabetes medication, healthy eating, and more, aiming to improve quality care.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
Working with older people with diabetes
/quality-standards/racgp-aged-care-clinical-guide-silver-book-part-polypharmacy

RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - Part A - Polypharmacy

Guidance
Last Updated

This guide addresses polypharmacy in aged care, focusing on identifying inappropriate prescribing and reviewing all medications, including prescription, over-the-counter and complementary and alternative medicines. It includes recommendations for reducing medication use through deprescribing, ensuring medication safety, and regular review of renal and hepatic functions. Tools such as Beers Criteria and other screening frameworks are provided to support optimal medication management in older adults.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines
RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - Part A - Polypharmacy
/quality-standards/racgp-aged-care-clinical-guide-silver-book-part-deprescribing

RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - Part A - Deprescribing

Guidance
Last Updated

This guide focuses on deprescribing in aged care, aiming to reduce unnecessary or potentially harmful medications. It provides a framework for reviewing medication, assessing risks and benefits, developing tapering plans, and involving multidisciplinary teams. It provides recommendations including; patient-cantered communication, establishing written plans for medication withdrawal, and monitoring outcomes to improve quality of life.

Author
External resource
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines