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Aged care laws in Australia have now changed. The new Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025 now apply. While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations and legal responsibilities. Thank you for your patience.

Quality Standards Resource Centre

The Quality Standards Resource Centre helps extend understanding of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which take effect from 1 November 2025. The Resource Centre will be updated to reflect key changes made to the draft strengthened Standards. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome, audience and theme. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.

Displaying 41 to 60 of 60 result(s)
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-poster-combined-airborne-and-contact-precautions

Infection Prevention and Control Poster – Combined airborne and contact precautions

Poster
Published date

This poster provides guidance on combined airborne and contact precautions for infection prevention and control. It includes information on using personal protective equipment (PPE) and other measures to minimise the spread of infectious agents transmitted through both airborne particles and direct contact. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Infection Prevention and Control Poster – Combined airborne and contact precautions
/quality-standards/break-chain-infection-poster

Break The Chain of Infection Poster

Poster
Published date

This poster outlines key steps to break the chain of infection, including staying home if unwell, physical distancing, frequent handwashing, cleaning surfaces, and covering coughs or sneezes. It aims to prevent the spread of respiratory infections and supports infection prevention practices in healthcare settings. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Break The Chain of Infection Poster
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-poster-droplet-precautions-addition-standard-precautions-poster

Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Droplet precautions, in addition to standard precautions poster

Poster
Published date

This resource is a poster on droplet precautions, in addition to standard precautions, for infection prevention. It outlines measures to prevent the transmission of infectious agents spread through respiratory droplets, such as using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), patient placement, and minimising patient transport. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. Please consider the applicability of this resource to your care setting.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Droplet precautions, in addition to standard precautions poster
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-poster-combined-contact-and-droplet-precautions

Infection Prevention and Control Poster – Combined contact and droplet precautions

Poster
Published date

This poster outlines combined contact and droplet precautions for infection prevention and control, in addition to standard precautions. It provides guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other measures to reduce the transmission of infectious agents through direct contact and respiratory droplets​. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Infection Prevention and Control Poster – Combined contact and droplet precautions
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-poster-contact-precautions-poster

Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Contact precautions poster

Poster
Published date

This poster outlines contact precautions for infection prevention and control, in addition to standard precautions. It provides guidance on preventing the transmission of infectious agents through direct or indirect contact. Key elements include using personal protective equipment, proper patient placement, and minimising patient movement​. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. Please consider the applicability of this resource to your care setting.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Contact precautions poster
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-poster-standard-precautions-poster

Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Standard precautions poster

Poster
Published date

This resource is a poster on standard precautions for infection prevention and control in healthcare. It outlines essential practices such as hand hygiene, personal protective equipment use, environmental cleaning, and waste management. The poster helps healthcare workers minimise infection risks and maintain safe care environments. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. Please consider the applicability of this resource to your care setting.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Infection Prevention and Control Poster - Standard precautions poster
/quality-standards/food-and-drink-your-aged-care-supporting-informed-choice-and-risk-staff-poster

Food and drink in your aged care - supporting informed choice and risk - staff poster

Poster
Published date

This resource provides guidance for aged care staff on supporting older people's informed choices regarding food and drink, even when those choices involve personal risks. It encourages staff to respect resident autonomy, provide information on risks, document decisions, and ensure access to professional advice, promoting dignity and quality of life in care 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
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Choice, independence and quality of life, Food and nutrition, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 6: Food and Nutrition, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 6.3: Provision of food and drinks, 7.1: Daily living
thumbnail food and drink poster
/quality-standards/know-look-act-oral-pain-aged-care-staff-poster

KNOW, LOOK, ACT - Oral Pain aged care staff poster

Poster
Published date

This poster serves as a resource for aged care staff to recognise and respond to signs of oral pain in residents. It provides guidance on identifying mouth and tooth pain and taking appropriate action to address these issues. The poster is available for download and use in residential aged care 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
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Food and nutrition, Clinical safety
Standard
6: Food and Nutrition, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
6.2: Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services
thumbnail - know look act oral pain poster
/quality-standards/food-nutrition-and-dining-hotline-stakeholder-communications-kit

Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline - Stakeholder Communications Kit

Tool
Last Updated

This resource provides a communications kit to help promote the Food, Nutrition, and Dining Hotline. It includes social media posts, fact sheets, and videos to support providers in raising awareness of the hotline, which offers advice, information, and assistance on food, nutrition, and dining-related matters in aged 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
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Food and nutrition, Feedback and complaints management system
Standard
6: Food and Nutrition, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
6.1: Partnering with individuals on food and drinks
Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline - Stakeholder Communications Kit
/quality-standards/antimicrobial-stewardship-self-assessment-tool-and-user-guide

Antimicrobial Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool and User Guide

Guides, Tool
Published date

This tool and user guide supports residential aged care services in self-assessing their antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices. It covers AMS governance, policies, education, monitoring, and feedback, aiming to improve antibiotic use and reduce risks associated with antimicrobial resistance. The resources helps identify gaps and develop action plans to enhance AMS activities and patient care. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 July 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
AMS tool
/quality-standards/effective-incident-management-system-checklist

Effective incident management system checklist

Guides, Tool
Published date

This resource provides a checklist to help aged care providers ensure their incident management systems meet regulatory requirements. It outlines key responsibilities, reporting processes, and steps to review and manage incidents effectively, aligning with the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) guidelines​.

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
Key Theme
Incident management system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management
Document with teal header and and the test Effective incident management system checklist  and checklist items in table
/quality-standards/goal-planning-tool

Goal planning tool

Guides, Tool
Published date

This resource is a goal planning tool designed to support aged care providers in improving food, dining, nutrition, and consumer choice. It helps providers set objectives, track progress, and implement actions to enhance service quality, ensuring that people’s preferences and dietary needs are consistently met​. 

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. 

Goal planning tool  (PDF  899.52 KB)
Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Choice, independence and quality of life, Assessment and planning
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 1: The Individual
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life
Goal planning document with an orange header and two tables with four columns and three rows
/quality-standards/first-nations-digital-flipchart-your-rights-aged-care

First Nations - Digital Flipchart - Your rights in aged care

Presentations, Tool
Published date

A visual guide for conversations between providers/workers and older people about aged care. It includes notes for providers/workers to help guide the conversation.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Feedback and complaints management system, Assessment and planning, Person-centred care
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 3.1 Assessment and planning
Your rights in aged care cover page
/quality-standards/audit-evidence-collection-tool-aect-registration

Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Registration

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

Organisations or persons must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Registration as part of the initial registration audit. This is compulsory for organisations or persons applying for registration in categories 4, 5 and 6 from 1 November 2025.

The registration audit helps us to understand if the organisation or person can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. 

We use this tool to collect evidence about:

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Audit evidence collection tool
/quality-standards/audit-evidence-collection-tool-aect-renewal

Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Renewal

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

Providers must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Renewal as part of a renewal audit in registration categories 4, 5 and 6. This is compulsory for providers from 1 November 2025.

Providers only need to complete this tool once as part of the audit program.

The renewal audit helps us to understand if the provider can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.

We use this tool to collect evidence about:

  • your systems and processes
  • how you deliver high-quality care to older people.
Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Draft audit evidence tool - renewal
/quality-standards/audit-evidence-collection-tool-aect-variation

Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Variation

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

Providers must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Variation as part of a variation audit, where they are asking to add categories 4, 5 or 6 to their registration. This is compulsory for providers from 1 November 2025.

The variation audit helps us to understand if the provider can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. 

We use this tool to collect evidence about:

  • the systems and processes you will establish
  • how you will deliver high-quality care to older people.
Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Draft audit evidence tool - variation
/quality-standards/care-delivery-evidence-collection-tool-cdect-care-delivery-location-category-4-5

Care Delivery Evidence Collection Tool (CDECT) – Care delivery location (Category 4 & 5)

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

Providers must complete this tool as part of a renewal audit in registration categories 4 and 5. 

We will identify a targeted sample of care delivery locations (Category 4 & 5). You will be notified of this sample and the CDECT – Care delivery location must only be completed for these targeted sample locations. 

We use this tool to collect evidence about care and services delivered in a home or community setting.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
CDECT – Care delivery location (Category 4 & 5) thumbnail
/quality-standards/care-delivery-evidence-collection-tool-cdect-residential-category-6

Care Delivery Evidence Collection Tool (CDECT) – Residential (Category 6)

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

Providers must complete this tool as part of a renewal audit in registration category 6. 

The CDECT – Residential must be completed once for each category 6 service. 

We use this tool to collect evidence about the residential care home.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
CDECT – Residential (Category 6) thumbnail
/quality-standards/liquidity-calculator-registered-providers-aged-care-sector

Liquidity calculator for registered providers in the aged care sector

Tool
Published date
Last Updated

This calculator informs registered providers of the minimum level of liquid assets they are required to hold calculated based on Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) financial statements.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Liquidity calculator
/quality-standards/first-nations-stakeholder-communications-toolkit

First Nations - Stakeholder Communications Toolkit

Guidance, Tool
Published date
Last Updated

This Toolkit is designed for First Nations stakeholders including providers, workers and others involved in providing aged care services for First Nations people. We’ve developed it to make it easy for you to share relevant resources with your networks and members

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Corporate and clinical governance, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.1: Partnering with individuals, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
First Nations Resources – Communications Toolkit