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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 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 61 to 80 of 83 result(s)
/quality-standards/consumer-and-carer-engagement-practical-guide

Consumer and carer engagement: A practical guide

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides a guide for engaging consumers and carers in mental health services. It outlines steps for involving people in decision-making, service design, and evaluation. The guide emphasises co-design, leadership, and dedicated resources to create a person-centred approach that improves care and service outcomes.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.1: Partnering with individuals, 3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.4: Planning and coordination of funded aged care services
Consumer and carer engagement: A practical guide
/quality-standards/national-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-health-plan-2021-2031

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031

Guidance
Published date

This resource outlines the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031, which focuses on improving health outcomes through culturally safe, prevention-focused care. It emphasises addressing cultural and social determinants of health across the life course. The plan supports self-determination, eliminating racism, and fostering partnerships with community-controlled health services to make sure equitable access to health and wellbeing services. 

Author
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031
/quality-standards/national-agreement-closing-gap

National Agreement on Closing the Gap

Guidance
Published date

This resource outlines the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, focusing on improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It includes key areas for joint national action, prioritising cultural safety and addressing inequalities. The agreement encourages collaboration with communities to monitor progress and ensure accountability.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
National Agreement on Closing the Gap
/quality-standards/working-diverse-groups-aged-care-resources

Working with diverse groups in aged care - Resources

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance for aged care providers on working with people from diverse backgrounds. It includes information on caring for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, LGBTI elders, care leavers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders. Training programs and resources are available to support culturally appropriate 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
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.1: Partnering with individuals
Working with diverse groups in aged care - Resources
/quality-standards/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-mental-health-program

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health program

Fact sheet
Last Updated

This resource provides information on a mental health program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes funding for culturally appropriate mental health services, offering psychological therapies, complex care, and clinical coordination. The program integrates with other services such as drug and alcohol support and suicide prevention initiatives. 

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
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 1: The Individual
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.5: Safety of clinical care services, 1.1: Person-centred care
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health program
/quality-standards/common-barriers

Common barriers

Guidance

This resource outlines common barriers faced by diverse groups in accessing aged care services, including communication challenges, social isolation, experiences of trauma, grief and loss, and social exclusion. It provides guidance on addressing these issues to make sure equitable access to services for all older people.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life
Common barriers
/quality-standards/first-nations-youtube-videos

First Nations - YouTube videos

Video
Published date

This resource includes a series of YouTube videos developed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Australian First Nations older people discuss good quality, culturally appropriate and safe aged care, including person-centred care, rights and how to speak up about 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
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
First Nations - YouTube videos
/quality-standards/silver-rainbow-ageing-and-aged-care

Silver Rainbow: Ageing and Aged Care

Guidance

This resource is about the Silver Rainbow project to improve the experiences of LGBTI people as they age and enter aged care. The resource offers resources and training information to support the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ older people. It also includes relevant reports and papers, such as government submissions.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 7.1: Daily living
Silver Rainbow: Ageing and Aged Care
/quality-standards/about-food-nutrition-and-dining-hotline-provider-and-worker-fact-sheet

About the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline – provider and worker fact sheet

Fact sheet
Published date
Last Updated

This resource provides information about the Food, Nutrition, and Dining Hotline, which offers advice and addresses concerns regarding food and dining in aged care. It allows aged care providers, staff, residents, families, and carers to raise issues about nutrition, menu planning, and dining experiences to improve quality and care outcomes. 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
6: Food and Nutrition, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.6a: Complaints and feedback management for aged care workers, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 6.1: Partnering with individuals on food and drinks
First page of About the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline provider fact sheet.
/quality-standards/partnering-care-caring-together

Partnering in care - Caring together

Fact sheet
Published date

This resource outlines the Partnerships in Care (PiC) programme, which encourages family and friends to support companionship and care for people in aged care, even during outbreak situations. It provides guidance on infection control, visitation protocols, and formal engagement with care activities to enhance resident well-being in a safe, structured manner. 

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
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Partnering in care - Caring together
/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
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/better-practice-complaint-handling-guide

Better Practice Complaint Handling Guide

Guidance
Published date

This resource provides best practice guidance for handling complaints within public service agencies and private providers. It outlines the principles for creating an effective, customer-focused complaint system, including steps for logging, resolving, and communicating complaints. The guide also provides insights on staff training, performance benchmarks, and systemic improvement to enhance service quality and public trust, with relevance for aged care providers ensuring fair and transparent complaint resolution processes.

Author
External resource
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.6a: Complaints and feedback management for aged care workers, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Better Practice Complaint Handling Guide
/quality-standards/australian-centre-evidence-based-aged-care-resources

Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care - Resources

Guidance

This resource provides a collection of tools and guidelines for improving person-centred care in aged care settings. It includes assessments on care personalisation, pain management, staff-family relationships, and support for sexuality and decision-making for people with dementia.

This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

Author
External resource
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.1 Assessment and planning
Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care - Resources
/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
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
/quality-standards/consumer-advisory-body-discussion-card-template

Consumer advisory body discussion card template

Template
Published date

A discussion card template that consumer advisory body members can use to write their own topics and questions to prompt discussion about any concerns older people receiving care may have.

Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Consumer advisory body discussion card template thumbnail
/quality-standards/consumer-advisory-body-welcome-letter-template

Consumer advisory body welcome letter template

Template
Published date

A welcome letter template that consumer advisory body members can use to communicate with new members.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Consumer advisory body welcome letter template thumbnail
/quality-standards/consumer-advisory-body-meeting-agenda-template

Consumer advisory body meeting agenda template

Template
Published date

A template that consumer advisory body members can use to plan their meeting agendas.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Consumer advisory body meeting agenda template thumbnail
/quality-standards/consumer-advisory-body-minutes-template

Consumer advisory body minutes template

Template
Published date

A template that consumer advisory body members can use in their meetings to take minutes.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Consumer advisory body minutes template thumbnail
/quality-standards/statement-rights-workers

Statement of Rights - Workers

Guidance

This resource provides information for providers about the Statement of Rights. The Statement of Rights promote quality and safe care for older persons accessing, or seeking to access, funded aged care services. The rights help to ensure that older people and their needs are at the centre of the new aged care system. 

This page includes information about what the Statement of Rights means for providers, and has links to additional resources about the rights, including videos and fact sheets.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 7.1: Daily living
Statement of rights - workers
/quality-standards/better-practice-guide-complaints-handling-aged-care-services

Better practice guide to complaints handling in aged care services

Guides
Published date
Last Updated

This booklet aims to give guidance on how to:

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.6a: Complaints and feedback management for aged care workers, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Better practice guide to complaints handling in aged care services