Skip to main content

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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 141 to 160 of 277 result(s)
/quality-standards/serious-incident-response-scheme

The Serious Incident Response Scheme

Guidance

This resource provides an introduction to the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS), outlining its role in managing and reporting serious incidents in aged care. It includes guidance on incident management systems, the responsibilities of managers and workers, and reporting requirements for residential and home services​. 

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
The Serious Incident Response Scheme
/quality-standards/sequence-putting-and-removing-personal-protective-equipment-ppe

Sequence for putting on and removing personal protective equipment (PPE)

Poster
Published date

This poster outlines the correct sequence for putting on and removing personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the transmission of infectious agents. It provides step-by-step instructions for healthcare workers to ensure safe use of gowns, masks, gloves, and protective eyewear​. 

This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. Please consider the applicability of this resource to your care setting. 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
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
Sequence for putting on and removing personal protective equipment (PPE)
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-week-2023-presentation-basics-infection-prevention-and-control

Infection Prevention and Control Week 2023 - Presentation - Basics of Infection prevention and control

Presentations
Published date

This resource provides a presentation for Infection Prevention and Control Week 2023 covers hand hygiene, standard and transmission-based precautions, managing invasive devices, and antimicrobial stewardship. It provides foundational knowledge for healthcare workers to prevent and control infections 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
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 Week 2023 - Presentation - Basics of Infection prevention and control
/quality-standards/sepsis-clinical-care-standard

Sepsis Clinical Care Standard

Guidance
Published date

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's Sepsis Clinical Care Standard 2022 outlines 7 quality statements to ensure early recognition and best-practice care for sepsis, reducing risks of death and complications. It includes indicators for monitoring care and ensuring timely treatment. Applicable to multiple settings, including aged care, it supports high-quality sepsis management and improved 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
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
Sepsis Clinical Care Standard
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-home

Infection Prevention in the Home

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance on infection prevention in home care settings, highlighting challenges such as the unpredictability of home environments and lack of basic hygiene resources. It explains how to apply standard and transmission-based precautions, manage infection hazards, and involve clients in maintaining infection control practices to ensure safety. 

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
Key Theme
Environment, Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1a: Environment – services delivered in the individual’s home, 4.2: Infection prevention and control
Infection Prevention in the Home
/quality-standards/rural-health-workforce

Rural health workforce

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides an overview of the rural health workforce in Australia, including policies and programs designed to encourage health professionals to train and practise in rural and remote areas. It highlights strategies for improving healthcare access and quality in these regions, supporting both professionals and communities. 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
Key Theme
Workforce and human resources management
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.8: Workforce planning
Rural health workforce
/quality-standards/sector-performance

Sector performance

Report

This resource provides quarterly reports on the performance of the aged care sector, including data on residential care audits, home services quality reviews, complaints, and Serious Incident Response Scheme notifications. The reports offer insights into sector-wide performance and help providers monitor compliance and improve service quality​. 

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
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Sector performance
/quality-standards/screening-requirements-aged-care-workforce

Screening requirements for the aged care workforce

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides information about screening requirements for the aged care workforce. It contains information about screening checks, types of screening and screening requirements. It also includes links to relevant resources for more information. 

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
Key Theme
Workforce and human resources management
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.9: Human resource management
Screening requirements for the aged care workforce
/quality-standards/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides information about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common and highly contagious respiratory virus. It explains symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention, highlighting that RSV can be serious for infants and older adults with chronic conditions. It also details how RSV cases are monitored through national surveillance systems. 

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
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
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection
/quality-standards/reprocessing-reusable-medical-devices

Reprocessing of reusable medical devices

Guidance
Published date

This resource provides guidance on implementing updated standards for reprocessing reusable medical devices in health and non-health facilities. It supports compliance with AS 5369:2023, ensuring healthcare organisations follow national and international standards for safe equipment reprocessing to minimise infection risks and promote patient safety. 

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
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Reprocessing of reusable medical devices
/quality-standards/introduction-aged-care-videos-and-facilitator-guides

Introduction to Aged Care – Videos and facilitator guides

Video
Published date

This resource provides videos and facilitator guides to support the training and induction of aged care workers. It covers various key concepts, including duty of care, infection control, wellness, reablement, and safe practices. The aim is to enhance the understanding and quality of aged care services. 

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
Key Theme
Workforce and human resources management
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
5.1: Clinical governance, 2.9: Human resource management
Introduction to Aged Care – Videos and facilitator guides
/quality-standards/risk-assessment-and-management-home

Risk Assessment and Management in the Home

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance on risk assessment and management in home care settings under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. It explains how to identify and assess risks, implement control measures, and review safety protocols to minimise hazards and ensure the safety of older people and care workers in home environments. 

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
Key Theme
Environment
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1a: Environment – services delivered in the individual’s home
Laundry and Infection Control in Residential Aged Care
/quality-standards/ipc-location-based-guidance

IPC location-based guidance

Tool

This resource provides infection prevention and control (IPC) location-based guidance tailored for aged care providers. It includes state and territory-specific IPC requirements and offers links to relevant Commonwealth and local guidance. The document helps providers access and prioritise the appropriate IPC information to maintain compliance with regulations. 

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
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
IPC location-based guidance
/quality-standards/respecting-privacy-and-dignity-clients

Respecting the privacy and dignity of clients

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance about respecting the privacy and dignity of clients. It includes information about personal privacy, the Privacy Act, what classifies as health information, consent and privacy of information. It also includes information about person-centred care and client dignity. 

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
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy, Information management system, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 2.7: Information management, 7.1: Daily living
Respecting the privacy and dignity of clients
/quality-standards/review-requests

Review requests

Guidance

This resource outlines the process for aged care providers to request a reconsideration of regulatory decisions. It explains how to submit a request, including the timeline and required information. Providers and quality assessors can seek reviews through this process to address any concerns regarding regulatory 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
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Review requests
/quality-standards/regulatory-strategy-2024-25

Regulatory Strategy 2024–25

Corporate publications
Published date

Our Regulatory Strategy sets out how the Commission will deliver on our goals and commitments. 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.

Regulatory Strategy 2024–25  (PDF  1.08 MB)
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
Regulatory strategy 2024 cover page
/quality-standards/reporting-residential-aged-care

Reporting for residential aged care

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource outlines the reporting requirements for approved residential aged care providers. It includes instructions for submitting the Aged Care Financial Report (ACFR), General Purpose Financial Statement (GPFS), and Annual Prudential Compliance Statement (APCS). It also covers quality reporting under the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program, ensuring transparency and compliance with regulatory standards. 

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
Key Theme
Accountability and quality system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Reporting for residential aged care
/quality-standards/keeping-residents-safe-summer

Keeping residents safe this summer

Guidance

This resource offers guidance to aged care providers on keeping older people safe during summer. It includes strategies for managing heat exposure, hydration, and sun protection. It helps providers monitor vulnerable people, recognise signs of overheating, and implement preventative measures to ensure safety during hot weather​. 

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
Emergency and disaster management, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
2: The Organisation, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
2.10: Emergency and disaster management, 4.1a: Environment – services delivered in the individual’s home, 4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Keeping residents safe this summer
/quality-standards/ipc-resource-collection

IPC resource collection

Tool

This is an Infection and Prevention Control (IPC) resource tool. This tool can be used by both residential and home care providers to access key pieces of information and reference materials on infection prevention and control. The tool provides access to specific information by selecting a relevant topic and sub-topic. 

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
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
IPC resources
/quality-standards/reportable-incidents

Reportable incidents

Guidance

This resource outlines reportable incidents within aged care, including Priority 1 and Priority 2 incidents. It provides information on the 8 types of incidents that must be reported, such as psychological abuse, neglect, and the inappropriate use of restrictive practices, helping providers meet their obligations. 

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
Reportable incidents