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.
Essential element 2: Identifying goals of care
This resource guides providers in identifying and setting goals of care with patients through shared decision-making. It fosters collaboration between patients, family, and healthcare teams to clarify expectations and establish personalised clinical and personal care objectives.
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.
Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control resources
This resource offers a range of environmental cleaning and infection prevention tools for healthcare settings, including guidelines for small organisations, cleaning audits, product selection, and emerging cleaning technologies. It supports aged care providers in maintaining clean, hygienic environments, helping them comply with infection control standards and 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.
Environmental design resources handbook
This resource supports improvements to environments for people living with dementia. The resource includes information and background on the key design principles and environmental assessment tools. It also includes the Indigenous Aged Care Design Guide. The handbook can be accessed in full, or individually as 7 separate resources.
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.
Falls prevention
This resource provides guidance for preventing falls and harm from falls in older people in 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.
What we’re doing about palliative care
This resource outlines the Australian Government’s strategies, initiatives, and research for improving palliative care. It details the National Palliative Care Strategy, workforce training, and key programs such as at-home and aged care measures. It also highlights the National Framework for Advance Care Planning, ensuring access to quality palliative care across Australia.
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.
What is hand hygiene?
This resource provides guidance on proper hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings. It covers key topics such as the correct use of alcohol-based hand rubs, when to wash hands with soap and water, and appropriate glove use. It also addresses common hand care issues and strategies for preventing dermatitis in healthcare workers.
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.
Visitor restrictions
This resource provides guidelines on visitor restrictions for aged care services during infectious outbreaks, such as COVID-19. It includes information on managing the impact of restrictions, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of care recipients, and balancing health risks with the need for social connection to prevent negative physical and psychological effects.
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.
Workforce responsibilities
This resource outlines the workforce responsibilities of aged care providers, including the legal obligation to provide skilled staff and support their workforce. It details mandatory requirements such as 24/7 registered nurse coverage and care minutes for residential 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.
Workforce planning in aged care
This resource provides guidance about workforce planning in aged care. It includes information about workforce composition, current requirements and why it's important. It highlights the importance of the care experience, including continuity 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.
Reconciliation Action Plans
This resource provides information about Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), including what they are, how to develop a RAP for your organisation, and who has one. RAPs support organisations to strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
Outbreak Management Plan - stress testing outline
Having a comprehensive and organisation-specific outbreak management plan (OMP) helps your organisation to be prepared for the management of infections and outbreaks within your service. A key part of this readiness is ensuring that your OMP is fit-for-purpose and that everyone across the organisation can implement it if required. One way to maintain readiness and support continuous improvement of your OMP is to run regular drills, or stress tests, of your plan.
Celebrating successes in engaging people to improve food, nutrition and dining
This resource highlights successful practices in engaging older people to improve food, nutrition, and dining experiences. Providers can use examples like food focus groups, family involvement in recipe changes, and resident-led dining committees to promote enjoyable, dignified, and inclusive dining. It fosters better health, wellbeing, and relationships with staff.
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.
Caring for older people in heatwaves – Home Care and CHSP
This resource provides a checklist for home care and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers to help them prepare for and manage the care of older people during heatwaves. It outlines steps to take before, during, and after heatwaves, ensuring the health and safety of those under their 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.
Your questions answered - Influenza
This resource answers common questions about influenza vaccination. It explains the importance of annual flu vaccines, who should get vaccinated, and how the vaccine works. It highlights the vaccine's role in preventing serious complications, particularly for older adults, children, pregnant people, and those with chronic health conditions.
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.
Caring for Cognitive Impairment
This resource outlines support for health service organisations to provide safe, high-quality care for people with cognitive impairment, especially during COVID-19. It includes new intellectual disability resources, fact sheets, posters, and guidance aligned with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards to improve patient outcomes and care experiences.
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.
Australian Immunisation Handbook - Updates to Handbook
This resource provides a summary of recent updates made to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. It details changes to vaccine recommendations, including the removal of discontinued vaccines, new vaccines for diseases, and revised guidance for specific populations such as pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
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.
Care management for Home Care Packages
This resource details requirements for managing Home Care Packages, including creating care plans, maintaining Home Care Agreements, and conducting ongoing care discussions. Providers must align services with the person’s needs, goals, and preferences, ensuring high-quality care that is culturally safe and compliant with quality 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.
Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)
This resource provides an overview of the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA), which coordinates national surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases. It outlines CDNA’s role in managing outbreaks, developing policy, and strengthening disease control. The document supports collaboration with national and international partners to prevent and manage disease outbreaks effectively.
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.
Communication at clinical handover
This resource focuses on structured clinical handover processes to improve communication during patient care transitions. It highlights the importance of standardising handover procedures to make sure relevant information is effectively communicated, reducing errors and enhancing patient safety, especially during care transfers in healthcare settings, including 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.
Cognitive impairment resources
This resource provides a range of materials developed to improve the safety and quality of healthcare for people with cognitive impairment or at risk of delirium. It includes guides, fact sheets, and standards for consumers, clinicians, and health service organisations, supporting the implementation of best practice and quality 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.