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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 1 to 20 of 30 result(s)
/quality-standards/part-3-aged-care-rights-and-principles

Part 3 - Aged care rights and principles

Guidance

This resource is available on the Parliament of Australia website. It includes information about aged care rights and principles, including the Statement of Rights. The Statement of Rights outlines the rights that older people will have when accessing aged care services.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Part 3 - Aged care rights and principles
/quality-standards/good-spirit-good-life-quality-life-framework

Good Spirit Good Life - a Quality of life framework

Guidance

This resource describes the Good Spirit Good Life (GSGL) framework for assessing the quality of life of older Aboriginal people, focusing on culturally important factors such as connection to Country, family, and spirituality. It includes tools for both self-reporting and carer-assisted reporting.

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

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Dignity, respect and privacy, Assessment and planning
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 3.1 Assessment and planning
Good Spirit Good Life - a Quality of life framework
/quality-standards/elder-abuse-prevention

Elder Abuse Prevention

Guidance

This resource provides community education and awareness programmes to prevent elder abuse, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse seniors. It includes bilingual training for community educators, in-language resources, and guidance for recognising and addressing elder abuse through culturally appropriate methods.

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

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Elder Abuse Prevention
/quality-standards/maintaining-personal-identity

Maintaining personal identity

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource offers guidance on maintaining personal identity for people with dementia by fostering respect, independence, and communication. It suggests environmental and social modifications to enhance dignity, such as personalising spaces, supporting mobility, and addressing unmet needs.

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

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Dignity, respect and privacy, Choice, independence and quality of life
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life
Maintaining personal identity
/quality-standards/bedrooms-and-privacy

Bedrooms and privacy

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource offers guidance on maintaining personal identity for people with dementia by fostering respect, independence, and communication. It suggests environmental and social modifications to enhance dignity, such as personalising spaces, supporting mobility, and addressing unmet needs.

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

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy, Environment, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 4: The Environment, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home, 7.1: Daily living
Bedrooms and privacy
/quality-standards/i-need-information-my-rights

I need information on my rights

Guidance

This resource provides information on aged care rights, including guidance on self-advocacy and accessing support. It offers resources, free educational sessions, and access to advocates for assistance with government-funded aged care services, empowering people to address concerns and understand their entitlements.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
I need information on my rights
/quality-standards/protecting-rights-older-australians

Protecting the Rights of Older Australians

Guidance

This resource provides an overview of Australia’s approach to addressing the abuse of older people, including the National Plan, specialist services, awareness campaigns, and legal reforms. It aims to increase awareness, support prevention efforts, and offer accessible resources for those experiencing or at risk of abuse.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Protecting the Rights of Older Australians
/quality-standards/privacy-and-safety

Privacy and safety

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource addresses balancing privacy and safety for older people using technology in aged care. It highlights the importance of making sure surveillance technology supports independent living while respecting personal dignity, and it explores considerations for safety and privacy in care settings.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Privacy and safety
/quality-standards/maintaining-dignity

Maintaining dignity

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource highlights the importance of maintaining dignity for older people in aged care, focusing on how technology use can impact their sense of autonomy and respect. It advises service providers to make sure technological solutions enhance care quality without compromising the dignity of those receiving care.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Person-centred care
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Maintaining dignity
/quality-standards/racgp-aged-care-clinical-guide-silver-book-part-b-abuse-older-people

RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - Part B - Abuse of older people

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource provides guidance on recognising, assessing, and managing abuse of older people in various settings, including residential aged care. It covers types of abuse (financial, emotional, physical, sexual, neglect), risk factors, barriers to disclosure, and steps for prevention. The document also includes recommendations for safety planning, intervention strategies, and resources for support across Australian states and territories.

Author
External resource
Key Theme
Incident management system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management
RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver Book) - Part B - Abuse of older people
/quality-standards/your-aged-care-rights

Your aged care rights

Tool

This resource offers tools for self-advocacy in aged care, helping people understand their rights and what to expect from providers. It includes resources on the Charter of Aged Care Rights, care planning, and maintaining connections, supporting people in navigating and maximising their aged care experience.

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
Standard
1: The Individual
Outcomes
1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Your aged care rights
/quality-standards/benefits-effective-incident-management-video

Benefits of effective incident management video

Video
Published date

In this short video, we provide an overview of the benefits of effective incident management in residential aged care settings under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS), which commenced on 1 April 2021.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Incident management system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management
Benefits of effective incident management video thumbnail
/quality-standards/code-conduct-aged-care

Code of Conduct for Aged Care

Guidance

This resource outlines the Code of Conduct for Aged Care, which sets expectations for the behaviour of providers, governing persons, and workers. It promotes respect, safety, and quality in aged care services, ensuring people’s rights are protected. The Code includes guidance on handling concerns and preventing abuse or neglect​. 

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
Workforce and human resources management, Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
2: The Organisation, 1: The Individual
Outcomes
2.9: Human resource management, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Code of Conduct for Aged Care
/quality-standards/code-conduct-workers

Code of Conduct for workers

Guidance

This resource outlines the Code of Conduct for Aged Care workers, detailing expected behaviours such as respect, honesty, and integrity. It ensures people receiving care are treated with dignity, kept safe from harm, and supported. The Code applies to all aged care workers, including volunteers​. 

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
Workforce and human resources management, Dignity, respect and privacy
Standard
2: The Organisation, 1: The Individual
Outcomes
2.9: Human resource management, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy
Code of Conduct for workers
/quality-standards/sirs-insights-reports

SIRS insights reports

Report

This resource provides Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) insights reports, offering case study examples and data to help aged care providers improve incident management practices. The reports feature learnings from incidents such as unexplained absences and unreasonable use of force, helping providers assess their own practices and enhance care 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
Incident management system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management
SIRS insights reports
/quality-standards/incident-management-systems

Incident Management Systems

Guidance

This resource explains Incident Management Systems (IMS) used in aged care to record, manage, and respond to incidents. It provides guidance on building a safety culture, recording and analysing incidents, and implementing steps to prevent reoccurrences, supporting continuous improvement in care delivery. 

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, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management, 3.3: Communicating for safety and quality
Incident Management Systems
/quality-standards/serious-incident-response-scheme-sirs

Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource outlines the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS), which helps reduce abuse and neglect of older people in aged care services. It mandates that Commonwealth-subsidised aged care providers implement systems to manage and prevent serious incidents. Providers must report incidents such as abuse, neglect, and unlawful contact, ensuring older people’s safety and wellbeing. 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
Incident management system
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.5: Incident management
Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
/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/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/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