Quality Standards Resource Centre

This resource includes information and tools to support thinking and talking about wishes and preferences for care at the end of life. This resource has been developed for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, their community, and those working with them. The resource also includes information about identifying decision makers and advance care planning.

The Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) is a cognitive screening tool for older Aboriginal Australians living in rural and remote areas. It has been adapted for use with Torres Strait Islander people, and for Aboriginal people living in urban and regional areas.

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

This resource provides information for care workers about palliative care. The Practice Centre provides links to, and information about, tools and resources to use in practice and improve care and outcomes in palliative care. It includes sections on improving practice, symptoms, medicines and tipsheets.

This resource is the Palliative Care Australia website. The website contains targeted guidance and resources for service providers and health care professionals. The resource also includes information about the National Palliative Care Standards, which provide guidance on best practice palliative care in different settings.

This resource provides evidence-based information for the healthcare sector about palliative care. It includes evidence summaries on topics related to palliative care, such as advance care planning, advocacy, care coordination, goals of care, nutrition and needs assessment.

This resource is the ELDAC (End of Life Directions for Aged Care) website. It provides information, guidance and resources for aged care providers and staff supporting palliative care and advance care planning. Information can be accessed by selecting a topic from the ELDAC care model, for example, providing palliative care, responding to deterioration and bereavement. Information can also be filtered using search functions such as role type, quick links, resource type and keywords. 

This resource is the Dementia Australia website. The website contains information about the types of dementia, testing, diagnosis, treatment and management of dementia. It includes information about living with dementia, such as behaviour changes, nutrition, staying connected and care options. It also contains information for professionals supporting people living with dementia, including research, tools and other resources. 

This resource provides a framework for recognising signs of mental state deterioration, organised into 5 key indicators: reported change, distress, loss of reality, loss of function, and elevated risk. It supports healthcare providers in monitoring mental health changes to enable timely and effective responses across care settings. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. Please consider the applicability of this resource to your care setting. 

The ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’ (‘MUST’) is a widely used tool for identifying malnutrition risk in adults across various settings. It includes interactive e-learning modules with case studies and assessments, helping staff improve nutritional care and meet quality standards.

This resource was developed internationally and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.

This model provides a framework for delivering tailored palliative care for people with intellectual disabilities, aiming for equitable access across various care settings. Supporting toolkits offer resources for health professionals and families to enhance communication and collaborative care.

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

This toolkit supports health professionals in delivering palliative care for people with intellectual disabilities by providing resources, guidance on communication, and tailored care strategies. It aims to enhance service quality through understanding specific needs and collaborative care planning.

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

This resource offers tools and guidelines for palliative care outcome measurement, including assessment scales for symptom severity, frailty, and daily living activities. It supports clinicians and managers in implementing standardised data collection to improve care quality in aged care settings.

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

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.

This resource offers practical guidance on effective engagement with older people, highlighting diverse communication methods, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive strategies to capture meaningful input. It supports collaborative relationships and respectful dialogue with older people in decision-making processes.

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

This resource provides a structured approach to oral health care in residential aged care, including assessment, care planning, daily oral care, and referral pathways. It includes training, guidelines, and tools to support staff in promoting oral health for older people with complex needs.

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

This resource offers evidence-based standardised care processes for aged care providers, covering high-risk clinical areas such as falls, pain, incontinence, and dehydration. It provides structured guidelines to support best practices, ensuring consistent and safe care for older people in residential settings.

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

This resource explains the legal requirements and processes for obtaining informed consent for medical treatments, procedures, and care. It is relevant to aged care by ensuring that people understand their healthcare options, risks, and benefits, supporting their ability to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

This page provides resources about palliative care for health professionals. The education resources support placement and workshop learning, but can be used for self-directed learning.

This resource outlines the National Consensus Statement on essential elements for safe and high-quality end-of-life care in Australia. It provides guiding principles, care processes, and organisational processes, focusing on person-centred communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and culturally appropriate care. The statement is designed for healthcare workers, service executives, and policy makers to enhance end-of-life care delivery. 

This resource provides an overview of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in Australia, detailing eligibility criteria, procedures, and legal requirements. It covers how VAD laws vary across jurisdictions, safeguards in place, and responsibilities for health professionals and institutions. Health professionals can conscientiously object but may still have legal responsibilities.