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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 4 of 4 result(s)
/quality-standards/dip-or-not-dip-implementation-guide-nurse-and-pharmacist-champions

To Dip or Not to Dip - Implementation Guide for Nurse and Pharmacist Champions

Guidance, Guides
Published date

To Dip or Not to Dip (TDONTD) is a quality improvement intervention successfully implemented in UK and Australian aged care homes to improve UTI assessment and antibiotic prescribing appropriateness.

This implementation guide has been drawn from the experiences of homes and champions who have implemented TDONTD, along with feedback from aged care nurses and personal care assistants who have used TDONTD resources.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services, 4.2: Infection prevention and control
To dip or not to dip implementation guide thumbnail
/quality-standards/dip-or-not-dip-australian-residential-aged-care-services-project-findings

To Dip or Not to Dip in Australian residential aged care services - project findings

Report
Published date

This visual abstract presents outcomes from a quality improvement project aimed at reducing low-value urine dipstick testing in aged care services. It included nurse education, implementing clinical pathways for UTI identification, and evaluating urinalysis practices and antibiotic prescribing. The findings demonstrate improved antibiotic prescribing appropriateness for UTIs over a 6-month follow-up period. 

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
5: Clinical Care, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services, 4.2: Infection prevention and control
TDONTD project findings - thumbnail
/quality-standards/dip-or-not-dip-huddle-tool-a3-poster

To Dip or Not to Dip - huddle tool A3 poster

Poster
Published date

This huddle tool poster provides guidance on appropriate use of urine dipstick tests in older adults. It explains that asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is common and not harmful, but that unnecessary antibiotic treatment can be. It suggests confirming urinary tract infections (UTIs) through clinical symptoms rather than dipstick results. 

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
5: Clinical Care, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services, 4.2: Infection prevention and control
To dip or not to dip huddle poster thumbnail
/quality-standards/antimicrobial-stewardship-self-assessment-tool-and-user-guide

Antimicrobial Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool and User Guide

Guides, Tool
Published date

This tool and user guide supports residential aged care services in self-assessing their antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices. It covers AMS governance, policies, education, monitoring, and feedback, aiming to improve antibiotic use and reduce risks associated with antimicrobial resistance. The resources helps identify gaps and develop action plans to enhance AMS activities and patient care. 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
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Key Theme
Infection prevention and control
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
AMS tool