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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 took effect from 1 November 2025. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome and audience. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.

Displaying 1 to 20 of 20 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
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/hand-hygiene-helping-others-hand-hygiene

Hand Hygiene - Helping others with hand hygiene

Video
Published date

Infection prevention and control helps to stop the spread of germs like bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory infections and gastroenteritis. Hand hygiene is a very important part of this. 

In this video you will learn how to clean another person's hands.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
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
Hand hygiene video thumbnail
/quality-standards/your-role-infection-prevention-and-control-when-visiting-aged-care-service

Your role in infection prevention and control when visiting an aged care service

Video
Published date

Infection prevention and control, also known as IPC, are the steps and processes that people can use to reduce the spread of harmful germs and bacteria. 

People who visit aged care services can help support IPC processes.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
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
Your role in infection prevention and control video thumbnail
/quality-standards/partnerships-care-partner-information-package

Partnerships in care – Partner information package

Guidance, Guides
Published date

The partner information pack presents information for all people visiting and volunteering in residential aged care services. The resource includes information on the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC), the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and changes in what you need to do if you visit during an outbreak. 

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 4: The Environment, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.2: Dignity, respect and privacy, 4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
Partnerships in care cover image
/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
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
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/supporting-dining-experience-people-living-dementia-providers-and-workers-guide

Supporting the dining experience for people living with dementia – Providers and workers guide

Guidance, Guides
Published date

This guide is about how to support people living with dementia to maintain good nutrition and enjoy positive dining 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.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 6: Food and Nutrition
Outcomes
1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 6.4: Dining experience
Supporting the dining experience guide thumbnail
/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
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.3: Accountability, quality system and policies and procedures
Regulatory strategy 2024 cover page
/quality-standards/explaining-aged-care-and-your-rights-locally-tailorable-poster-first-nations-resources

Explaining aged care and your rights – locally tailorable poster - First Nations resources

Poster
Published date

We’ve developed a tailorable poster for you to edit with your own local details, and print and display at community notice boards or waiting areas.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Explaining aged care and your rights – locally tailorable poster
/quality-standards/first-nations-visual-storyboard-aged-care-and-your-rights

First Nations - Visual Storyboard - Aged care and your rights

Story board
Published date

The storyboards use pictures to explain aged care, your rights and what to do if your rights aren’t being met.

Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Storyboards
/quality-standards/first-nations-visual-information-sheet-your-rights-when-accessing-aged-care

First Nations - Visual information sheet - Your rights when accessing aged care

Guidance
Published date
Yarning about your aged care  (PDF  645.07 KB)
Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals
Yarning aged care
/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
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services
AMS tool
/quality-standards/first-nations-digital-flipchart-your-rights-aged-care

First Nations - Digital Flipchart - Your rights in aged care

Presentations, Tool
Published date

A visual guide for conversations between providers/workers and older people about aged care. It includes notes for providers/workers to help guide the conversation.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.6b: Complaints and feedback management for individuals, 3.1 Assessment and planning
Your rights in aged care cover page
/quality-standards/first-nations-workplace-poster-standard-3-care-and-services

First Nations – Workplace poster – Standard 3 Care and services

Poster
Published date
Last Updated

These workplace standards posters demonstrate the strengthened Standards and what they mean for aged care providers and workers. You can print these out and display them around your workplace.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
3: The Care and Services
Standard 3 thumbnail image
/quality-standards/first-nations-workplace-poster-standard-5-clinical-care

First Nations – Workplace poster – Standard 5 Clinical care

Poster
Published date
Last Updated

These workplace standards posters demonstrate the strengthened Standards and what they mean for aged care providers and workers. You can print these out and display them around your workplace.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Standard 5 thumbnail image
/quality-standards/first-nations-workplace-poster-standard-2-organisation

First Nations – Workplace poster – Standard 2 The organisation

Poster
Published date
Last Updated

These workplace standards posters demonstrate the strengthened Standards and what they mean for aged care providers and workers. You can print these out and display them around your workplace.

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
2: The Organisation
Standard 2 thumbnail image
/quality-standards/first-nations-workplace-poster-standard-1-individual

First Nations - Workplace poster - Standard 1 The individual

Poster
Published date
Last Updated

These workplace standards posters demonstrate the strengthened Standards and what they mean for aged care providers and workers. You can print these out and display them around your workplace.

Standard
1: The Individual
Standard 1 thumbnail image
/quality-standards/first-nations-stakeholder-communications-toolkit

First Nations - Stakeholder Communications Toolkit

Guidance, Tool
Published date
Last Updated

This Toolkit is designed for First Nations stakeholders including providers, workers and others involved in providing aged care services for First Nations people. We’ve developed it to make it easy for you to share relevant resources with your networks and members

Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
1: The Individual, 2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 2.1: Partnering with individuals, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
First Nations Resources – Communications Toolkit
/quality-standards/managing-worker-risk-policy

Managing worker risk policy

Guidance, Policy
Published date
Last Updated

Our Managing Worker Risk Policy explains our approach in detecting, assessing and responding to risks arising from the actions, inactions and behaviours of workers. 

This policy includes information about: 

Managing worker risk policy  (PDF  386.18 KB)
Author
Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission
Standard
2: The Organisation
Outcomes
2.4: Risk management, 2.8: Workforce planning, 2.9: Human resource management
Managing worker risk policy thumbnail
/quality-standards/infection-prevention-and-control-aged-care-cognitive-decline-and-dementia

Infection prevention and control in aged care - Cognitive decline and dementia

Guidance, Guides
Published date

How to create an environment with strong infection prevention and control practices while continuing to provide a positive experience for people with cognitive decline and dementia.

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
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.2: Infection prevention and control, 5.2: Preventing and controlling infections in delivering clinical care services, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
IPC dementia coverpage