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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 While we complete updating of our website, including draft guidance and other materials, to align with the new laws, providers are advised to refer to the new Act and Rules for any required clarification of their obligations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 25 result(s)
/quality-standards/clean-and-safe-environment

Clean and safe environment

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource outlines processes to maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic environment in healthcare, including aged care. It provides guidance on infection control, environmental cleaning, and staff training to reduce risks and make sure high-quality care. The document also covers responding to environmental risks, maintaining equipment, and infection prevention practices. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Clean and safe environment
/quality-standards/action-317-reprocessing-reusable-equipment-and-devices

Action 3.17 - Reprocessing of reusable equipment and devices

Guidance
Last Updated

This resource outlines procedures for reprocessing reusable medical equipment and devices to minimise infection risks. It covers processes for ensuring compliance with national and international standards, maintaining traceability, and managing reprocessing for novel infections. It also highlights the importance of proper storage, transport, and workforce training to support safe reprocessing. This resource may apply to healthcare contexts outside of aged care. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Action 3.17 - Reprocessing of reusable equipment and devices
/quality-standards/action-133-welcoming-environments

Action 1.33: Welcoming environments

Guidance

This resource provides guidance on creating welcoming environments in healthcare services, including aged care, to make sure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel safe, respected, and supported. It outlines strategies for cultural safety, collaboration with communities, and improving access to care through inclusive design, training, and environmental changes. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
1: The Individual, 4: The Environment
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Action 1.33: Welcoming environments
/quality-standards/comprehensive-care-clinical-assessment-and-diagnosis-key-actions-health-service-organisations

Comprehensive Care - Clinical assessment and diagnosis - Key actions for health service organisations

Fact sheet
Published date

This resource provides actions for health service organisations to support clinical assessment and diagnosis, promoting a person-centred approach and comprehensive care planning. It highlights training, clear communication of roles, and systems for documenting diagnoses and care plans. 

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.4: Comprehensive care
Comprehensive Care - Clinical assessment and diagnosis - Key actions for health service organisations
/quality-standards/comprehensive-care-clinical-assessment-and-diagnosis-key-actions-clinicians

Comprehensive Care - Clinical assessment and diagnosis - Key actions for clinicians

Fact sheet
Published date

This resource provides actions for health service organisations to support clinical assessment and diagnosis, promoting a person-centred approach and comprehensive care planning. It highlights training, clear communication of roles, and systems for documenting diagnoses and care plans. 

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Assessment and planning, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
3.1 Assessment and planning, 5.4: Comprehensive care
Comprehensive Care - Clinical assessment and diagnosis - Key actions for clinicians
/quality-standards/essential-element-2-identifying-goals-care

Essential element 2: Identifying goals of care

Guidance
Last Updated

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Choice, independence and quality of life, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Assessment and planning, Care coordination and transitions
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.4: Comprehensive care
Essential element 2: Identifying goals of care
/quality-standards/environmental-cleaning-and-infection-prevention-and-control-resources

Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control resources

Guidance
Last Updated

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment, Infection prevention and control
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home, 4.2: Infection prevention and control
Environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control resources
/quality-standards/comprehensive-care-review-and-improve-comprehensive-care-delivery-key-actions-health-service-organisations

Comprehensive Care - Review and improve comprehensive care delivery - Key actions for health service organisations

Fact sheet
Published date

This resource outlines actions for health service organisations to review and improve comprehensive care delivery, focusing on aligning care with patients' needs and care plans. It emphasises regular assessment, multidisciplinary collaboration, and quality improvement to maintain responsive, person-centred care across services. 

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Corporate and clinical governance, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Assessment and planning
Standard
2: The Organisation, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
2.2a: Quality, safety and inclusion culture to support aged care workers to deliver quality care, 2.2b: Quality, safety and inclusion culture to support individuals, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.4: Comprehensive care
Comprehensive Care - Review and improve comprehensive care delivery - Key actions for health service organisations
/quality-standards/caring-cognitive-impairment

Caring for Cognitive Impairment

Guidance

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Caring for Cognitive Impairment
/quality-standards/communication-clinical-handover

Communication at clinical handover

Guidance
Last Updated

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Care coordination and transitions, Assessment and planning
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
3.3: Communicating for safety and quality, 3.4: Planning and coordination of funded aged care services, 5.4: Comprehensive care, 7.2: Transitions
Communication at clinical handover
/quality-standards/cognitive-impairment-resources

Cognitive impairment resources

Guidance
Last Updated

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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  , 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services
Cognitive impairment resources
/quality-standards/communicating-safety

Communicating for Safety

Guidance

This resource provides tools and guidance on improving clinical communication to enhance patient safety. It focuses on key communication touchpoints, such as handovers, decision-making, and care transitions. Designed to support healthcare providers, it offers practical strategies to reduce errors and improve outcomes in aged care and other 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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Care coordination and transitions, Assessment and planning
Standard
3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care, 7: The Residential Community
Outcomes
3.3: Communicating for safety and quality, 3.4: Planning and coordination of funded aged care services, 5.4: Comprehensive care, 7.2: Transitions
Communicating for Safety
/quality-standards/guide-consumers-psychotropic-medicines-cognitive-disability-or-impairment-clinical-care-standard

Guide for consumers - Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a guide for consumers about the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard.  The resource includes 8 quality statements about the health care consumers should receive to support the correct use of psychotropic medicines. 

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
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Medication management, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Guide for consumers - Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard
/quality-standards/reprocessing-reusable-medical-devices

Reprocessing of reusable medical devices

Guidance
Published date

This resource provides guidance on implementing updated standards for reprocessing reusable medical devices in health and non-health facilities. It supports compliance with AS 5369:2023, ensuring healthcare organisations follow national and international standards for safe equipment reprocessing to minimise infection risks and promote patient 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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Environment
Standard
4: The Environment
Outcomes
4.1b: Environment – services delivered other than in the individual’s home
Reprocessing of reusable medical devices
/quality-standards/isbar-poster

ISBAR Poster

Poster
Last Updated

This poster is a tool for improving clinical handover. It outlines the principles of ISBAR: Introduction, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. This supports clinical conversations to be clear, focused and relevant. 

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
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services, Care coordination and transitions
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.4: Comprehensive care
ISBAR Poster
/quality-standards/national-consensus-statement-essential-elements-recognising-and-responding-acute-physical-deterioration

National Consensus Statement - Essential elements for recognising and responding to acute physical deterioration

Guidance
Published date

This consensus statement outlines essential elements for recognising and responding to acute physiological deterioration in healthcare settings. It covers clinical processes like vital signs monitoring, diagnosis, and rapid response systems, as well as organisational aspects such as leadership, education, and evaluation. It provides generic information that can be applied to the aged 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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Care coordination and transitions, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Assessment and planning
Standard
5: Clinical Care, 3: The Care and Services
Outcomes
5.4: Comprehensive care, 3.1 Assessment and planning
National Consensus Statement - Essential elements for recognising and responding to acute physical deterioration
/quality-standards/nsqhs-standards-user-guide-health-service-organisations-providing-care-patients-cognitive-impairment-or-risk-delirium

NSQHS Standards user guide for health service organisations providing care for patients with cognitive impairment or at risk of delirium

Guidance
Published date

This user guide provides key actions from the NSQHS Standards for delivering safe care to people with cognitive impairment or at risk of delirium. It includes strategies for risk mitigation, evidence-based care, and clinical governance, applicable to aged care settings to ensure comprehensive, dignified, and high-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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
5.6 Cognitive impairment  
NSQHS Standards user guide for health service organisations providing care for patients with cognitive impairment or at risk of delirium
/quality-standards/nsqhs-standards-user-guide-health-care-people-intellectual-disability

NSQHS Standards User Guide for the Health Care of People with Intellectual Disability

Guidance
Published date

This resource provides guidance for the health care of people with intellectual disability. The user guide is part of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. The resource was developed in response to significant evidence of poor health outcomes for people with intellectual disability in Australia’s health system. 

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
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Choice, independence and quality of life, Delivering comprehensive care and services
Standard
1: The Individual, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 1.3: Choice, independence and quality of life, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
NSQHS Standards User Guide for the Health Care of People with Intellectual Disability
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-residential-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with a residential aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with cognitive impairment. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions 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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Medication management
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - Residential Aged Care
/quality-standards/case-study-safe-and-appropriate-use-psychotropic-medicines-home-aged-care

Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care

Guidance
Published date

This resource is a fictional scenario that follows an older person’s care pathway with an in-home aged care provider. The resource focuses on the systems and processes to support high-quality care of older people living with dementia. It includes 4 key priority areas: person-centred care, medication management, managing changed behaviours and transitions 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.

Author
Australian Commission On Safety And Quality In Health Care
Key Theme
Person-centred care, Delivering comprehensive care and services, Medication management
Standard
1: The Individual, 3: The Care and Services, 5: Clinical Care
Outcomes
1.1: Person-centred care, 3.2: Delivery of funded aged care services, 5.3: Safe and quality use of medicines, 5.6 Cognitive impairment  
Case study - Safe and Appropriate use of Psychotropic Medicines - In-home Aged Care