Health resources

This Regulatory Bulletin outlines the requirements that must be met before and during the use of restraint. It outlines how the Commission will assess the use of restraint in the context of the Aged Care Quality Standards and the Quality of Care Principles. 

These scenarios cover a range of examples to help providers understand issues around the use of physical and chemical restraint. They are intended to be illustrative only, and should not be relied upon as authority.

Providers should be mindful of their obligations under the Quality of Care Principles 2014, and pay careful attention to the legislative requirements underpinning the use of restraint when applying those obligations to real-life situations. Further information on provider obligations can be found in this document.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has worked with a range of stakeholders to develop resources that help aged care providers understand the key concepts of clinical governance and how they can be applied in their service.

A practical guide developed by the Working Group on Influenza Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities on behalf of the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia. The purpose of the document is to assist residential care services and carers by providing best practice information for the prevention and management of influenza outbreaks in residential care facilities.

To assist aged care providers, the Commission has identified some of the very useful information and resources produced by Commonwealth and State Departments of Health.

This self-assessment tool aims to help aged care service providers record how their use of chemical restraints is managed. It relates to consumers who are prescribed psychotropic medication(s) (particularly anti-psychotics and benzodiazepines), including for PRN (as needed) use.