Reforms delivered
December 2024
- Australian Digital Health Agency Support at Home My Aged Care / My Health Record integration.
- The Aged Care Provider Workforce 2024 Survey full report and results have been released.
November 2024
- The Aged Care Bill 2024 passed both houses of Parliament. This allows the new Aged Care Act to become law from 1 July 2025.
October 2024
- From 1 October, residential aged care providers must meet the requirement to deliver 215 care minutes per resident per day. This will include 44 minutes of registered nurse (RN) time. Also from this time, providers will have the flexibility to meet up to 10% of service-level RN targets with care time provided by enrolled nurses.
- Voluntary Monthly Care Statement period starts. A Monthly Care Statement is a written statement that providers give to residents and their representatives every month to improve communication about health and wellbeing. We encourage all residential aged care homes to offer Monthly Care Statements voluntarily from October 2024, before they become mandatory.
September 2024
- The Aged Care Bill 2024 for a new rights-based Aged Care Act introduced to Parliament.
July 2024
- Single assessment system Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) starts. The IAT will be the new tool to assess eligibility for Australian Government-subsidised aged care.
- The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) 12-month grant extension.
- The Australian Government aged care worker screening IT system phase 1 completed. Applying the NDIS worker screening system to the aged care workforce will create a national approach to screening aged care workers that better protects older people.
- Registered nurses onsite 24/7 reduced rate supplement introduced to help small facilities build registered nurse workforce.
- Publication of Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy and Action Plan published, providing guidance, clarity, and recommendations on how the sector can use the combined power of data and digital.
- Start of of the new Accommodation Framework, including National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines. This aims to create more home-like environments that better meet the needs of residents.
June 2024
- Final report of the independent capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission released to the public.
- The Elder Care Support Program, the national service to provide face-to-face support to assist First Nations elders navigate and access aged care services increase to 110 staff.
- Completion of the Australian Digital Health Agency’s project My Health Record Registration (MHR). The support to connect 80% of residential aged care facilities to MHR has been ongoing since February 2023.
March 2024
- Final report of the Aged Care Taskforce released to the public. This report examines the recommendations proposed by the Aged Care Taskforce to support an aged care system that is sustainable, fair and facilitates greater innovation in the sector.
- The new Home Care Workforce Support Program to attract, train and retain new and existing workers and grow the home care workforce completed.
- Aged Care Outbreak Management Support Supplement started.
February 2024
- Provider finance and operation information and 24/7 registered nurse coverage in residential aged care published on the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool as part of the increased transparency measure.
January 2024
- Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner started. This role will encourage culturally safe aged care for First Nations people across Australia.
December 2023
- New requirements for governing body membership and provider advisory bodies took effect.
- Exposure draft of the Bill for a new Aged Care Act released for consultation.
- 24/7 registered nurse in residential aged care reporting published with Star Ratings on the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool.
- Final report of the Aged Care Taskforce delivered to government.
November 2023
- Australian Digital Health Agency published guidelines for software products to support aged care homes to manage residents’ records.
- Australian Digital Health Agency launched the Aged Care Transfer Summary to improve the transfer of residents between residential aged care homes and hospitals.
- Australian Digital Health Agency – First aged care industry offer released.
October 2023
- Mandatory residential aged care minutes increased to 200 minutes. This includes 40 minutes from a registered nurse to improve the quality of care that older people receive.
- Pilot National Capability Framework digital literacy self-assessment tool for residential aged care workforce in place October 2023 – March 2024.
- The Aged Care Taskforce provided its interim advice to government.
- Enrolled nurses care minutes delivered in residential aged care published with Star Ratings on the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool.
- Aged care providers are required to report information about their operations annually through the Provider Operations Collection Form. Submission starts in July and is due by 31 October each year.
August 2023
- Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline established for aged care residents.
- Australian Digital Health Agency, Aged Care Industry Enablement expanded with the Release of the second My Health Record Aged Care Industry Offer.
July 2023
- 15% award wages increase for many aged care workers funded.
- Office of the Inspector General of Aged Care established and started.
- 24/7 registered nurse responsibility started, requiring a registered nurse to be on site and on duty in all residential aged care homes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Independent Capability Review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission final report published.
- Community Visitors Scheme expanded and renamed the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme.
- Responsibility for financial monitoring transferred to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC), as part of the ACQSC’s expanded role as the prudential regulator.
- Food and Nutrition Advisory Support Unit established and staffed by specialists and dietitian experts in the ACQSC.
- Expansion of the Integrated Care and Commissioning trial sites around Australia in geographically and culturally thin markets. The program aims to support providers and communities to deliver services across care and support sectors especially aged care and disability.
June 2023
- Time-limited, Aged Care Taskforce established. First meeting held 16 June 2023. Meetings were held through to December 2023
- Elder Care Support Program established to help older First Nations people, their families and carers access aged care services that meet their physical and cultural needs.
May 2023
- Complaints Commissioner in Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission started.
April 2023
- Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards Pilot started.
- Government Provider Management System (GPMS) launched to provide greater connectivity and data sharing between aged care providers and government.
- Six additional Aged Care Quality Indicators for residential aged care providers introduced.
March 2023
- Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill introduced to Parliament.
- Capability Review of the Regulator completed.
February 2023
- Interim Inspector-General of Aged Care started.
- Australian Digital Health Agency, My Health Record registration support for Residential Aged Care Facilities Ongoing January 2023 until June 2024.
January 2023
- Home Care Package care management and package management fees capped to reduce excessive costs in the program.
- Care Finder Program launched to support for vulnerable older people to interact with My Aged Care, access aged care services and access other relevant supports in the community.
- Aged Care Complaints Commissioner – Commissioner advertised to drive more timely resolution of complaints and improve complaint management processes.
December 2022
- Code of Conduct for Aged Care launched to describe how aged care providers, their governing persons (for example, board members), and workers (including volunteers) must behave and treat people accessing aged care.
- Serious Incident Response Scheme expanded to home care and flexible care provided in a home or community setting to reduce abuse and neglect in government-funded aged care.
- Strengthened provider governance put in place to improve leadership and culture, and increase transparency and accountability.
- Star Ratings system for residential care started, to help older people, their families and carers to make informed choices.
- Face-to-face support in Services Australia service centres to help older people and their families and carers access the aged care system roll-out complete.
November 2022
- First Quarterly Financial Report data submitted, mandatory food and nutrition reporting for residential aged care providers included.
- Start of Home Care Package recipients having access up to $2,500 for urgent goods, equipment and assistive technologies through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
October 2022
- Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model started to ensure residential aged care funding meets the cost of caring for older people.
- Independent Capability Review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission started.
- System changes to support carer referrals from My Aged Care to Carer Gateway and/or Dementia Australia.
- Food and nutrition in residential aged care homes 12-month report published.
- Aged Care Financial Report annual reporting due.
- Independently verified specialisations visible via the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool to help older people from diverse groups choose an aged care provider best suited to their needs.
Get involved
Thousands of people have been involved in shaping the reforms so far through:
- surveys
- webinars
- online workshops
- consultation papers
- face-to-face events.
We encourage you to get involved in the reforms.
Visit the Aged Care Engagement Hub to sign up for engagement activities and contribute to positive change.
Stay up to date
Subscribe to the aged care sector newsletters and alerts to get regular updates and information on the aged care reforms.
Date last updated: