Overview
We are moving current government-funded aged care providers to registration categories. This is based on the services you deliver or the services as required by your current funding agreement. This process is called deeming.
We will make this transition as simple as possible so you can continue to provide safe and quality care to older people.
The deeming process
We will deem active government-funded aged care providers into one or more registration categories when the new Act starts. This will be based on the services you provide, or those required in funding agreements.
To be deemed, an entity needs to have been actively delivering aged care services in the 12 months before the new Aged Care Act starts.
We will reach out to some provider cohorts to gather additional information for a manual deeming approach.
The deeming process involves the following steps:
- In November 2024, we invited providers to nominate a contact for their organisation and review their proposed registration categories via a Deeming Validation Survey. This process has now closed.
- In April 2025, providers were contacted with an opportunity to review their proposed registration details and proposed registration categories via the Provider Registration Preview. This was sent by email as a PDF attachment. This process has now closed.
- We will communicate with you about your obligations based on provider registration categories.
- You will be formally deemed into registration categories relevant to the services you deliver or are funded to deliver on 1 November 2025, to align with the implementation of the new Act.
By setting up existing providers when the new Act starts, we will:
- reduce the administrative burden for providers
- maintain continuity of care for older people.
Once the new Act starts, you will operate under the new regulatory model and will need to meet the obligations which apply to your registration categories and the services you deliver.
During the Provider Registration Preview, you were advised of your indicative registration renewal date. The registration renewal date was based on a recommendation from the ACQSC who will consider matters such as:
- risk
- regulatory intelligence
- workforce management
- recency of accreditation audits or contacts.
As implementation of the new Act has been deferred, updates to registration renewal dates will be advised by the ACQSC. Information is available on the ACQSC’s website. Providers are encouraged to keep information up to date before the new Act starts on 1 November 2025.
Providers trading as multiple entities under a single ABN
Providers with multiple provider records will be identified using ABN details based on existing departmental data.
You may choose to maintain multiple registered provider records where each entity has a unique ABN. However, this will limit the benefits of a single registration across all programs and will duplicate:
- renewal of registration processes
- costs, and
- reporting and notification requirements.
To make changes to how you currently operate your business in aged care, including updating your contact details, please:
- use the Manage Your Organisation tile in the Government Provider Management System (GPMS) or,
- contact your funding arrangement manager.
Subcontractors (associated providers)
Subcontractors (associated providers) of government-funded providers, including CHSP and NATSIFAC providers, will not be deemed as a registered provider when the new Act starts. Subcontractors can continue to deliver services if they are contracted by a registered provider and are the direct responsibility of the registered provider they are contracted to.
Subcontractors, including those who seek to deliver Support at Home services directly to older people, can apply to the ACQSC to become a registered provider using the new process once available.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme
Providers with a Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) grant agreement for 2025-27 will be deemed as a registered provider. They will be allocated registration r categories based on the services included in their funding agreement.
If subcontractors of CHSP providers seek to hold agreements with the Commonwealth directly to deliver CHSP services, they will be required to apply through an open CHSP grant funding round in the first instance. If successful through this grant round, they will then need to register as a provider with the ACQSC.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program
Providers funded to deliver the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFAC), with a grant funding agreement is effective from 30 June 2025, will be registered into:
- Registration categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, if they have places allocated to provide home care services and/or
- Registration category 6, if they have places allocated to provide residential services.
If subcontractors of government-funded NATSIFAC providers seek to enter into a grant agreement with the government to directly deliver NATSIFAC services, they will be required to apply through an open NATSIFAC grant funding round in the first instance. If successful through this grant round, they will then need to register as a provider with the ACQSC.
Home Care Packages Program
Providers approved for the Home Care Packages Program (HCP), and are currently delivering services, will be deemed in categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. If the provider indicates they do not deliver or do not intend to deliver nursing services, they will not be deemed into category 5.
HCP providers can notify us if they wish to opt out of nursing. To do this, the provider must not be supporting any older people with nursing services requirements, either directly or via subcontracting arrangements.
You can notify the ACQSC via an application to vary your registration from 1 November.
Residential care
Providers approved for Residential Care, with an accredited residential care home delivering residential care, will be deemed in category 6.
Short-Term Restorative Care
Providers delivering a Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) service will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Multi-Purpose Services Program
Providers approved for Multi-Purpose Services, delivering care with places allocated to it, will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Transition Care Programme
Providers approved for the Transition Care Programme (TCP), with places allocated to it, will be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Providers delivering multiple aged care services
Providers meeting criteria for multiple programs will be deemed into all relevant categories. For example, a provider delivering the Short-Term Restorative Care Programme and residential care would be deemed into categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
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