The new Aged Care Act provides greater protections for older people through a new regulatory model and by strengthening the Aged Care Quality Standards.
The new regulatory model sets out how the aged care system will operate under the new Act. It is designed to improve outcomes and protections for older people.
The Aged Care Quality Standards, Aged Care Code of Conduct, and Statement of Rights, along with provider registration, work together as part of a broader regulatory framework to support older people to receive quality and safe care.
Under the new regulatory model, all Australian Government-funded aged care providers will be registered through a new provider registration and renewal process.
Providers will be registered based on the services they deliver or are funded to deliver based on funding agreements.
Based on your registration category and the services you provide, you will need to meet relevant provider requirements and Aged Care Quality Standards.
The Aged Care Quality Standards set the expectations and behaviours for providers and workers when delivering aged care services.
There are six registration categories under the new regulatory model:
- Home and community services
- Assistive technology and home modifications
- Advisory and support services
- Personal and care support in the home or community
- Nursing and transition care, and
- Residential care.
Services are grouped in the six categories based on similar types of care-complexity and risk.
All categories have conditions of registration, obligations, and statutory duties, which are proportionate to the service type and any potential risks of harm present.
This means provider obligations and regulatory oversight are linked to the registration categories.
All registered providers, across all categories, must comply with the Code of Conduct and act in a way that is compatible with the Statement of Rights.
Providers in registration categories 4 to 6 must also meet the relevant Aged Care Quality Standards based on the services they provide.
The Aged Care Quality Standards have been strengthened to improve care outcomes.
There are 7 strengthened Quality Standards.
Quality Standard 1, the Individual, is the basis for all care and service delivery.
It puts older people at the centre of their aged care. Providers in registration 4, 5 and 6 are required to meet Quality Standard 1.
You support this by providing person-centred services where older people are valued and treated with dignity and respect.
Providers must understand older people's rights, needs, goals and preferences, cultures and beliefs, and their need for dignity, including dignity of risk, independence, choice and control around individual decisions.
Quality Standard 2 requires your governing body to be responsible for delivering quality care and services. Providers in registration categories 4, 5 and 6 must meet Quality Standard 2.
Your governing body must set strategic priorities, promote a culture of safety, and drive improvements.
This Quality Standard requires you to partner with older people and workers to continuously improve care and services.
Quality Standard 2 is about having quality, risk and incident management systems in place. You must facilitate and support older people and workers to make complaints and give feedback about your services.
Quality Standard 2 helps you to safeguard older people and continuously improve care and services.
Quality Standard 3 explains the way you need to deliver care and services. This standard applies to providers in registration categories 4, 5 and 6.
You must engage older people in developing and reviewing their care plans and services. They must meet the individual's needs, goals, and preferences.
Assessment and planning processes need to be well-planned and involve ongoing communication with older people and age care workers.
This will allow safe, effective, and individualised care that optimises quality of life and reablement and maintenance of function.
Quality Standard 3 requires you to also ensure older people are aware of risks and changes in condition.
You must speak to them regularly and escalate urgent matters.
You must also respect older people's dignity when their decisions involve a level of risk.
If an older person wants you to speak with their registered supporters, family members, or carers, you must support them to be involved in their care and share information with them.
Quality Standard 4 is about making sure the environment and equipment are safe, supportive, and meet older people's needs. Quality Standard 4 applies to providers in registration categories 4, 5 and 6.
Older people need to feel safe and comfortable where they live. If you provide services in their home, you must discuss options to mitigate environmental risks relevant to the services you provide.
If you provide services in a residential care home, you must provide a clean, safe, and comfortable environment that supports older people's sense of belonging, social connection, and function.
This Quality Standard also covers infection prevention and control systems.
Your aged care workers must use hygienic practices and take appropriate infection precautions when delivering care.
The health and safety of older people is your number one priority.
Quality Standard 5 is about delivering safe and quality clinical care. This standard applies to providers in registration categories 5 and 6.
Providers in category 4 who deliver care management or restorative care management services must also meet Outcome 5.1 from Quality Standard 5.
Clinical care must be evidence based, person-centred, inclusive, safe, coordinated, and continuously improved.
You must have systems in place to deliver safe, comprehensive care that enhances independence and quality of life, including for older people with cognitive impairment.
You must monitor and manage high risk clinical care, for example - by meeting the needs, goals, and preferences of older people in palliative care.
Quality Standard 6, Food and Nutrition. This standard only applies to providers in registration category 6 that provide residential care.
This Quality Standard requires you to partner with older people and understand their food and drink preferences.
Providers must have food that meets older people's nutritional needs, is appealing and appetising.
There should be a variety of menu options. The dining experience must meet the needs and preferences of older people to support social engagement, function, and quality of life.
Food plays an important role in fostering feelings of inclusion and belonging for older people, across many cultures.
Quality Standard 7, the Residential Community. This standard only applies to providers in registration category 6.
You must deliver services that improve the quality of life of older people, help older people make connections and do the things they enjoy, and make sure older people experience well-planned and coordinated transitions in and out of care.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is responsible for monitoring providers’ performance against their requirements, including the Aged Care Quality Standards where they apply.
The Commission will also manage the provider registration and renewal process.
To find out more information, visit Health.gov.au and AgedCareQuality.gov.au