What it is
The Aged Care Quality Standards define the quality of care and services that older people receiving Commonwealth-funded aged care can expect. They are administered by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) and apply across residential care, home care and other aged care services.
The Standards are expressed as outcomes for the person receiving care. They cover consumer dignity and choice; ongoing assessment and planning in partnership with the consumer; personal and clinical care; services and supports for daily living; the organisation’s service environment; feedback and complaints; human resources; and organisational governance.
Under the reforms accompanying the new Aged Care Act, the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards sharpen the focus on clinical governance, dignity of risk, the rights of older people and the accountability of provider governing bodies.
The Commission assesses providers against the Standards through audits, assessment contacts and review audits. Providers must be able to demonstrate, with evidence, that they meet each Standard on an ongoing basis — not only at the point of accreditation.
Key requirements
- Deliver care that respects each consumer’s identity, culture, dignity and right to choice
- Undertake ongoing assessment and care planning in partnership with the consumer
- Provide safe and effective personal and clinical care, including effective clinical governance
- Maintain a safe, clean and well-maintained service environment
- Operate an accessible feedback and complaints system and act on what you learn
- Ensure the workforce is sufficient, skilled, qualified and supported
- Hold the governing body accountable for the delivery of safe, quality care
How Veriscope helps
Standards-aligned evidence
Map your policies, records and improvement actions to each Quality Standard so coverage is always visible.
Clinical governance support
Structure clinical governance, incident and feedback systems the way the Commission expects to see them.
Self-assessment and gap analysis
Run a self-assessment against the Standards and surface gaps well before an assessment contact or review audit.
Document builder for aged care
Generate compliant aged care policies and procedures branded for your service.
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