In March 2021, the Australian Government announced an urgent review of Quality Standards in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Final Report: Care, Dignity and Respect (Royal Commission).
The Royal Commission identified several areas of focus for the urgent review including:
- governance
- diversity
- dementia
- food and nutrition, and
- clinical care
In July 2021, the Commission was given responsibility for the review and formulation of draft clinical standards for inclusion in the Quality Standards in collaboration with the Department of Health and Aged Care and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. The clinical standards are contained in Standard 5 - Clinical Care.
The transfer of the responsibility to the Commission also accords with the Government’s response to recommendation 18.1.b of the Royal Commission.
Recommendation 19 of the Royal Commission required an urgent review of the Quality Standards be undertaken including consideration of several critical clinical care issues such as medication management, oral health, pressure injury prevention and wound management, continence, falls prevention and mobility, nutrition, infection control, dementia and palliative care.
The Commission committed to a rigorous standards development process and the promotion of safe and high-quality clinical care. The Commission formed several groups to seek expert input that included engaged peak bodies, government agencies and older people:
- Aged Care Advisory Group (2024-2025)
- Executive steering group (2022-2025)
- Clinical Expert Working Group (2022-2024)
- Aged Care Advisory Committee (2022-2024)
Throughout the process, the Commission worked with key areas within the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Development of the Aged Care Quality Standards
To inform the development of strengthened Aged Care Quality Standard content for Standard 5 Clinical Care, the Commission sought a rapid review of peer-reviewed research and grey literature related to the experiences, priorities and clinical care needs of older people.
Key topics included:
- Clinical care of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
- Continence
- Depression
- Falls
- Malnutrition
- Oral health
- Pain
- Pressure injuries.
These reviews informed the development of Standard 5, guidance and resources for these topics.
Aged Care Quality Standards and clinical care
The clinical care components of the Aged Care Quality Standards provide a nationally consistent statement on the level of clinical care older people can expect when receiving aged care. The Commission has been involved by drafting a clinical standard (Standard 5) and in developing guidance for the clinical care components of the Aged Care Quality Standards which are seen as integral to the delivery of high-quality and safe aged care.
Each standard has outcomes that must be met by providers of Commonwealth funded aged care services and describes a number of actions which are how providers might demonstrate achievement of the outcome. Standard 5 focuses on clinical care and has 7 outcomes that must be demonstrated by providers of commonwealth funded aged care services that deliver clinical care.
| Outcome |
Actions |
| 5.1 Clinical governance |
5 |
| 5.2 Preventing and controlling infection in clinical care |
2 |
| 5.3 Safe and quality use of medicines |
6 |
| 5.4 Comprehensive care |
5 |
5.5 Clinical safety
Including high impact and high prevalence clinical care risks: Choking and swallowing, Continence, Falls and mobility, Nutrition and hydration, Mental health, Oral health, Pain, Pressure injury and wounds, and Sensory impairment |
10 |
| 5.6 Cognitive impairment |
3 |
| 5.7 Palliative and end-of-life care |
4 |
The Commission drafted guidance to support implementation of Standard 5 for aged care providers. This is now published and maintained by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission as the regulator of aged care in Australia.
