Yesterday marked the commencement of the new Standards, which apply to all aged care settings including residential and in-home aged care services.
The new standards complement the single Charter of Aged Care Rights, which also came into effect yesterday.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner (ACQSC), Janet Anderson, said the new standards “strengthen the focus on consumer-centred care which respects the dignity and identity of the individual” – interestingly, the topic of the Royal Commission’s Perth hearings just last week.
“The new standards are an important step in aged care reform which will help providers to clarify their responsibilities and help consumers to know what they can expect from aged care services”, she said.
Since the standards were announced last year, the ACQSC has seen more than 30,000 people across Australia access the face-to-face education sessions and online training videos on the new standards.
The Commission has also distributed a provider education pack to over 5,000 aged care services to support their preparations. All the material is available on the ACQSC website.
