On 1 November 2025, the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards officially took effect under the new Aged Care Act 2024. They replace the previous eight Standards that had been in place since July 2019, and represent the most significant update to aged care compliance expectations in over six years.

The changes are a direct response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which found the previous Standards were often too broad and difficult to measure. The strengthened Standards are designed to be more specific, more measurable, and more focused on the experience of the individual receiving care.

What's changed

The most obvious structural change is the move from eight Standards to seven. But the real shift is in how each Standard is built. Every Standard now includes an expectation statement describing what the older person should experience, a set of outcomes that providers will be assessed against, and a list of actions providers can take to meet those outcomes.
The seven Standards cover: The Individual, The Organisation, The Care and Services, The Environment, Clinical Care, Food and Nutrition, and The Residential Community.
Two areas that previously sat within broader Standards now have their own dedicated focus: Clinical Care and Food and Nutrition. This reflects the Royal Commission's emphasis on these as critical areas that were not receiving enough structured attention.

What this means for providers

The strengthened Standards apply to all government-funded aged care providers in registration categories 4 to 6. Providers in categories 1 to 3 (home and community services, assistive technology, advisory services) are not assessed against the strengthened Standards.

For those who are in scope, the Commission will now assess conformance against the new outcomes. Where non-conformance is found, the Commission will respond proportionately to the level of risk to older people. This includes requiring providers to take corrective action, and in serious cases, enforcement measures up to revoking registration.

The government has committed to reviewing the strengthened Standards every five years to ensure they continue to reflect best practice.

How Coverage helps

Coverage has been updated to align with the seven Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. You can track conformance against each Standard and outcome, link evidence, and generate audit-ready reports that reflect the new structure. If you were already using Coverage under the previous Standards, your workspace has been updated — no migration required.