Aged Care Rules Finalised for November 2025 Start
The Australian Government released the final draft of the Aged Care Rules on 31 July 2025 after a consultation period that began in September 2024 and concluded in May 2025. More than 400 written submissions and dozens of sector roundtables informed the final version.
These Rules give practical shape to the Aged Care Act 2024, which replaces the Aged Care Act 1997. They will come into force on 1 November 2025, giving stakeholders time to align their systems, train staff, and inform residents and families.
Minister for Aged Care, the Hon Sam Rae MP, described the release as “a big step towards delivering safe, high-quality aged care that respects the rights and dignity of older Australians.”
The government has made the full Rules, supporting documents, and explanatory materials available through the Aged Care Act Resources page. This collection includes fact sheets in multiple languages, sector-specific toolkits, infographics, video explainers, eLearning modules, and a Sector Change Plan.
Key Themes in the Final Draft Rules
The Rules expand on several important areas:
- Governance and leadership: Providers must meet strengthened governance standards, including requirements for governing bodies to have members with clinical and consumer experience.
- Service agreements: Providers must use clear, accessible service agreements that outline care, fees, and rights in plain language.
- Workforce checks: All aged care workers will need to meet national worker screening standards and complete required training.
- Quality Standards: The updated Aged Care Quality Standards emphasise dignity, respect, and personal choice.
- Regulatory model: The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will oversee compliance, while the Department of Health will act as the System Governor.
- Reporting: Expanded incident reporting under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) and ongoing Quality Indicators (QI) reporting will be mandatory.
Stakeholder Resources
To help stakeholders prepare, the Department of Health has compiled seven sets of resources, each tailored to a specific group:
Older people, their families and carers
- Plain-language summaries of the Act, fact sheets in multiple languages, easy-read versions, animations, and eLearning modules
- Exploring Aged Care booklet and infographics on rights and services
- Tools to help families understand the Statement of Rights and how to participate in care planning
- Training checklist, and a Sector Change Plan
Aged care providers
- Governance guides, incident reporting resources, Quality Standards updates, and transition planning checklists
- Fact sheets on regulatory responsibilities, including worker screening and data reporting
Aged care workers
- Summaries of changes, training checklists, eLearning modules (with updates planned through December 2025), whistleblower protections, code of conduct guidance, and Quality Standards tools
- Sector Change Plan for workforce preparation
Aged care assessors
- Guidance on the Integrated Assessment Tool, flow diagrams, and Support at Home assessment handbooks
- Resources to support decision making and culturally safe assessments
- Change-tracking documents, FAQs about the delayed start, the Statement of Rights, resources for First Nations assessment including fact sheets, information on the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) including user guides and flow diagrams, Support at Home program design handbooks, and guidance on supported decision making
Primary care and allied health workers
- Fact sheets on Quality Indicators, allied health data collection, and care coordination
- Resources to strengthen connections between aged care, primary care, and allied health providers
- The Sector Change Plan, “what is new or changing” materials, quality indicator fact sheets for GPs and care teams, FAQs on allied health data collection, and tools for supported decision making
Technology enablers
- Digital transformation webinars, readiness checklists, and API catalogues
- Guidance for Business-to-Government data exchange and integration with the Government Provider Management System (GPMS)
- Roadmaps for aligning provider systems with the Act’s digital reporting and compliance framework
- Guides to digital changes for providers, Business-to-Government connection tools, API catalogs, and Support at Home provider transition guides
Communications practitioners
- Toolkits with key messages, discussion guides, and social media templates
- Infographics and animated explainers (including Auslan versions) to share information with the public
- Social media tiles designed for use across channels
Acredia’s Role as a Technology Enabler
The “technology enabler” group will be working alongside all other stakeholders to ensure the new Act’s success. The Rules require accurate, timely, and integrated reporting; secure record keeping; and clear communication with residents and families.
Acredia’s platform is built for these needs:
- Integration: Open API for linking with clinical, operational, and reporting systems so providers can meet data and compliance standards
- Digital compliance: SIRS and QI reporting directly aligned with regulatory submission requirements
- Clinical documentation: Care, medication, and support notes recorded instantly and securely via mobile devices
- Family connection: The Family App keeps families informed, reducing calls and providing transparency
- Operational intelligence: Dashboards for management oversight of compliance, care quality, and maintenance
By combining compliance automation, care documentation, operational oversight, and family engagement in one platform, Acredia acts as both a compliance safeguard and a care enabler.
Steps for Providers to Take Now
Explore each bespoke resource collection on the Aged Care Act Resources page and assign relevant materials to stakeholder groups
- Identify gaps in governance, workforce compliance, and reporting workflows
- Leverage Acredia to support those areas with real-time records and automated processes
- Involve staff, families, and residents in understanding and applying the changes
For further reading on compliance, care quality, and technology in aged care, explore Acredia’s full Resources and Blogs.
