Aged care workers across Australia are being urged to familiarise themselves with major reforms under the new Aged Care Act, which takes effect on 1 November 2025. The Act, along with the new Support at Home program, aims to make aged care safer, fairer and more respectful — for both older people and the workforce that supports them.
A new video released by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing outlines five key areas of the new legislation that will directly affect aged care workers:
- Statement of Rights and Statement of Principles
- Worker screening
- Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
- Complaints handling
- Whistleblower protections.
The reforms place older people at the centre of the aged care system, ensuring their dignity, choice and quality of life, while also strengthening support for workers to deliver safe, high-quality care.
Under the new Statement of Rights, older people have the right to make decisions about their own lives and be treated with dignity and respect. The accompanying Statement of Principles recognises the valuable contribution of workers and commits to supporting them to innovate, improve, and participate in governance and accountability.
Aged care providers will also be expected to foster a culture of safety, quality and inclusion, actively seeking feedback from staff and residents. Workers will be empowered to raise concerns or lodge complaints without fear of reprisal, with new whistleblower protections ensuring confidentiality and legal safeguards.
The government is also introducing a more robust worker screening process, initially affecting providers of the Commonwealth Home Support Program. A new screening check, to be rolled out after 2026, will align with the NDIS Worker Check, allowing recognition across both sectors.
Workers are encouraged to complete self-paced eLearning modules and view the new video to understand how the changes will shape their roles and responsibilities.
“These reforms are designed to make it easier for aged care workers to deliver the high-quality care older Australians deserve,” the Department said in a release.
For more information and training resources, visit health.gov.au
