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We are publishing this resource in draft form to assist providers, workers and

older people to prepare for the Aged Care Act 2024.

This content remains draft and will be updated after the new Act and Aged Care

Rules 2025 come into force.

Strengthen Aged Care Quality Standard 4, the environment, describes the

requirements for ensuring funded aged care services are provided in a clean,

safe and comfortable service environment.

As a registered provider, this means ensuring that older people receive care

services in a service environment that is safe, supportive and meets their

needs. The environment should also enable older people to move about

You must ensure effective infection prevention and control measures as a

component of service delivery.

This protects older people, their supporters and aged care workers.

This Strength and Quality Standard focuses on the physical environment, the

equipment in both home and residential care and effects in prevention and

control when providing care and services.

The expected outcomes of Strength and Quality Standard 4 are Outcome 4 .1a,

Environment Services Delivered in the Individual's Home. This outcome explains

how important it is to make sure care and services in an older person's home

provided in a clean and safe environment using suitable equipment.

Outcome 4 .1b, environment services delivered other than in the individual's

home, explains how important it is to make sure care and services are provided

in a safe, clean and well -maintained service environment and are fit for

purpose for the older people.

Outcome 4 .2, Infection Prevention and Control, explains the practices and

controls providers must have in place to reduce infection when providing care

and services.

All of the actions are either in line with or clarify the current quality

standards or other existing provider responsibilities.

Strength and Quality Standard 4 has key topics that connect with Strength and

Quality Standard 1, 2, 3, five and seven.

To apply Strength and Quality Standard 4 in practice, you should make sure you

have clearly documented systems and processes.

Use monitoring tools to show how staff are following these processes and find

opportunities for improvement.

Work with people receiving care to understand their experiences and care

outcomes. Observe how your service provides care.

Ask for feedback from your governing body, managers, workers, people you care

for and others involved in the delivery of care and services.

Use feedback to improve your care and services.

As a provider, it is important to identify and manage risk, to create a

comfortable environment that caters to each older person's unique needs.

The Commission has a range of resources available to support you to take action

and achieve the outcomes of Strengthening Quality Standards for the

You can access these resources from the Commission's website.