Following more than 5,000 submissions, four national roundtables and consultation with the medical and aged care professions, the federal government has outlined the terms of reference for the Royal Commission.

The Royal Commission’s Terms of Reference include:

• Quality and safety including the extent of substandard care.
• How to best deliver care services to people with disabilities residing in aged care facilities including younger people.
• How to best deliver care to the increasing number of Australians living with dementia.
• The future challenges and opportunities for delivering accessible, affordable and high quality aged care services, including people’s desire to remain living at home as they age, and aged care in rural, regional and remote Australia.
• What the Government, the aged care sector, Australian families and the wider community can do to strengthen care services to ensure quality and safety.
• How to allow people greater choice, control and independence and how to improve engagement with families and carers.
• How to best deliver sustainable aged care services through innovative care and investment in the aged care workforce and infrastructure.
• Any matters that the Commissioners believe is relevant to their inquiry.

The vast majority of Australia’s aged care services and their dedicated staff deliver outstanding care but our responsibility is to ensure there are no exceptions.