The Australian Clinical Care Standards comprise up to ten quality statements that focus on specific areas of care where there is significant potential to improve clinical outcomes by increasing use of evidence-based guidelines or models of care. The Clinical Care Standards also describe, for consumers, the care they can expect to be offered or receive.

Clinical Care Standards have become an integral part of the Australian health care quality improvement landscape with substantial impact on processes of care and patient outcomes. At this ten-year anniversary, this article reflects on what has been achieved by the standards, as well as future challenges and opportunities.

The article outlines how the standards work to effect change, evidence of impact and future directions. The ability to measure processes and outcomes is a key enabler and is the reason for including quality indicators within the standards.

Although much has been achieved, there is more to be done. Over the next ten years, the standards will need to be responsive to the considerable challenges facing health care systems, including workforce and financial constraints, rapidly changing technology, artificial intelligence (AI), climate change, increasing patient complexity and social inequity in health care outcomes.