Quality aged care can support the health, wellbeing and quality of life of older people. Information about quality helps people make informed choices about care, shows how aged care services are performing and supports the monitoring, management and continuous improvement of care across the aged care system.
Last updated: 16 October 2026
Overview
This page brings together information on quality in residential aged care in Australia, including:
- quality indicators
- residents' experiences of care
- care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse requirements
- compliance
- Star Ratings.
Together, these measures provide a broader picture of the quality of care delivered in residential aged care. Information from the first four areas contributes to Star Ratings, which provide an overall view of quality.
Timely access to aged care services is another important aspect of quality. For information on waiting times and access to residential and in-home aged care services, see Timeliness of access to aged care services in Australia on GEN website.
Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators
Quality indicators measure important aspects of care and people's wellbeing in residential aged care homes. They help show how homes are performing across key areas of quality.
The National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) currently includes 14 indicators covering:
- clinical care
- staffing and workforce
- consumer experience
- quality of life.
Registered providers of residential aged care homes must report on the following 14 quality indicators every 3 months:
- pressure injuries
- restrictive practices
- unplanned weight loss
- falls and major injury
- medication management
- activities of daily living
- incontinence care
- hospitalisation
- workforce
- consumer experience
- quality of life
- enrolled nursing
- allied health
- lifestyle officers.
The following report presents results and trends, providing insights into quality of care in residential aged care. Technical notes are also available on data, methods and data quality. The report is updated quarterly.
QI Program quarterly reports
Where can I find out more?
For more information on the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Program, including how quality indicator data are collected and submitted, see:
Residents' Experience Survey
The Residents' Experience Survey gives people living in aged care homes an opportunity to share their views on the care they receive and their daily life.
People participating in the survey are asked 14 questions on topics including:
- staff knowledge
- communication
- quality of care
- food
- opportunities for improvement.
The survey is conducted annually by an independent provider on behalf of the Australian Government and participation is voluntary.
The following page presents findings from the Residents' Experience Surveys, including reports and fact sheets from recent survey rounds.
Findings of the Residents' Experience Surveys
Where can I find out more?
For more information about the Residents' Experience Survey, including its purpose, who takes part, and how it is conducted, see:
Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse requirements
Care time refers to the time nursing and care staff spend providing direct care to people living in residential aged care homes. It provides information about the level of care and support available in an aged care home.
All residential aged care providers are required to deliver a minimum amount of direct care through registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and personal care workers or nursing assistants.
From 1 October 2024, the sector-wide care minutes benchmark is 215 minutes of direct care per resident per day, including 44 minutes of direct registered nurse care.
Residential aged care homes have individual targets for both total care minutes andregistered nurse minutes based on the assessed care needs of their residents, and providers are required to meet the targets that apply to each home.
Providers must also have at least one registered nurse onsite and on duty at all times at each approved residential care home they operate (except where exemptions may apply).
The resources below provide access to data on care minutes targets, care minutes performance and registered nurse coverage in residential aged care.
Care minutes and registered nurse coverage data in residential aged care
Where can I find out more?
For further information on care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse coverage in residential aged care, see:
- Care minutes and 24/7 registered nurse in residential aged care resources
- Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the aged care sector
Compliance (Aged Care Quality Standards)
The Aged Care Quality Standards are a set of requirements for what quality and safe aged care looks like. They are designed to ensure older people receive quality care that is safe, meets their needs and preferences and upholds their rights.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (as System Governor) monitor provider compliance with the Aged Care Quality Standards and can take regulatory action when providers do not meet their obligations.
From 1 November 2025, compliance ratings range from conformance to minor non-conformance and major non-conformance. Residential care providers can also get an exceeding rating where they have demonstrate performance above the required standards.
The resource below provides sector-level data on the performance of residential aged care and home services, including information on compliance and enforcement activities across the aged care sector.
Sector-level data on the performance of residential aged care and home services
Where can I find out more?
For more information on the Aged Care Quality Standards, provider performance, sector data and topical issues, and past and current regulatory decisions (including compliance actions) for individual residential aged care homes, see:
- Aged Care Quality Standards – Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- Reports – Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
Star Ratings
Star Ratings help older people, their families and carers compare the quality of residential aged care homes. Star Ratings bring together information on residents' experiences, compliance, staffing and quality measures to provide an overall view of quality and support informed decisions about care.
Residential aged care homes receive an Overall Star Rating ranging from 1 to 5 stars, as well as ratings across 4 sub-categories. The Overall Star Rating is calculated using information from these sub-categories, with each contributing a different weighting.
The image below shows how 5 Star Rating levels are displayed on the My Aged Care website and how each rating should be interpreted.
The Overall Star Rating is calculated using information from 4 sub-categories, with each contributing a different weighting:
- Residents' Experience (33%) – based on feedback from people living in aged care homes collected through the annual Residents' Experience Survey.
- Compliance (30%) – based on compliance information from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, including assessments against the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and regulatory decisions.
- Staffing (22%) – based on the average care time residents receive from registered nurses, enrolled nurses, personal care workers and assistants in nursing, compared with the care minute targets that apply to each aged care home.
- Quality Measures (15%) – based on 5 quality indicators covering:
- pressure injuries
- restrictive practices
- unplanned weight loss
- falls and major injury
- medication management.
To support fair comparisons between aged care homes, data on pressure injuries, unplanned weight loss, and falls and major injury are adjusted to account for differences in residents' care needs.
For detailed information on how Overall Star Ratings and sub-category ratings are calculated, including weighting methodologies, scoring approaches and rating rules, see How are Star Ratings calculated? on the My Aged Care website.
Star Ratings quarterly data extract
Where can I find out more?
For more information on Star Ratings, including how they work, available resources, how people helped shape the Star Ratings system, and searching for residential aged care homes and viewing or comparing their Overall Star Ratings, sub-category ratings and other information, see:
Publications and data
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Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators – April to June 2026
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Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators Annual Report 2023–24
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Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators Annual Report 2022–23
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Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators Annual Report 2021–22
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Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators Annual Report 2020–21
