All language subtitles for Standard 4 - The Environment

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.