Aged Care Reform 2025: What Allied Health Professionals need to know
From 1 November 2025, Australia’s aged care sector moved to an entirely new foundation under the Aged Care Act 2024. For clinicians, these reforms reshape how we assess, document, communicate, uphold rights, and work within provider systems. The expectations are clearer, the accountability is higher, and the visibility of clinical decision-making matters more than ever.
This course gives OTs and physiotherapists a practical, clinician-friendly overview of the changes, without the policy overwhelm. You’ll learn how the legislated Statement of Rights applies at the point of care, what the Aged Care Code of Conduct requires of you as a worker, and how registered and associated providers share responsibility for safe and compliant service delivery.
We break down the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, updated incident and complaints pathways, and the new expectations around supported decision-making, documentation and communication. You’ll see how to embed these requirements into everyday clinical practice, ensuring your assessments, notes and recommendations align with the new system.
Whether you’re new to aged care or updating your practice to meet the 2025 reforms, this course gives you the clarity and confidence to deliver safe, rights-aligned, high-quality care under the new Act.
Course
1 Hour
About this course
This course provides a clear and practical introduction to the upcoming Aged Care Act changes, designed specifically for allied health professionals. You’ll explore what the new rights-based framework means for everyday OT practice and learn how to adapt your assessments, documentation, and clinical reasoning to align with the updated expectations. The course breaks down key elements such as Support at Home categories, practitioner responsibilities, and the shift toward improved safety, quality, and consumer choice, giving you confidence as the sector transitions to the new system.
Ideal for:
Any allied health professional working in or entering the aged care sector who want to understand the 2025 reform changes and apply them effectively in their practice.
You’ll learn how to:
- Apply the Statement of Rights in assessment, planning, documentation, and communication
- Work within the Aged Care Code of Conduct and embed into your practice
- Understand responsibilities across registered providers, associated providers, and workers, and what that means for contracts, records, and oversight
- Meet the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards with a focus on clinical care, risk, and escalation
About your instructor
Lauren Hart
Hi there! I’m Lauren Hart, the founder of Optimal Living Therapy and co founder of Otuition. My journey into occupational therapy wasn’t planned, but over the past 10 years, it’s become more than just a job to me – it’s a path of constant learning, adapting, and coming up with fresh ideas.
To me, being an occupational therapist is all about thinking creatively and finding unique solutions to unique problems. It’s ultimately about helping our clients get the most out of their lives and I love that we get to contribute to that.
I’m proud of the work we’ve put into Otuition and I’m excited to bring you these courses. My hope is that these lessons will strengthen your capacity as an OT.
Syllabus
11 lessons
- Understanding the Aged Care Act 2024 (for OTs)
- Welcome to the new aged care landscape
- The Statement of Rights and embedding it into how we assess, plan and interact.
- Introduction
- Understanding the Statement of Rights in OT Practice
- Applying the Statement of Rights in OT Practice
- Upholding the Code of Conduct in OT Practice
- What the Code of Conduct Means for OTs
- The Code in Context: Grey Zones and Complex Calls
- Navigating Documentation, Reporting and Communication
- Documentation expectations in aged care
- Reports that uphold the Code and Rights
- Clinical Governance, Risk and Professional Boundaries
- Clinical accountability in the aged care sector
- Risk, reporting and advocacy
More information
Understanding the Aged Care Act changes can feel overwhelming, especially as the sector shifts toward a rights-based, consumer-focused approach. This course was created to help allied health professionals build clarity and confidence as they navigate the 2025 reforms and their impact on everyday practice.
The content translates legislative changes into practical guidance you can apply immediately. You’ll learn how the new framework affects assessments, documentation, and clinical decision-making, and gain a clear understanding of your responsibilities within the Support at Home program and broader aged care system
