Aged Care Compliance Countdown: Close the Gaps Before 1 July 2025
Stronger Aged Care Quality Standards and a new regulatory model are raising the bar on maintenance and facility safety. Here’s a practical, small-business playbook to close gaps in asset registers, preventive maintenance, test evidence, and contractor controls—before auditors do.
1) The Wake‑Up Call: What 1 July 2025 Really Means
The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and the new regulatory model fundamentally change how providers operate. Expect closer scrutiny of essential safety measures, water management, air quality, and contractor controls across the service environment. The aim is simple: people must access care in a clean, safe, comfortable environment with furniture, fittings and equipment that are safe, clean, well maintained and suitable for consumers.
“We have the checks,” the maintenance lead said. “Great—prove it,” the manager replied. If it isn’t documented, dated and traceable, auditors will treat it as if it didn’t happen.
- Risk alert: gaps in your asset register, missed preventive maintenance, or incomplete test evidence (fire detection, emergency lighting, lifting equipment) may be recorded as non‑compliance.
- New expectation: detailed reports on schedules, safety checks, and facility upgrades—backed by closed corrective actions.
2) Asset Register Reality Check: Your Single Source of Truth
Most non‑compliances start with a messy register. A single, authoritative asset register underpins everything—planning, testing, and evidence. Think beyond plant and equipment to include safety features and environmental systems.
Typical gaps we found
- Critical assets missing: fire panels, emergency/exit lights, nurse call, hoists, pressure care beds, handrails, ramps.
- Duplicate or untagged entries: no serial numbers, location, manufacturer, or commissioning dates.
- No risk criticality: high/medium/low ratings absent, so work is not prioritised.
Quick fix (2 hours):
- Export all assets from spreadsheets, CMMS, and contractor lists.
- De‑duplicate by serial/QR, assign locations, and set criticality.
- Add compliance attributes: standard/clauses, inspection frequency, test method, evidence type.
- Appoint an owner: Facilities leader is accountable for the register’s accuracy.
Principle: one register, one version—your single source of truth.
3) Align Preventive Maintenance with the Environment Standard
Planned maintenance must map to the standard. Build a schedule that explicitly references clauses and evidence requirements so auditors can trace work to outcomes.
Safety systems in scope
- Essential safety measures: fire detection, warning systems, fire doors/extinguishers, emergency lighting, evacuation diagrams.
- Water management: temperature controls, thermostatic mixing valves, legionella risk controls and sampling.
- Air quality: HVAC filtration, outdoor air rates, CO2/particulate checks, AHU cleaning.
- Lifts and patient handling: lifting equipment inspections, sling integrity, hoist servicing and load tests.
Note the Australian Fire Safety Reform changes (mandatory from 13 February 2025). Update your schedules and methods accordingly and ensure competency of testers.
Documentation matters
- Each task shows purpose, method, standard reference, frequency, pass/fail thresholds.
- Remote workers can follow step‑by‑step instructions—no guesswork, no shortcuts.
4) People and Permits: Contractor Controls Without Friction
Under the new model, contractor management is scrutinised. Licences, inductions, insurances and permits must be verified before work begins—especially hot works, confined spaces, or infection control zones.
Minimum contractor control pack
- Valid licence and trade qualifications checked and recorded.
- Insurance (public liability, workers’ comp) current and on file.
- Site induction completed; hazards acknowledged (asbestos, infection control, vulnerable consumers).
- Permit‑to‑work issued where required; SWMS/JSA attached.
- Sign‑in/out logs and supervision notes recorded.
Tip: centralise all contractor records in your CMMS or a secure cloud tool. Remote coordinators can gatekeep access by checking the pack before issuing work.
5) Evidence or It Didn’t Happen: Close the Loop
Auditors expect verifiable evidence: dated records, calibrated instruments, and closed corrective actions. “Document your business or get out” may sound harsh, but in aged care it is compassionate—documentation protects residents.
- Attach test results, photos of asset ID plates, and calibration certificates.
- Record who did the work, on what date, for which asset, with what standard reference.
- Log non‑conformances and assign corrective actions with due dates.
- Verify closure: second‑person sign‑off with timestamp.
If it’s not dated, it didn’t happen. If it doesn’t link to an asset, it’s not traceable. If it lacks a closed action, it’s not resolved.
6) The Pre‑July Gap Check: A 14‑Day Sprint
Run a dress rehearsal before auditors do. This sprint uncovers weak points fast and builds team muscle memory.
Two‑week plan
- Day 1–2: Validate asset register completeness (100% of critical assets). Tag and photo any missing IDs.
- Day 3–5: Reconcile PM schedule to Environment standard; add clause references to every task.
- Day 6–8: Contractor file audit—licences, inductions, insurances. Suspend work until gaps are fixed.
- Day 9–11: Evidence review—fire systems, emergency lighting, water and air quality logs; raise corrective actions.
- Day 12–14: Close actions, run a mock audit, and produce a board‑level summary.
Output: one consolidated report covering schedules, safety checks, and any facility upgrades planned or completed.
7) Resolution and Results: From Scramble to System
By week three, the team moved from reactive to reliable. The mock audit passed with minor observations only, and we had a tight rhythm:
What changed
- Reliability: No missed PMs; automated reminders and escalations cut overdue tasks by 92%.
- Traceability: Every test linked to an asset, with geo/time‑stamped evidence.
- Safety: Fire alarms, emergency lighting, handrails and ramps demonstrated regular inspections with clean pass/fail criteria.
- Confidence: Remote workers followed clear digital procedures; new starters were productive on day one.
Tools mattered less than discipline—but a modern CMMS (e.g., RTM Cloud) gave dashboards, mobile checklists, and a “single source of truth.”
8) The Takeaway: Make Compliance Your Competitive Advantage
Strong compliance isn’t paperwork—it’s protection. Residents are safer, teams are calmer, and audits become non‑events. Build a culture where evidence lives with the work, every task is traceable, and corrective actions actually close.
Checklist to start this week
- Consolidate your asset register and set criticality.
- Align every PM to the Environment standard and fire safety reforms.
- Verify contractor licences, inductions and permits before work starts.
- Require dated, photo‑backed evidence and close every corrective action.
- Schedule a mock audit and report outcomes to leadership.
Do this now and you won’t just “pass”—you’ll lead. Your environment will be measurably safe, clean and comfortable, exactly what the strengthened Standards demand.
