Governance
Strengthen governance to deliver better aged care outcomes
Practical tools, expert support and tailored programs for every stage of governance maturity.
Good governance in aged care is essential for any business to operate effectively and meet expectations of the community they serve and regulatory obligations.
This was a key finding of the Aged Care Royal Commission with programs to strengthen provider governance introduced and embedded in the Aged Care Act.
As a result, Ageing Australia offers a range of programs and resources designed to build governance capability and ensure providers can deliver high quality care that older Australians deserve.
From free to fee-for-service offerings and scheduled to on-demand programs, provide support options suitable for providers of all sizes at each stage of their progression towards good governance.
Table of contents
Stronger governance leads to better decisions, greater accountability and improved care outcomes for older Australians.
Good Governance Framework
Our Good Governance Framework provides an overview of what governance in aged care encompasses and how this can be achieved.
Click on below expand icon to read in full page.
To download the pdf, click on the ellipsis in the control panel below.
Free support and resources for members
Accessible by contacting the Member Support team, is a suite of resources to support good governance, that are free for members and available at a nominal fee for non-members. The suite contains:
| Document title | Description |
|---|---|
| Aged Care Governance Manual | Explains the key functions and responsibilities of the Board. Providers insert their details |
| Towards Good Governance Work Plan | Step by step guide to achieve good governance |
| Governing Body Report Template | Sample Management report to Board |
| Governing Body Reporting Data Collection Tool | Collection tool for Board report - creates charts etc. to copy to report template |
| Governance Reforms Implementation Guide | Overview of the Strengthening Provider Governance Reforms including updates under the Act |
| Governing Body Maturity Assessment | Tool to self-assess progress against a range of mandatory and best practice outcomes |
| Governing Body Member Skills Assessment | Tool for triangulated (self, peer and qualification) assessment of individual directors' strengths |
| Governing Body Skills Matrix | Tool to identify skills strengths and gaps across the whole governing body |
| Responsible Persons Check and Declaration | Wording to include in a Statutory Declaration as to a person's suitability as a Responsible Person |
| Responsible Persons Register | Tool to record details of Responsible Persons |
| Consumer Advisory Body Terms of Reference Template | Suggested terms of reference for Consumer Advisory Bodies, development should be driven by the committee members |
| Quality Care Advisory Body Terms of Reference Template | Suggested terms of reference for the Quality Care Advisory Committee[ |
Our Member Support and Advisory Service will respond to your queries or direct you to the appropriate area for more complex matters.
Tailored support
Our Consultancy team can assist with:
- implementing the free resources and addressing gaps identified
- increasing your governing body members’ awareness of the changed regulatory environment including responsibilities for care, financial, workforce and digital governance, risk management and embedding human rights.
We partner with you to build your governance capability to meet obligations under the Aged Care Act through tailored support.
Professional development
Scheduled programs or workshops are available on demand and tailored to your organisation.
The Australian Institute of Company Directors – Company Director Course (online) is highly regarded program has been contextualised for aged care and community services and aims to build capability across governance, strategy, financial oversight and board effectiveness.
Our on-demand workshops are available for individual boards allowing content to be customised to their unique focus areas.
The Board Governance Workshop provides an overview of the changes arising from the Aged Care Act and Quality Standards and expectations of board members. It outlines the responsibilities such as advisory bodies, the oversight expectations of staff qualifications, skills and experience and the suitability of key personnel.
We hold regular events, conferences and forums to develop your skills and lead with confidence in aged care governance.
Governance Forum (virtual) coming in May.
State and National Conferences and Events generally include governance aspects.
Systems and other solutions
Ageing Australia® Compliance Hub Board Governance Toolkit: a secure location for sharing Board information that also provides over 100 policies, templates and good practice guides.
The Board Governance Toolkit is available at no additional cost to Compliance Hub subscribers.
Coming soon
Board/Director vacancy matching tool: An online portal to share vacancies, provider information and potential director credentials and connect candidates with providers looking for directors.
