A new stakeholder toolkit aims to strengthen awareness of complaints and whistleblower protections under Australia’s new Aged Care Act, providing practical guidance for older people, their families, carers and aged care workers.
The Complaints and whistleblower protections toolkit was developed to support aged care providers, peak bodies, advocacy organisations and community groups to discuss rights and responsibilities under the new legislation. It includes key messages, discussion guides, editorial content, social media posts, videos and resources that can be shared across newsletters, websites, meetings and digital platforms.
Overarching key messages include the new Statement of Rights introduced under the Aged Care Act, which clearly sets out what older people can expect when accessing aged care services. This includes the right to make their own decisions about their own lives, provide feedback and make a complaint or report if services fall short, without fear of punishment or retribution.
The toolkit highlights that providers are required to demonstrate they understand and follow these rights, with oversight from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. If concerns are not resolved at a provider level, older people and workers can escalate complaints to the Commission, including the new independent Complaints Commissioner.
A key focus of the toolkit is a new whistleblower framework to protect anyone – including older people, family members, carers and aged care workers – who calls out suspected misconduct.
They will have access to protections if they experience unfair treatment, threats and victimisation.
For older people and their families, the toolkit encourages engagement with accessible resources such as the Your aged care rights video. It also promotes support services such as the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), which offers free, independent and confidential assistance for those wanting to raise concerns.
Aged care workers are also encouraged to support people in their care to understand how complaints are managed and resolved and feel welcome to raise concerns or make a complaint. The toolkit also outlines workers’ rights to raise concerns about quality and safety, either internally or with the Complaints Commissioner, and details employer obligations to have effective complaints and whistleblower systems in place.
By promoting transparency, accountability and protection for those who speak up, the toolkit aims to support continuous improvement in aged care quality and safety. Stakeholders are encouraged to share the materials widely and embed the calls to action across their communication channels, reinforcing that feedback, complaints and whistleblowing are essential to upholding the rights of older people under the new Aged Care Act.
Access the toolkit here
