News and media

The Royal Commissioners are very concerned by the reports of deaths due to COVID-19 in aged care facilities. They have already begun looking into the impact of the virus on aged care, consistent with their terms of reference

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all aspects of Australia’s economy and society, including the delivery of aged care services. In order to understand that impact fully, the Commissioners are seeking the views of those people directly affected.

The Chair of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Hon G T Pagone QC, calls upon all in the Australian community, including the Australian Government and aged care providers, to be vigilant about the many and varied impacts of, and responses to, COVID19.

The deadline for submissions to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will be extended by two months to 30 June 2020.

The Commissioners have decided to suspend all hearings and workshops for the time being, subject to ongoing review. This decision is a consequence of the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and based on information available from the Australian Government.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has taken the precautionary step of not permitting the public to attend hearings and workshops until further notice due to the risk to public health from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

If the Australian aged care system is to meet the many challenges it faces in the years ahead, research, innovation and technology are vital. The Royal Commissioners are investigating whether the aged care sector and the Australian Government are doing enough to foster much needed developments.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will hold a hearing in Adelaide on the morning of Wednesday 4 March 2020 for the purpose of hearing submissions from Senior Counsel Assisting, Peter Gray QC, on aged care program redesign.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Safety and Quality will hold a hearing in Adelaide on the morning of Friday 21 February 2020 about the aged care workforce. At the hearing, the Royal Commissioners will hear evidence from Professor Charlene Harrington and Dr Katherine Ravenswood on workforce issues.

New research on international systems and innovations in aged care has identified many opportunities for improvement in Australia, according to researchers at Flinders University. The university and its research partners produced two major reports for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety that examine how aged care is delivered around the world and the types of innovative approaches used.