Chemical and physical restraint in aged care homes will be better regulated, following extensive examination of this important issue over the past 18 months.

Incidents of over use of physical and chemical restraint will not be tolerated and draft changes to regulations are expected to be released within weeks.

This will build on work already undertaken.

Managing and minimising restraint is already a top priority for the Chief Clinical Adviser at the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, established on 1 January 2019, by the Liberal National Government.

Our Government’s new Aged Care Quality Standards – the first upgrade of standards in 20 years – also stipulate best-practice clinical care to minimise the use of chemical and physical restraint.

The new Standards will come into full force on 1 July 2019.

Read more:

Aged Care Restraint Regulation to Protect Senior Australians (.pdf)