The Quality of Care Principles under the Aged Care Act 1997 were amended with the aim of minimising the use of physical and chemical restraints in residential aged care, effective 1 July 2019. The amendments came in a climate of adverse media coverage (notably, images on television of residents with dementia being strapped to chairs) and scrutiny from the ongoing Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The use of restraints has proved to be a key focus of the Commission’s Interim Report, and an area identified for urgent action.
Please click on the image below to download, Restraints – a New Regulatory Landscape, published in the November 2019 edition of Medical Forum.
For more information on current restraints regulations and/or how they may change in the light of the Royal Commission, please contact David McMullen or Gemma McGrath.
