Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety: Response to Consultation on the Terms of Reference

This response to the Australian Government’s consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety maintains that research and evidence-based care should be central to the inquiry. Research Australia notes that strong evidence exists for many areas of appropriate care, risks to residents and quality indicators, but has not been routinely implemented, citing a 2017 Medical Journal of Australia analysis of rising premature deaths in nursing homes and a dementia care trial. It recommends terms of reference on the role of research in defining quality care, including for younger people with disabilities in residential care, in speeding the adoption of evidence-based care, and in developing quality indicators; on effective international models such as the Netherlands; and on alternatives to residential care, including technology that augments human contact.