Overview

Outcome 2.2a represents a fundamental shift in aged care governance, placing the wellbeing and empowerment of aged care workers at the centre of organisational culture. This outcome recognises that quality care delivery is intrinsically linked to how workers are supported, valued, and engaged within the organisation.

The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (August 2025) emphasise that the governing body must lead a culture that not only focuses on continuous improvement but actively prioritises the safety, health, and wellbeing of aged care workers. This is not merely about compliance—it's about creating an environment where workers feel empowered to deliver their best care.

Key Training Areas

Training Area	Description	Target Audience
Leadership and Governance	Building leadership capability to create and sustain a positive workplace culture focused on quality and continuous improvement	Governing body members, senior leadership, managers
Worker Safety and Wellbeing	Comprehensive training on physical and psychological safety, including manual handling, infection control, stress management, and resilience	All staff
Communication and Engagement	Developing skills for effective communication, consultation, and meaningful engagement with workers at all levels	All staff, with advanced modules for leaders
Quality and Continuous Improvement	Understanding and implementing quality systems, incident management, and improvement methodologies	All staff, with specialised training for quality teams
Diversity and Inclusion	Creating culturally safe and inclusive workplaces that value diversity and support all workers	All staff

Key Requirements

Governing Body Leadership (Action 2.2.1)
The governing body must visibly lead and demonstrate a positive culture of quality and continuous improvement. This requires active participation and clear communication of cultural values throughout the organisation.

Strategic Integration (Action 2.2.2)
Strategic and business planning must explicitly:

• Prioritise worker safety, health, and wellbeing
• Establish mechanisms for meaningful worker engagement and consultation
• Ensure timely communication of safety-relevant information
• Demonstrate adherence to legislative requirements while considering organisational risks and workforce needs

Recommended Ausmed Training Modules

Foundation Training - All Governing Body Members and Senior Leaders

Training Area	Modules	Frequency
Quality Standards	Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards: Home Care	Within 3 months of appointment, annual refresher
Clinical Governance	National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards	Annual
Incident Management	Incident Report Writing Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)	Annual
Legal Obligations	Duty of Care	At commencement, biennial refresher

Worker Safety and Wellbeing Training

Training Area	Modules	Frequency
Physical Safety	Manual Handling Safety Hand Hygiene Essentials Work Health and Safety	Annual competency assessment
Mental Wellbeing	Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Aged Care Managing Aggression in the Workplace	Biannual
Emergency Response	Basic Life Support (BLS) Fire Safety in Residential Aged Care Emergency, Disaster and Evacuation Management	Annual

Communication and Documentation Training

Training Area	Modules	Frequency
Documentation Skills	Documentation in Aged Care Cyber Security	At orientation and annual refresher
Care Planning	Understanding Care Plans in Aged Care	Annual

Diversity and Inclusion Training

Training Area	Modules	Frequency
Cultural Competence	Cultural Safety in Healthcare	At orientation and biennial refresher
Inclusive Practice	LGBTIQ+ in Aged Care Intimacy and Sexuality in Aged Care	Annual
Person-Centred Care	Dignity of Risk & Decision-Making in Aged Care	Annual

Service Setting Considerations

The implementation of Outcome 2.2a varies between residential and home service settings, particularly regarding governance complexity and worker oversight.

Residential Services

• Direct oversight of workers enables immediate identification of practice improvements
• On-site governing body presence can facilitate regular worker engagement
• Centralised workforce allows for consistent culture building activities

Home Services

Home service providers face unique challenges that require adapted approaches:

• Subcontracting arrangements: Where services are subcontracted, providers must establish clear quality expectations and monitoring systems
• Remote workforce management: High proportions of subcontracted workers require robust communication systems and self-assurance cultures
• Limited direct oversight: Providers must embed a culture where workers can independently assess their performance and proactively identify improvements

Challenge	Training Solution
Subcontracted workforce	Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards: Home Care - mandatory for all subcontractors
Remote supervision	Digital training platforms with completion tracking and competency assessment
Inconsistent practice	Standardised training modules with regular refreshers and spot audits

Implementation Strategies

1. Leadership Visibility and Commitment

• Governing body members should visibly participate in training sessions
• Regular "safety walks" and worker forums led by board members
• Clear communication of organisational values and expectations

2. Systematic Worker Engagement

• Establish formal consultation committees with genuine decision-making authority
• Regular pulse surveys to measure culture and safety climate
• Anonymous reporting mechanisms for safety concerns

3. Integration with Business Planning

• Include worker wellbeing metrics in strategic KPIs
• Allocate specific budget for worker safety and wellbeing initiatives
• Regular board reporting on worker safety and satisfaction metrics

4. Creating Psychological Safety

• Implement "just culture" principles that support reporting without fear
• Recognise and reward workers who raise safety concerns
• Provide support services including Employee Assistance Programs

5. Leveraging Worker Expertise

• Establish formal mechanisms to capture frontline insights and innovations
• Create worker-led improvement teams with decision-making authority
• Recognise and reward worker-initiated improvements
• Include workers in strategic planning sessions and quality committees
• Document and share successful worker-led initiatives across the organisation

Monitoring and Evidence Requirements

Regular Reporting to Governing Body:

• Quarterly quality performance reports including worker safety metrics
• Analysis of worker feedback and complaints with identified trends
• Incident reports with root cause analysis and improvement actions
• Worker wellbeing survey results and action plans
• Compliance with Code of Conduct for Aged Care
• Workforce health and safety performance against targets

Documentation to Maintain:

• Training records demonstrating governing body participation in culture and safety training
• Minutes from worker consultation forums and evidence of actions taken
• Strategic plans explicitly addressing worker safety and wellbeing
• Safety climate survey results and improvement action plans
• Records of safety communications to workers
• Evidence of worker feedback being incorporated into decision-making
• Documentation of how worker expertise has been leveraged in care improvements

Key Performance Indicators:

• Worker injury and illness rates
• Worker turnover and retention rates
• Safety climate survey scores
• Participation rates in consultation forums
• Timeliness of safety-critical communications
• Worker satisfaction scores
• Number of safety improvements initiated by workers
• Code of Conduct compliance rates
• Resolution timeframes for worker concerns

Regular Review Points:

• Monthly: Review critical incidents and immediate safety concerns
• Quarterly: Comprehensive review of safety metrics and worker feedback for governing body reporting
• Biannually: Assess culture and climate survey results
• Annually: Comprehensive review of training effectiveness and culture initiatives

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge	Solution
Governing body members lack time for direct worker engagement	Schedule structured engagement activities as formal board responsibilities, utilise technology for virtual forums, and ensure engagement is meaningful rather than tokenistic
Workers sceptical about genuine culture change	Start with small, visible wins; ensure rapid response to worker concerns; publicly acknowledge and act on feedback; celebrate improvements initiated by workers
Balancing operational pressures with worker wellbeing	Frame worker wellbeing as essential to operational success; demonstrate ROI through reduced turnover and improved quality metrics; build wellbeing considerations into all operational decisions

Integration with Other Standards

Outcome 2.2a directly supports and is supported by:

• Standard 1: Workers who feel valued deliver more person-centred care
• Standard 3: Safe, supported workers provide better care and services
• Standard 5: Clinical safety requires psychologically safe reporting environments
• Outcome 2.2b: Worker culture directly impacts the culture experienced by residents
• Outcome 2.3: Quality systems and accountability structures that support worker engagement
• Outcome 2.4: Risk management systems that identify and mitigate workforce risks
• Outcome 2.5: Incident management systems that support learning rather than blame
• Outcome 2.6a: Complaints and feedback systems that capture worker insights
• Outcome 2.8: Workforce planning that addresses worker wellbeing needs
• Outcome 2.9: Human resource management that evaluates and supports worker performance
• Outcome 3.1: Assessment and planning informed by worker expertise

Practical Next Steps

1. Conduct a baseline culture assessment using validated tools to understand current state
2. Develop a culture improvement plan with specific, measurable objectives
3. Establish worker consultation mechanisms if not already in place
4. Review and update strategic plans to explicitly address worker wellbeing
5. Implement regular board education on contemporary approaches to safety culture
6. Create communication protocols for safety-critical information
7. Develop recognition programmes that reinforce positive safety behaviours

Additional Resources

Consider these supplementary Ausmed modules for comprehensive coverage:

• Elder Abuse
• Minimising Restrictive Practices in Aged Care
• Recognising Deterioration: Care Workers
• Falls Prevention and Management: Care Workers

Conclusion

Outcome 2.2a recognises that aged care workers are the foundation of quality care delivery. By prioritising their safety, health, and wellbeing through systematic training, genuine engagement, and visible leadership commitment, organisations create the conditions for exceptional care. The Ausmed training modules provide comprehensive support for building this culture, but success ultimately depends on authentic leadership commitment to valuing and empowering the workforce.

Remember: A culture that supports workers is a culture that delivers quality care. Investment in worker wellbeing is an investment in care quality.