Strengthened Quality Standard 6: Food and Nutrition

What catering managers, chefs and cooks must know—and what you must do (Residential Aged Care, Australia)

Scope: Strengthened Quality Standard 6 applies only to residential care homes. Department of Health
Core promise to older people: “I receive plenty of food and drinks that I enjoy…nutritious, appetising and safe… The dining experience is enjoyable, includes variety and supports a sense of belonging.” Department of Health
Commencement: The strengthened Quality Standards commenced in line with the new Aged Care Act from 1 November 2025 (as stated in Commission information material). Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

1) What’s “new” or strengthened about Standard 6 (in plain language)

Strengthened Standard 6 elevates food from “a service” to a rights-based, person-partnered, continuously improved system:

• Partnering is mandatory: you must work with residents on what makes food, drinks and dining enjoyable, not just “offer a menu.” Department of Health
• Continuous improvement is mandatory: you must run a system that monitors and improves the service using satisfaction, intake, health impacts, and evidence-based practice. Department of Health
• Assessment is more explicit: it requires regular reassessment of nutrition, hydration and dining needs/preferences (including when they like to eat/drink and what makes dining positive). Department of Health
• Menus require professional input and review: menus must be developed with input from chefs/cooks and an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), include variety, meet nutritional needs, and be reviewed at least annually through a menu/mealtime assessment by an APD. Department of Health
• Choice expands beyond food items: each meal, residents can exercise choice about what, when, where and how they eat and drink. Department of Health
• Dining experience is a compliance item: staffing support to eat/drink, encouragement, identification of people needing support, a reablement/social environment, and the ability to share food with visitors are all expected. Department of Health
• Snacks and drinks (including water) must be accessible at all times—not only at set rounds. Department of Health

The Department also frames Standard 6 as a dedicated strengthened standard with an expectation statement focused on plenty, enjoyment, nutrition, safety and belonging. Department of Health

2) The Standard 6 framework (Outcomes and Actions you must be able to prove)

Outcome 6.1 — Partnering with individuals on food and drinks

Outcome: Partner with individuals to deliver a quality food/drinks service including appetising varied food and an enjoyable dining experience. Department of Health

You must do (Actions):

• 6.1.1 Partner with residents on how to create enjoyable food, drinks and dining experiences. Department of Health
• 6.1.2 Implement a system to monitor and continuously improve the service in response to:
  a) satisfaction with food/drink/dining
  b) intake meeting nutritional needs (including unplanned weight loss/malnutrition identified under Standard 5)
  c) impact on health outcomes
  d) contemporary evidence-based practice Department of Health

Outcome 6.2 — Assessment of nutritional needs and preferences

Outcome: Understand specific nutritional needs and assess current needs/abilities/preferences relating to what and how they eat and drink. Department of Health

You must do (Action 6.2.1): regularly assess and reassess nutrition, hydration and dining needs/preferences, considering:

• specific nutritional needs (including focus on protein and calcium rich foods)
• dining needs
• what they like to eat/drink
• when they like to eat/drink
• what makes a positive dining experience
• clinical/physical issues affecting ability to eat/drink Department of Health

Outcome 6.3 — Provision of food and drinks

Outcome: Provide food/drinks that meet nutritional needs, are appetising/flavoursome, provide variation and choice, and choice about how much they eat/drink. Department of Health

You must do (key actions):

• 6.3.1 Menus (including texture modified diets): designed with residents, developed with chefs/cooks and APD input (including special dietary needs), changed regularly, enable choice, meet nutritional needs, and reviewed at least annually via APD menu/mealtime assessment. Department of Health
• 6.3.2 Residents can choose what/when/where/how they eat/drink for each meal. Department of Health
• 6.3.3 Meals/drinks/snacks (including for specialised diets or those needing support) are: appetising/flavourful; served at correct temperature and in an appetising way (including presentation of texture modified foods using tools such as moulds); prepared/served safely; meet assessed needs; align with individual choice; and reflect the menu. Department of Health+1
• 6.3.4 Nutritious snacks and drinks (including water) are offered and accessible at all times. Department of Health

Outcome 6.4 — Dining experience

Outcome: Support individuals to eat and drink; ensure dining supports social engagement, function and quality of life. Department of Health

You must do (Actions):

• 6.4.1 Support residents to eat/drink by:
  a) having sufficient staff available to support eating/drinking
  b) prompting/encouraging
  c) identifying who needs support to safely eat/drink
  d) physically supporting those who need it, at their preferred pace, enabling as much as they want Department of Health
• 6.4.2 Dining environment supports reablement, social engagement, belonging and enjoyment. Department of Health
• 6.4.3 Opportunities to share food/drinks with visitors. Department of Health

3) What auditors will look for: “Show me your system” + “Show me it in practice”

The Commission’s provider fact sheet is blunt: to demonstrate conformance you must have documented systems/processes, monitoring tools showing staff follow them, and feedback loops that lead to improvement. Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

Your Standard 6 evidence pack should include (minimum)

1. Resident partnering evidence
   • Menu committee / food focus group minutes
   • Resident surveys, tasting panels, suggestion logs
   • Actions taken and results (“you said / we did”)
2. Assessment + reassessment system
   • How nutrition/hydration/dining needs are assessed and reviewed
   • How food service receives and implements changes (diet codes, preferences, textures, timing)
3. Menu governance
   • Menu development process showing chefs/cooks + APD input and annual APD menu/mealtime assessment Department of Health
   • Documented menu cycles, change controls, seasonal review
4. Choice in practice
   • Mealtime ordering method proving choice of what/when/where/how Department of Health
   • Late/early meal procedures, alternates, culturally familiar options
5. Texture modified + specialised diets
   • Evidence residents agree to texture options (and alternatives when they don’t)
   • Plating standards, moulding tools where used, temperature and presentation checks Department of Health
6. Snack/hydration access 24/7
   • Pantry/fridge access controls, “always available” snack list, hydration plan Department of Health
7. Dining experience supports
   • Staffing model at meals, dining assistance training, prompts/encouragement routines Department of Health
8. Continuous improvement dashboard (your biggest “win”)
   • Satisfaction scores + comments
   • Plate waste / intake checks
   • Weight loss/malnutrition escalations (linked to Standard 5) Department of Health
   • Corrective actions and follow-up verification

4) Responsibilities by role (who must do what)

A) Catering Manager / Hospitality Manager (system owner)

You are accountable for the end-to-end Standard 6 system, including proving it works.

You must implement:

• A resident partnering structure (committee, resident meetings, surveys, rapid feedback loops). Department of Health+1
• A documented monitoring + continuous improvement program against the required inputs (satisfaction, intake, health impacts, evidence-based practice). Department of Health
• A menu governance pathway: change control, APD involvement, annual APD review, and a schedule for menu updates. Department of Health
• Assurance that snacks/drinks (incl. water) are always available, not “when we have time.” Department of Health
• Mealtime staffing design so dining assistance is reliably delivered. Department of Health

Your “non-negotiable” weekly checks

• Spot-check: choice is real (not token) at breakfast/lunch/dinner. Department of Health
• Temperature and presentation spot-checks (including texture modified presentation). Department of Health
• Snack/hydration availability check (after-hours included). Department of Health
• Complaint/feedback close-out: every complaint has a response + improvement action.

B) Chef (production + quality lead)

Under Standard 6, the chef is not just cooking—you are a compliance-critical leader in choice, texture, appeal, and continuous improvement.

What you must do:

• Co-design menus with residents and ensure variety and flavour (including for texture modified diets). Department of Health+1
• Provide evidence that recipes and portions meet nutritional intent and resident needs, and support APD reviews. Department of Health
• Run plating standards: correct temperature, appealing presentation, and texture modified foods presented appetisingly (including moulding tools where used). Department of Health
• Support “choice at point of service”: alternates, backups, and flexible timing procedures. Department of Health
• Lead corrective actions when satisfaction drops, plate waste rises, or intake is poor (and document it as continuous improvement). Department of Health

C) Cooks (delivery of consistency)

Cooks make or break Standard 6 on the ground.

Daily must-dos:

• Follow menu and diet codes exactly (special diets + texture levels). Department of Health
• Plate to standard: correct temperatures, portioning, and presentation—especially for texture modified meals. Department of Health
• Ensure alternates are available and offered respectfully (maintaining dignity of choice). Department of Health
• Document issues that affect intake: dislike patterns, refusals, chewing/swallow fatigue, fatigue with texture meals—so reassessment can occur. Department of Health

5) The “must-have” Standard 6 systems (your operating model)

System 1 — Partnering & co-design (Outcome 6.1.1)

Minimum standard practice:

• Resident food meetings at a set frequency
• Rapid feedback options (comment cards, QR survey, “taste of the day” scoring)
• Clear “you said / we did” reporting back to residents

This is not optional under Outcome 6.1. Department of Health

System 2 — Continuous improvement program (Outcome 6.1.2)

Build a monthly dashboard with the four required lenses: Department of Health

1. satisfaction, 2) intake/nutrition, 3) health outcomes, 4) evidence-based updates.

Practical measures to use (examples):

• Satisfaction: meal quality score, temperature score, friendliness score, choice score
• Intake: plate waste audits, “ate <50%” flags, snack uptake
• Health outcomes: weight loss triggers (with clinical), constipation/pressure injury links, hydration alerts
• Evidence-based practice: annual APD review outcomes; updates to texture practices; fortified menu initiatives

System 3 — Assessment + reassessment workflow (Outcome 6.2.1)

You need a tight loop between care assessment and kitchen execution.

The reassessment must consider (required): protein/calcium focus, dining needs, likes, timing preferences, positive dining factors, and issues affecting ability to eat/drink. Department of Health

Best-practice workflow (simple):

1. Admission + quarterly review: preferences, cultural foods, timing, assistance needs
2. Trigger review: weight loss, low intake, choking risk changes, new dentures, illness, depression, medication impacts
3. Communication: diet list updates + allergy list updates + kitchen huddle notes
4. Verification: first meal after change is checked and signed off

System 4 — Menu governance + APD cycle (Outcome 6.3.1)

The strengthened standard explicitly requires menu development with chefs/cooks and APD input, plus annual APD menu and mealtime assessment. Department of Health

Your menu governance file should include:

• Menu cycle, recipe set, portion guides
• Cultural and preference adaptations
• Texture modified menu set aligned to the same flavours/identity of the main menu
• APD review report + action plan + completion evidence

System 5 — Choice that is real (Outcome 6.3.2)

Residents must be able to choose what, when, where and how they eat/drink for each meal. Department of Health

Operationalise it with:

• Two-choice (or more) at lunch/dinner + alternates always available
• Flexible meal timing policy (early/late trays)
• Location choice (room/dining/private areas where appropriate)
• “How” choice: portion sizes, texture preferences where safe, condiments, finger foods options

System 6 — Dining support + staffing model (Outcome 6.4.1)

The standard requires sufficient workers and active support (prompting, identifying who needs help, and physical assistance at preferred pace). Department of Health

Must-haves:

• Dining assistance training (care + hospitality)
• “Meal support allocation” roster (who assists whom)
• Escalation when staffing falls short (what happens, who is called, what alternative service model applies)

System 7 — Snacks & hydration always available (Outcome 6.3.4)

You must prove nutritious snacks and drinks (including water) are accessible at all times. Department of Health

Evidence examples:

• 24/7 snack station checklist (stocked AM/PM/night)
• After-hours fridge access procedure
• Hydration rounds + self-serve options + visitor inclusion

6) Texture modified diets: the “high-risk / high-scrutiny” area

Strengthened Standard 6 is explicit that texture modified food must still be appetising, served at correct temperature, and presented well (including moulds where used). Department of Health

What chefs/cooks should standardise:

• Texture presentation standards: shape, colour contrast, garnishes (safe), plating temperature
• Matching flavours: texture meals must mirror the main menu identity (not “generic beige”)
• Resident agreement: if a resident refuses a texture option, document alternatives and coordinate reassessment

7) Dining experience: belonging is now part of compliance

The intent statement emphasises that food and dining foster inclusion and belonging, and the standard requires opportunities to share food/drinks with visitors. Department of Health+1

Practical compliance ideas:

• Theme meals linked to resident cultures
• Family-style elements where safe/appropriate
• Visitor tea/coffee/snack inclusion plan
• “Quiet dining” and “social dining” options (match preference)

8) Implementation plan (a realistic rollout that passes audit)

Phase 1 — Build the Standard 6 backbone (2–4 weeks)

• Write/refresh your Standard 6 policy suite (partnering, assessment flow, menu governance, choice, snacks/hydration, dining assistance)
• Create the Standard 6 dashboard template (monthly)
• Establish the resident partnering structure and schedule

Phase 2 — Menu + APD integration (4–8 weeks)

• Confirm APD engagement (menu review + mealtime assessment schedule) Department of Health
• Standardise recipes, portions, plating guides (especially textures)
• Lock in seasonal menu change calendar

Phase 3 — Workforce + practice proof (2–6 weeks)

• Train cooks and care staff on dining support expectations Department of Health
• Start weekly observational audits (meal tray accuracy, temperature, choice offered, assistance delivered)
• Start resident satisfaction measurement and publish improvements

Phase 4 — Continuous improvement maturity (ongoing)

• Monthly dashboard to governance
• Quarterly deep dives (plate waste, hydration, texture acceptance, complaints)
• Annual APD review action plan closed out Department of Health

9) Common failure points (and how to prevent them)

1. “Choice” exists on paper, not in service
   Fix: point-of-service scripts + alternates always available + audits.
2. Texture modified meals are safe but unappealing
   Fix: plating standards, moulding/presentation tools, flavour parity with main menu. Department of Health
3. Snacks/hydration are “available” but not accessible
   Fix: 24/7 access proof (checklists, stock logs, after-hours procedure). Department of Health
4. Feedback is collected but nothing changes
   Fix: “you said / we did” reporting + corrective action register + follow-up checks. Department of Health
5. Kitchen and care assessments don’t align
   Fix: change notification process + verification step on first meal after change. Department of Health