The Residential Aged Care Summit: Turning regulatory change into operational action

Residential aged care providers across Australia are adapting to a new regulatory framework that demands rigorous compliance while strengthening resident outcomes.

Four months into this new era, the focus has shifted from initial adjustments to strategic integration, ensuring that enhanced Quality Standards and workforce requirements translate into resilient, person-centred operations.

For senior executives and leadership teams accountable for governance, financial stewardship and care delivery, this transition represents a critical juncture. Balancing mandates on care minutes, prudential oversight and accommodation reforms requires not only compliance but innovation to safeguard organisational viability and elevate resident dignity.

The Residential Aged Care Summit 2026 is the premier national platform designed to equip leaders with actionable insights and collaborative strategies. Held in partnership with COTA Australia, and positioned as the first major forum following reform implementation, this event brings together authoritative voices to examine practical application, test emerging approaches and benchmark progress across the sector.

What sets this summit apart is its commitment to practical, evidence-based discussion. Attendees gain access to regulators from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, policymakers from the Department of Health and Aged Care, and resident advocates from COTA Australia.

This convergence ensures discussions are informed by policy and enriched by lived experience, promoting solutions that are both compliant and compassionate.

At its core, the summit addresses the dual imperatives of financial resilience and resident empowerment. Through expert-led sessions and interactive formats such as the Ideas Exchange, participants explore:

• Governance and accountability frameworks that integrate seamlessly into daily practice, enhancing audit preparedness and Star Ratings.
• Workforce optimisation strategies, including innovative recruitment pipelines and wellbeing programs to meet mandatory care minutes amid ongoing shortages.
• Prudential management and revenue models, including refined accommodation pricing, such as RADs, to maintain fiscal health under evolving requirements.
• Holistic care enhancements, from nutrition and food services to culturally safe environments that respect diversity and vulnerability.
  

This masterclass in operational excellence equips C-suite leaders, facility managers and department heads with the tools to navigate change confidently, transforming regulatory pressure into opportunities for growth and improved service.

Invest in your organisation’s future by joining this essential gathering. Collaborate with peers, gain regulatory clarity and emerge with a roadmap for sustained success.

Residential Aged Care Summit

Dates: 29 to 30 April 2026
Location: Mercure Sydney or via online livestream
Standard Summit Ticket: $2,699 + GST
Hello Leaders discount: Add HELLOLEADERS for an extra $100 off early bird rates
Group Discounts: Groups of 10 or more save 25 per cent

Secure your registration at https://go.the-hatchery.co/HLArticle8676. The decisions made today will define tomorrow’s standards in aged care.