Responsible Person
A person in a position of authority over a provider, such as a director or CEO; subject to the same screening as workers under the Aged Care Act 2024.
A Responsible Person is someone who holds authority or influence over how an Aged Care provider operates. This typically includes directors, chief executives, and others responsible for the provider's executive decisions, nursing care or day to day governance. The point of the concept is accountability: the people steering a provider should be suitable to be entrusted with the care of older Australians.
Under the Aged Care Act 2024, Responsible Persons are subject to suitability and screening requirements similar to those applied to workers. Providers must satisfy themselves that each Responsible Person is fit to hold their role and keep this assessment current. This recognises that risk does not only sit with frontline staff: poor governance can affect the safety and quality of care across an entire organisation.
For providers, this means screening obligations reach into the boardroom, not just the floor. Identifying who counts as a Responsible Person, gathering the right checks, and keeping evidence ready for the regulator are practical tasks that need clear records. Treating leaders' clearances with the same rigour as worker clearances, and keeping them current and easy to confirm, is part of meeting the Act. See the Aged Care Act provider screening checklist for more.
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep it accurate, but the rules change and we will not always get every detail right. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.