Strengthening after-hours planning in residential aged care homes
The Aged Care After-Hours Toolkit provides practical resources to help residential aged care homes strengthen after-hours planning and respond when residents become unwell outside normal hours.
On this page:
Why after-hours planning matters
Residents can become unwell at any time, including overnight or on weekends. Clear after-hours processes help staff access the right support quickly and reduce unnecessary hospital transfers.
Good planning ensures staff know what to do, who to contact and what options are available when a resident’s condition changes.
The Aged Care After-Hours toolkit
The Aged Care After-Hours Toolkit provides practical resources to help residential aged care homes strengthen after-hours planning.
Homes can use the toolkit to:
- review their current after-hours preparedness.
- develop clear processes for responding when residents become unwell.
- document local services available outside normal hours.
- support staff decision-making and communication with clinicians.
- develop resident-specific after-hours action plans.
The toolkit can be used as a complete planning package or as individual tools, depending on your home’s needs.
Our toolkit guide provides a more detailed overview of each resource.
Tookit resources
The toolkit includes several resources that can be used together or individually to strengthen after-hours planning in your aged care home.
After-hours toolkit guide
An overview of the toolkit and how the resources can be used together to strengthen after-hours planning and decision-making in residential aged care homes.
After-hours action planning audit tool
A self-assessment tool to help homes review their current after-hours preparedness and identify gaps in processes, services and documentation. Recommended to be completed every 12 months.
Medical support checklist
An ISBAR-based checklist to guide staff when a resident becomes unwell and clinical advice is required. It helps staff collect and communicate key information when contacting a GP, locum service or other after-hours provider.
Resident after-hours action plan (PDF)
A person-centred plan developed with the resident and their family or chosen decision-maker to support care decisions after-hours.
Facility plan (WORD)
A quick-reference summary of the home’s after-hours processes and key contacts for staff.
Family and carer fact sheet
Information to help families and carers understand what may happen if a resident becomes unwell after hours and how they may be involved in decision-making.
Family and carer fact sheets in other languages:
After-hours service directory
A template to document local after-hours services available to support residents. Homes can customise the directory with relevant local services and contacts. The HealthPathways Melbourne links in the additional resources section may help identify appropriate services.
Find out how the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department is helping residents in Aged Care Homes
Additional resources
These resources may also help support after-hours planning and staff awareness of available services.
Medical referral options for RACHs
A quick-reference guide to help staff choose appropriate referral pathways when a resident becomes unwell, including GP, Residential In-Reach (RIR), Victorian Virtual ED (VVED) and emergency services.Visit our telehealth support in aged care page
Residential In-Reach (RIR) Services on Healthpathways Melbourne
Information on hospital-based services that support aged care homes to manage residents in place where appropriate.After-hours services on Healthpathways Melbourne
Guidance on available services and referral options for residents who become unwell outside normal hours.Acknowledgement
EMPHN would like to acknowledge Victorian and Tasmanian PHNs, the Aged Care Programs Team at EMPHN, and aged care stakeholders across our catchment in the development of this work.