Registered providers in residential aged care homes must ensure a registered nurse, qualified enrolled nurse, or authorised health practitioner administers Schedule 4, 8, and 9 poisons and drugs of dependence to residents.

Registered providers face a penalty of 100 penalty units if they fail to ensure qualified personnel administer these medications, unless a reasonable excuse exists or the resident self-administers.

The requirement to use specified personnel for medication administration does not apply to substances used for voluntary assisted dying.

Penalty amounts increase to 600 penalty units for certain breaches by registered providers in residential aged care homes.

The law updates terminology to ensure standards and guidelines apply specifically to persons in residential aged care homes.

The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 adopts the definitions of 'funded aged care service' and 'residential aged care home' from the Commonwealth Aged Care Act 2024.