See what informs our approach to care

Clinics GRP's assessment-led, goal-based approach is consistent with rehabilitation guidance that focuses on function, independence, meaningful goals and review. Evidence for individual techniques varies by condition, so manual therapy and exercise should be described as options selected after assessment rather than universal treatments.

• World Health Organization (2019). Rehabilitation in health systems: guide for action
• Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Wallbank G, et al. (2020). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review
• World Health Organization (2023). WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings

Home-based rehabilitation can be appropriate when assessment in the person's usual environment is practical and clinically suitable. Australian falls guidance and systematic-review evidence support tailored assessment and balance or functional exercise for older people, without guaranteeing fall prevention for an individual.

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2017). Intermediate care including reablement: recommendations (NG74)
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2025). Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best Practice Guidelines for Community Care in Australia
• Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Wallbank G, et al. (2020). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review

Rehabilitation is directed at function and participation through assessment, person-centred goals, progression and review. Home, clinic and community settings can be used according to need and service fit.

• World Health Organization (2019). Rehabilitation in health systems: guide for action
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2017). Intermediate care including reablement: recommendations (NG74)
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard

Coordinated discharge planning and transitional care can support continuity after hospital and may reduce readmissions across programmes studied. Results vary, so Clinics GRP should not promise prevention of readmission or a particular recovery speed.

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2017). Intermediate care including reablement: recommendations (NG74)
• Weeks LE, Macdonald M, Martin-Misener R, et al. (2018). The impact of transitional care programs on health services utilization in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review
• Hunt-O'Connor C, Moore Z, Patton D, et al. (2021). The effect of discharge planning on length of stay and readmission rates of older adults in acute hospitals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews

Australian community-care guidance supports early falls-risk assessment and tailored prevention. High-certainty systematic-review evidence supports balance and functional exercise for reducing falls in community-dwelling older people.

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2025). Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best Practice Guidelines for Community Care in Australia
• Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Wallbank G, et al. (2020). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review

Evidence supports vestibular rehabilitation for diagnosed peripheral vestibular hypofunction and canalith repositioning for diagnosed BPPV. Dizziness has many causes, so assessment and referral boundaries are essential.

• Hall CD, Herdman SJ, Whitney SL, et al. (2022). Vestibular Rehabilitation for Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: An Updated Clinical Practice Guideline
• Bhattacharyya N, Gubbels SP, Schwartz SR, et al. (2017). Clinical Practice Guideline: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (Update)

Australian guidance recommends regular strength, balance, mobility and coordination activity for older adults. Therapeutic exercise should be individualised to assessment findings, health needs, goals and risk rather than presented as generic fitness or a guaranteed treatment result.

• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). Recommendations for older adults (65 years and over)
• Sherrington C, Fairhall N, Wallbank G, et al. (2020). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review
• World Health Organization (2019). Rehabilitation in health systems: guide for action

Massage may offer short-term pain or function benefit for some musculoskeletal presentations, but the evidence is condition-specific and often low or very-low certainty. It should be described as an optional component selected after assessment, not as a general recovery treatment or a durable correction.

• World Health Organization (2023). WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings
• Furlan AD, Giraldo M, Baskwill A, Irvin E, Imamura M (2015). Massage for low-back pain

Clinics GRP's proposed nursing model is consistent with Australian standards for comprehensive assessment, care planning, safe practice, medication safety, communication and escalation. Each pathway below has additional condition-specific evidence and scope limits.

• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025). Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standard 5: Clinical Care

Healthy ageing guidance supports regular activity, person-centred assessment and practical plans that maintain mobility, function and participation. Education and prevention resources should still direct people to clinical assessment when individual symptoms or risks require it.

• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). Recommendations for older adults (65 years and over)
• World Health Organization (2025). Integrated care for older people (ICOPE): guidance for person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care, 2nd edition
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025). Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standard 5: Clinical Care

Reliable online information can help people understand options and prepare for decisions, but it does not replace individual clinical assessment. Digital content should name its author or reviewer, show review dates and connect users to appropriate care.

• World Health Organization (2019). WHO guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2026). Finding good health information online

Home-based care can be appropriate when it matches the person's goals, needs, environment and safety. Integrated services should communicate and review the plan as needs change.

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2017). Intermediate care including reablement: recommendations (NG74)
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025). Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standard 5: Clinical Care

Australian wound standards support structured assessment, documentation, care planning, monitoring and escalation. The exact dressing or procedure depends on wound type, diagnosis, orders, supplies and nurse competence.

• Wounds Australia (2023). Australian Standards for Wound Prevention and Management, Fourth Edition
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard

Systematic reviews support coordinated transitional care and discharge planning for older adults, including nurse-coordinated models. Effects vary and do not justify promising prevention of readmission or hospital-level care at home.

• Weeks LE, Macdonald M, Martin-Misener R, et al. (2018). The impact of transitional care programs on health services utilization in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review
• Hunt-O'Connor C, Moore Z, Patton D, et al. (2021). The effect of discharge planning on length of stay and readmission rates of older adults in acute hospitals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews
• Parker KJ, McDonagh J, Ferguson C, Hickman LD (2024). Clinical outcomes of nurse-coordinated interventions for frail older adults discharged from hospital: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Australian and WHO medication-safety frameworks support accurate medication information, authorised administration, monitoring, consumer involvement and escalation. This pathway must not be represented as prescribing or pharmacist-led medication reconciliation.

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Medication Safety Standard
• World Health Organization (2017). Medication Without Harm
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice

Australian nursing standards and WHO older-person guidance support comprehensive, person-centred assessment, care planning, monitoring and review across relevant clinical and functional domains.

• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice
• World Health Organization (2025). Integrated care for older people (ICOPE): guidance for person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care, 2nd edition
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (2025). Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standard 5: Clinical Care

WHO's current older-person care pathway includes urinary incontinence within person-centred assessment and care planning. Clinics GRP should retain its boundary that this is general nursing support unless a suitably credentialled continence specialist is allocated.

• World Health Organization (2025). Integrated care for older people (ICOPE): guidance for person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care, 2nd edition
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard

Catheter care should follow infection-prevention guidance, device-specific instructions, authorisation and clinician competence. Ostomy guidance supports education, self-management, follow-up and access to specialist nursing when needed; general nursing support should not be labelled specialist stomal therapy without the relevant credential.

• National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2019). Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare
• United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
• Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (2019). Supporting Adults Who Anticipate or Live with an Ostomy, Second Edition

Australian primary and community-care standards support coordinated referral, documentation, reporting and escalation. Under current aged-care guidance, a registered provider may use an associated provider but cannot contract out its legal responsibilities.

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Safety Standard
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016). Registered nurse standards for practice
• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). Associated providers — policy or service rule