Abbreviations

ACD	Advance Care Directive
ACN	Australian College of Nursing
ACP	Advance Care Planning
ACCPA	Aged & Community Care Providers Association
ACPA	Advance Care Planning Australia
ACQSC	Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
ACSQHC	Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
ACT	Australian Capital Territory
ADL	Activities of Daily Living
ARAS	Aged Rights Advocacy Service
AHDA	Australian Digital Health Agency
AHHA	Australia Healthcare and Hospitals Association
AHPA	Allied Health Professions Australia
AHPRA	Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
AHW	Aboriginal Health Worker
AIHW	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
AMA	Australian Medical Association
AN-ACC	Australian National Aged Care Classification
ANMF	Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
ANZSPM	Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine
APNA	Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
ARC	Australian Research Council

Page updated 6 August 2026

CALD	Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
CAM	Complementary and Alternative Medicines
CAPC	Centre to Advance Palliative Care
CATSINaM	Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives
CDM	Chronic Disease Management
CHA	Catholic Health Australia
CHF	Consumers Health Forum
CHSP	Commonwealth Home Support Programme
COTA	Council on the Ageing
CPD	Continuing Professional Development
CPR	Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRANA	Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia

DNR	Do not resuscitate
DoHAC	Department of Health and Aged Care
DSA	Dementia Support Australia
DSOA	Disability Support for Older Australians
DVA	Department of Veterans’ Affairs

EAAA	Elder Abuse Action Australia
EBM	Evidence-Based Medicine
EBP	Evidence-Based Practice
ELDAC	End of Life Directions for Aged Care
EN	Enrolled Nurse
EoL	End-of-Life
EPG	Enduring Powers of Guardianship
EPOA	Enduring Power of Attorney

FECCA	Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia
FU	Flinders University

GP	General Practitioner
GPN	General Practice Nurses

HACC	Home and Community Care services
HIs	Health Identifiers
HCP	Home Care Package
HRQoL	Health-related quality of life

IADL	Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
INPEA	International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
IPL	Interprofessional Learning
IT	Information Technology

MAC	My Aged Care
MBS	Medicare Benefits Schedule
MSOAP	Medical Specialists Outreach Assistance Program
MPSP	Multi-Purpose Support Program

NACAP	National Aged Care Advocacy Program
NACDC	National Aged Care Data Clearinghouse
NATSIFACP	National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isander Flexible Aged Care Program
NAATSIHWP	National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners
NACCHO	National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
NARI	National Ageing Research Institute Limited
NDIS	National Disability Insurance Scheme
NESB	Non-English-Speaking Background
NSAF	National Screening and Assessment Form
NAT-C	Needs Assessment Tool for Carers of People with Advanced Cancer
NAT-CC	Needs Assessment Tool for Carers of People with a Chronic Condition
NFR	Not for resuscitation
NGO	Non-Government Organisation
NHMRC	National Health and Medical Research Council
NP	Nurse Practitioner
NPCS	National Palliative Care Standards
NPS	National Prescribing Service (NPS) MedicineWise
NRCP	National Respite for Carers Program
NSW	New South Wales
NT	Northern Territory
NSQHS	National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

OPAN	Older Persons Advocacy Network
OATSIH	Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
OT	Occupational Therapist

PBAC	Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee
PBS	Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
PaCSA	Palliative Care Self-Assessment
PCA	Palliative Care Australia
PCNA	Palliative Care Nurses Australia
PCOC	Palliative Care Outcomes Collaborative (PCOC)
PEPA	Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach
PHN	Primary Health Network
PN	Practice Nurse
POA	Power of Attorney
PWDA	People with Disability Australia

QALY	Quality-Adjusted-Life-Year
QI	Quality Improvement
QLD	Queensland
QoL	Quality of Life
QUM	Quality Use of Medicines
QUT	Queensland University of Technology

RAC	Residential Aged Care
RACGP	Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
RCNA	Royal College of Nursing Australia
RePaDD	Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death, and Dying
RN	Registered Nurse
RUG-ADL	Resource Utilisation Groups – Activities of Daily Living

SA	South Australia
SDM	Substitute Decision-Maker
SEIFA	Socio-Economic Indexes For Areas
SPCS	Specialist Palliative Care Service
SPR	Support Plan Review

TCP	Transition Care Program
TAS	Tasmania
TGA	Therapeutic Goods Administration

WA	Western Australia
WHO	World Health Organisation