Nursing homes will no longer get any warning they are about to be audited under a big Commonwealth shake-up of the aged care industry.

The overhaul was prompted by shocking revelations earlier this year of abuse and neglect at the South Australian Government-run Oakden nursing home.

It turned out the facility had a history of poor care dating back to 2007, yet the facility easily passed federal accreditation audits.

Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt told the National Press Club it was appalling anyone could be treated so badly and that the mistreatment was not detected earlier.

"As you've seen, there is evidence that some people are not receiving the care they need and deserve," he said.

"Worse still, some are being treated badly, which is absolutely intolerable."

The Commonwealth does do surprise audits, but aged care homes are largely given ample notice that they are about to be checked.

That enables homes to get their paperwork in order, potentially put on extra staff and it has been suggested some even bring in new furniture and fittings.

Mr Wyatt commissioned former ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell to review the system.

"I am today releasing the review and announcing that the Turnbull Government will move as soon as possible to implement unannounced assessment visits across residential aged care facilities, to help ensure safe, quality care standards are maintained at all times," he said.

"While I ordered this review after Oakden, there have been other high-profile aged care failures which have highlighted where parts of our systems have sadly let us down," he said.

'It's gone on for so long and people got away with it'

Barb Spriggs and her son Clive complained about the Oakden nursing home. ( ABC News: Tony Hill )

It was the Spriggs family's complaints about Oakden that shook the aged care sector to its core.

Within weeks of being admitted to the facility, 66-year-old Bob Spriggs' health rapidly declined.

His widow Barb Spriggs said he had unexplained bruises thought to be caused by restraints and it was then discovered he was given massive overdoses of his anti-psychotic medication.

"He was given 10 times the amount that he should have been given. He should have been given 50 mg and he was given 500 on at least three occasions," she said.

Barb and Bob Spriggs. ( Supplied: Barb Spriggs )

Mr Spriggs had Parkinson's and Lewy Body dementia.

His son Clive Spriggs said he knew something was wrong when he first set foot in Oakden early last year.

"We were shocked. It was a very uninviting place from the moment you drove in the driveway to the moment you walked through the door when you went into the wards," he said.

Oakden last passed a federal audit in February 2016, the same time Bob Spriggs was there.

"Words cannot describe that it's gone on for so long and people have got away with it and accreditations have been done and they've passed," Clive Spriggs said.

"To me it looks like someone's cut and pasted a report, it's a carbon copy, it's like textbook perfect.

"I just don't know how anyone who's gone out there and done an accreditation can honestly say that's acceptable, that place."

The Government said it would move to fully unannounced audits by the end of the year.

It said it was also considering other recommendations from the Carnell review, including appointing a dedicated aged care commissioner and introducing a star-rating system for nursing homes.

The review also proposed that a database be set up so resident's information can be shared in real-time between state-run facilities and the Commonwealth.