What is accreditation?
Accreditation is about ensuring residential aged care homes meet a set of quality standards relating to the care provided to residents. These are set by the Australian Government. All homes must be accredited in order to receive funding from the Australian Government through residential care subsidies.
Every home receives at least one unannounced visit each year.
What is the accreditation process?
Each home applies for assessment of its systems for providing quality care for residents on a regular basis. This is referred to as a re-accreditation audit. The period of accreditation granted to homes between such assessments is based on a number of factors including the home’s history and current level of compliance.
Homes with a good track record of compliance and continuous improvement, and which meet all 44 expected outcomes can generally expect three years’ accreditation. Otherwise, shorter periods of accreditation are granted.
If the residential aged care home is new, a commencing home, the approved provider will need to apply for accreditation before any residents move in, based on a description of how systems will work once residents start to move into the home. Commencing homes are granted one year’s accreditation. They are monitored as they provide care to residents and must apply for re-accreditation and undergo a full audit within 12 months.
What happens after the accreditation period is determined?
Accreditation is not a one-off event. Once a home is accredited, the approved provider is required to maintain ongoing compliance with the legislated standards of care for residents and to undertake continuous improvement.
In between re-accreditation audits, homes receive ongoing monitoring of compliance and continuous improvement through assessment contacts and review audits. Every home receives at least one unannounced visit each year.