Resident involvement

How can residents and representatives be involved in accreditation?
Residents and representatives should be actively encouraged to contribute to decisions made at the homes about the care and services residents receive. This will ensure a strong continuous improvement approach, as well as a focus on their needs and preferences.

For a re-accreditation site audit, the approved provider must inform residents and their representatives at least 21 days in advance, including:

• the date and starting time of the audit
• the opportunity to talk to an assessor.

We provide a poster that must be prominently displayed in the home, and a letter to be sent to the residents and their representatives. These are available in 20 community languages; homes must use the words that we supply.

How are residents involved in the actual visits?
Resident feedback is a key form of evidence we use when making decisions. It provides us with information on how the home meets the needs and preferences of the residents receiving care and services.

Residents and their representatives are interviewed during visits to homes. Assessors interview at least 10 per cent of residents or their representatives during all accreditation site audits and review audits, and during most assessment contacts. They are provided with information on their rights to privacy and confidentiality.

What about residents who do not speak or read English?
We have templates available for homes to use when notifying residents and representatives of an accreditation site audit. Assessors also carry with them information about resident privacy:

Please let us know if you believe we should provide this information in an additional language.