Review audit decisions
What is a review audit decision?
A decision is made by an authorised decision-maker after any review audit. The decision is made in accordance with the Accreditation Grant Principles 1999.
Information on review audit decisions is confidential until the report is published on our website.
What is considered when making a decision?
When making a decision, the Agency must consider:
- the residential aged care home’s compliance with the Accreditation Standards (including serious risk)
- the assessment team’s review audit major findings – assessment information
- the assessment team’s recommendations
- information (if any) received from the approved provider in response to the major findings – assessment information (a ‘submission’)
- information (if any) received from the Department of Health and Ageing (DHA)
- the residential aged care home’s history
- any information given by current or former residents or their representatives
- whether the decision-maker is satisfied the residential aged care home will undertake continuous improvement, measured against the Accreditation Standards.
The decision-maker sometimes comes to a different conclusion to that recommended by the assessment team. Where this occurs it is usually due to changes occurring at the residential aged care home after the assessment team completes the audit. Generally, the decision-maker also has other information about the performance of the residential aged care home to consider along with the audit report provided by the assessment team which includes the residential aged care home’s history of performance and additional information from the approved provider.
What decision may be made after a review audit?
A decision may be made:
- to revoke accreditation
- not to revoke accreditation
- to vary the accreditation period
- to do nothing (that is, make no change).
The decision to revoke or vary a residential aged care home’s period of accreditation after a review audit is based on the individual case management needs of the residential aged care home.
In addition to varying the period of accreditation, a review audit decision can also vary the support contact arrangements including the type of support contact (site visit/desk support contact and announced/unannounced) and the frequency of visits.
Where non-compliance has been identified, a timetable for improvement may be set.
What happens after a decision is made?
Once a decision is made, a copy of the decision and a copy of the review audit report are sent to the approved provider.
Where the residential aged care home’s period of accreditation has been varied, a replacement certificate of accreditation is sent to the residential aged care home.
How are residents informed of a review audit decision?
Residential aged care homes are encouraged to tell residents/representatives about outcomes of a review audit, including information on non-compliance, serious risk and sanctions.
Can the decision be appealed?
In certain cases decisions can be reconsidered (by the Agency) or reviewed (by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal). For details about reconsiderations and appeals about decisions, refer to the information sheet on Reconsiderations and appeals.
What information is publicly available?
The decision about the review audit and the assessment team’s report are made available on our website. To access a report go to Reports on homes.
