Commission Act and Rules
From 1 January 2020, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Rules 2018 (Commission Rules) have changed. For information about key changes for providers, please see our Commission Act and Rules page.
What is a review audit?
A review audit is an onsite assessment of the quality of care and services provided to aged care consumers (consumers) by an accredited service. It measures performance of an approved provider against all requirements of the Quality Standards. Review audits are conducted by an Assessment Team of at least two quality assessors.
Review audits may be arranged with notice to the approved provider of the service (announced) or without notice (unannounced).
Why are review audits conducted?
A review audit may be conducted for reasons such as:
- the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner (Commissioner) considers that the approved provider may not be meeting the Quality Standards in relation to the service
- the Commissioner becomes aware that the approved provider:
- has had a change in circumstances or
- has had a transfer of allocated places or
- has changed premises since the service was last accredited
What is the process for a review audit?
The Commissioner will appoint an Assessment Team to conduct the review audit. The Assessment Team conducts the review audit at the premises of the service.
Upon arrival at the premises, the Assessment Team request consent to enter the premises and exercise search powers for regulatory purposes. The Assessment Team show their credentials and give the person of the service who is in charge at the service a letter confirming the visit.
During the entry meeting the Assessment Team request certain key documents. These documents may be provided to the Assessment Team during the entry meeting if readily available but are expected to be provided within one hour of the conclusion of the entry meeting so as not to delay the conduct of the visit. For more information about these key documents, refer to Initial documents requested during performance assessments in residential services.
On each day of the review audit, a member of the Assessment Team meets with the person at the premises of the service who is in charge of the service to discuss the progress of the audit. The Assessment Team also meet with at least 10% of the consumers of the service or their nominated representatives.
On the last day of the review audit, a member of the Assessment Team meets with the person at the premises who is in charge of the service to discuss the key issues that the team identified during the audit. Key issues may identify areas of concern, observations on some areas done well and an overview of the review audit.
Review audit report
The review audit report outlines the team’s assessment of performance against the Quality Standards (assessed as Met/ Not Met at the Standard and requirement level).
The Commission gives the review audit report to the provider of the service so that they have the opportunity to:
(a) understand the reasons, evidence and facts that the delegate is to rely on in identifying areas for improvement and in making a compliance decision
(b) provide a response to matters identified in the review audit report that may be relied on by the delegate.
The provider has 14 days to provide a written response to the review audit report.
The decision process
Within 28 days after the Commission is given a copy of the review audit report, a delegate of the Commissioner prepares a performance report. In developing the performance report, the delegate takes into account the review audit report, any response from the provider and other relevant information or matters.
The Commissioner decide whether to revoke the accreditation of the service. If the Commissioner decides not to revoke accreditation the Commissioner may decide to vary the period of the service’s accreditation. The performance report is published on the Commission’s website. See find a report on a service.
Decision to revoke accreditation
If the Commission decided to revoke the accreditation of a service, the approved provider is notified of the decision and:
- the reasons for the decision;
- the day on which the revocation is to take effect; and
- how the approved provider can apply for reconsideration of the decision.
An application for reconsideration of the decision to revoke must be submitted to the Commissioner within 14 calendar days of the approved provider being notified of the decision.
See Reconsideration and review of decisions for details about the application process.
Decision not to revoke accreditation
If the Commission decides not to revoke the accreditation of a service, the approved provider is notified of the decision and:
- the reasons for the decision;
- the period of accreditation if varied;
- how the approved provider may apply for reconsideration of the varied period of accreditation (if applicable); and
- any areas in which improvements in relation to the service must be made to ensure compliance with the Quality Standards and where necessary, direct the approved provider to revise the plan for continuous improvement.
An approved provider is able to apply for reconsideration of a decision regarding the period of re-accreditation. An application for reconsideration of the decision must be submitted to the Commissioner within 14 calendar days of the approved provider being notified of the decision.
See Reconsideration and review of decisions for details about the application process.
More information
- See Information for providers – Initial documents requested during performance assessments in residential services.
- See Risk-based questions that will be asked on commencement of a performance assessment.