Providers submitting 500 governance documents as aged care audits commence
The aged care regulator began its first residential aged care audits under the new Aged Care Act this week, and it quickly became clear there is confusion about provider requirements.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) hosted a webinar on Tuesday (17 March), titled Varying and Renewing Provider Registration. The session coincided with a key date: the regulator’s first site audits in residential aged care under the aged care reforms.
Scott Rumbold, Assistant Commissioner Audit with the ACQSC, told the webinar that 60 provider-level audits have commenced.
“We’ve received about 60 different audit evidence collection tools, and we’re seeing a great variance in response to that," Scott said.
“Some providers have provided close to 500 documents in responding to their governance systems, where usually we're seeing around around 100, 150 documents coming in from providers.
“That variance shows us that ... there needs to be further clarity around what providers need to provide to us.”
The ACQSC will be reviewing the early audits with a view to hosting another webinar within a few months where they will give providers more information about the audit evidence collection tool and what is required at the provider level.
“There is a little bit of confusion out there,” he said. “It’s a new process for both the commission and the sector.”
The webinar was hosted by Acting Commissioner Gary Rake.
Slides and a transcript of the webinar will be available shortly here.
