Now that November 1 has passed us, it would be prudent to remind ourselves of what the audit process will look like moving forward.

The New Aged Care Act introduces changes to the way aged care providers will be audited to assess their suitability to supply services.

The term "accreditation" is replaced by "registration." This will apply to the different categories of services (6 in all, with only categories 4-6 to be audited against the standards). Current providers will have received a deeming notice advising them of their registration date with a new process in place for this.

Those who attended the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) conference in July 2025 were introduced to exactly how this process will work. Through an animated story, read by the participants, the process was laid out very clearly.

The main elements

• Many months before the registration date, the aged care provider will receive a notice to supply information focused on the Provider level.
• This information must be supplied to ACQSC in a timely manner.
• Based on the responses, ACQSC may require more information.
• A decision will be made on conducting an on-site audit of the systems and processes based on the submitted responses.
• As part of the above review, at the Provider level, those providers with multiple service sites will be notified when each of their services will also be audited.
• An on-site audit will be planned with assessors checking for evidence against the standards and in line with the responses provided earlier.
• An audit report is produced by ACQSC, with the provider able to respond (as is currently the case).
• Based on the response from the provider, ACQSC will make a determination regarding re-registration and the applicable period (however, ACQSC has indicated that it will work with the provider to address any issues identified during the audit process).
• For providers offering single standalone services, the process for provider and service level will be carried out in conjunction with each other.

Overall, the audit and re-registration process can take over 12 months to complete, depending on the ACQSC's resources and the progress of the audit.

Tools to help

This now more 'open' process is welcome, but it appears to be very lengthy and drawn out. In other words, rather than a “snapshot” audit for the current accreditation, it involves ongoing checking and monitoring of services to ensure that practices meet the requirements of the new Aged Care Act.

Upon reviewing the documents prepared by ACQSC, it is clear that they require significantly more information than previously. This is detailed in two documents. One by ACQSC, and the other by Ausmed, that I have co-authored.

The first is the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (registration and renewal). This tool is what I would call ‘the minimal tool’. That is because it only addresses each standard in a summary manner.

The other tool that should be used is the Ausmed Audit Readiness Tool. It is based on the Evidence Mapping Tool, which was released by ACQSC in February 2024 as part of the new standards. This tool encompasses over 1,000 pieces of evidence necessary to achieve the expected outcomes from the new standards.

It is a comprehensive and well-developed document that covers the various types of evidence that may be required during the audit process. It also outlines the expected outcomes.

The new standards are more complex than the previous ones. Having undergone numerous onsite audits in the past, it has often been challenging to determine which areas assessors will review and the specific questions they will ask.

At least now we have a document that clearly states what is required to be shown, and there should never be any surprises as part of the audit process.

How to Prepare (if you haven't already)

Considering how the new audit process will be conducted, here are some simple tips for getting ready:

• Start now to complete both the Audit Evidence Collection Tool and the Detail Evidence Template Tool (based on the Evidence Mapping document released by ACQSC).
• This will take several months to complete and will involve all parts of the organisation, from the Board to the Floor.
• When completing these, ensure that the evidence cited is easily available when ACQSC requests it in the initial stages.
• Undertake coaching across all parts of the organisation. This includes board members, senior management, facility management, nurses, carers and auxiliary staff. Everyone has a part to play in the audit process now.
• The questions that will be asked during the onsite visit are detailed in the Evidence Mapping document, so use these as part of coaching the various groups throughout your organisation.
• Between the time of the initial request for information and the onsite audit, conduct continual coaching updates across the organisation so that everyone is well-prepared.

In Conclusion

The New Aged Care Act and the way the regulator (ACQSC) will carry out audits to ensure aged care organisations meet the new requirements represent a complete change from the current method. What has been done before no longer applies.

Due to the long process involved in the new system, it is not a matter of ACQSC showing up on your doorstep (unannounced) and conducting an audit to check your system and practices. The new regulatory system is a rolling process, so you have a choice of either rolling with it or trying to make it work at the last minute. Regardless of how you proceed, be prepared.

It was heartening to hear the new ACQSC Commissioner state, at the July conference, that everything may not be exactly in place as of November 1, 2025, from all sides.

ACQSC will work with everyone in aged care to make a smooth transition to the new act.