The NSWNMA has been advised that the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) has just commenced a pilot program of random audits of nurses and midwives.
Pilot audits have been undertaken across several professions. This pilot together with the two previous pilots has informed AHPRA and the 14 National Boards in developing a nationally-consistent approach to auditing health practitioners’ compliance with mandatory registration standards.
Audits of random samples of practitioners from all professions will occur periodically throughout the year and will be retrospective.
Nurses and midwives who are notified that they have been selected will be audited against the mandatory registration standards for their profession. These being:
• Criminal history
• Continuing professional development
• Recency of practice, and
• Professional indemnity insurance arrangements.
Each time a practitioner applies to renew their registration, they make a declaration that they have (or have not) met some or all of the registration standards for their profession. The audit requires that practitioners provide further information to support their declarations and explanations to support why some requirements have not been met.
To assist our members with this process, NSWNMA worked with our Federal Office and state and territory branches to develop the Audit Evidence Tool for Nurses and Midwives. This tool uses a simple checklist process to enable you to compile the evidence you’ll be required to give the NMBA to demonstrate you’re meeting the mandatory registration standards.
As always, members of NSWNMA are encouraged to contact us with any concerns.
