Further to our news update of 4 May 2021, the Department of Health has confirmed it will recognise NDIS Worker Screening clearances for Aged Care providers that are also registered NDIS providers.
This change is effective from 16 June 2021, with necessary changes made to aged care legislation to recognise NDIS Worker Screening clearances, removing the need for separate police checks and clearances to be obtained for NDIS providers also delivering Aged Care.
Reduced regulatory burden
These changes reduce the regulatory burden on providers who are required to operate within dual regulatory frameworks for the NDIS and Aged Care.
As of February 1st, 2021, the NDIS worker screening requirements were implemented, superseding national police checks and broadening the scope of historical information pertinent to the delivery of services to the vulnerable.
With NDIS Worker Screening taking a more in-depth assessment of the suitability of staff and volunteers to perform risk assessed roles, the application of these clearances across both the NDIS and Aged Care reduces time and cost in managing two separate clearances, while ensuring best practice in consumer protection.
What clearance should you ask for?
For aged care providers that became registered NDIS providers on 1 December 2020, you can accept the following for workers in risk assessed roles supporting NDIS participants:
- evidence of an NDIS worker screening clearance obtained in the last five years, if a new staff member or volunteer already holds one (that is if they moved from a risk assessed role supporting NDIS participants), or
- a police certificate, if it was issued before 1 February 2021 and is still current. To learn more about the changes to NDIS Worker Screening Requirements and the transitional period, see our article from earlier this year here.
For all other workers, you should continue to ask for a police certificate unless they hold an existing NDIS Worker Screening clearance.
Aged Care Providers who are NOT NDIS Providers
The above clearances still apply. Where you are taking on a new staff member or volunteer who has previously worked for an NDIS Provider and has an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, you can verify this clearance as follows:
| Verification Method | Verification Requirements |
|
New staff member or volunteer provides evidence of NDIS worker screening clearance that is less than five years old (For providers to be satisfied) |
The clearance may be in one or more of the following forms:
The clearance will include the following information:
|
|
Contact the staff member or volunteer’s previous employer that is a registered NDIS provider (Additional verification that can be undertaken if needed) |
|
Your responsibility under aged care legislation is the same whether a worker has an NDIS worker screening clearance or a police certificate. This includes you being satisfied that the worker holds a legitimate clearance and maintaining a record of the clearance.
For more information on the changes to worker screening requirements in aged care, click here.
SoCom Consulting advises on new NDIS and Aged Care Provider applications and the compliance requirements around documentation and worker obligations. To discuss how we can assist you, Contact Us.
