Advisory D25/04: Transitioning between accrediting agencies for the Digital Mental Health Standards

Advisory details

Purpose

To clarify for accrediting agencies and health service organisations their responsibilities and the recommended processes to be followed when health services change accrediting agencies.

Issue

Digital mental health service providers can engage an approved accrediting agency for the purposes of assessment to the Digital Mental Health Standards. There is provision within the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation (AHSSQA Scheme) for a digital mental health service provider to transfer accrediting agencies during a three-year accreditation cycle. However, a provider cannot routinely transfer accrediting agencies during an assessment cycle.

There are requirements that must be followed to ensure an effective transition between one approved accrediting agency to another.

Requirements

A digital mental health service provider may transfer accrediting agencies during a three-year accreditation cycle where the following requirements are met:

1. The initial and subsequent accrediting agencies are required to notify the Commission of ceased and new members as part of their routine reporting cycle, in the first report after the confirmation of the change of the accrediting agency.
2. The initial accrediting agency may withdraw an accreditation award if the contract signed by the service provider has provisions for withdrawing an accreditation certificate.
3. For the purposes of the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation Scheme, the transitioning service provider remains accredited where they have:
   1. signed a contract with the subsequent accrediting agency just prior to, or immediately following, cancellation of membership with the initial accrediting agency
   2. if the regulator accepts the service provider’s transition to another accrediting agency (if applicable)
   3. maintained their existing accreditation cycle and have no outstanding actions or obligations to the initial accrediting agency.
4. Where the service provider enrols with the subsequent accrediting agency, the subsequent accrediting agency is required to continue the cycle of the service provider’s existing accreditation and timing of the accreditation cycle.
5. The Commission recommends that the service provider gives the subsequent accrediting agency with a copy of their most recent assessment report from the initial accrediting agency so that there can be continuity of process.
6. A digital mental health service provider cannot routinely transfer accrediting agencies during an assessment cycle. The Commission will consider requests on a case-by-case basis when they are submitted in writing and there is evidence of at least one of the following criteria:
   1. the accrediting agency did not comply with the rules of the AHSSQA scheme as set out in the policy
   2. the accrediting agency did not comply with Commission fact sheets or advisories
   3. a conflict of interest has been identified in breach of the Policy – Approval under the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation (AHSSQA) Scheme.