Accreditation
In Australia, all public and private hospitals, day procedure services, public dental services and community health services must be accredited.
Accredited health service organisations have demonstrated through an independent review that the organisation has implemented the safety and quality systems necessary to comply with relevant standards and ensure safe care.
When you or someone you care for visits NMHS for a hospital, day procedure service, dental health or community health service, you can expect to receive care that is safe.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) have developed National Safety and Quality Standards that define the elements of high-quality health care, continuous improvement and service delivery which all Australian health services must achieve.
Achievement of these standards is monitored and assessed by independent surveyors and for NMHS this is from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) who visit the health service at least every three years.
How do NMHS hospitals and services become accredited?
To become accredited, NMHS hospitals and services must:
- Participate in an on-site assessment conducted by an independent accrediting agency, approved by the Commission.
- Implement requirements of the Standards in their organisation.
- Takes steps to address shortcomings in cases where the accrediting agency has found requirements have not been met.
- Routinely conduct self-assessment processes to determine if the requirements in the National Standards are being met.
When NMHS organisations are assessed for Accreditation and are successful, they receive a certificate or accreditation award from the ACHS that states they have been assessed against the relevant Standards.
This certificate is often displayed in visible areas to assure patients, consumers and carers that we provide safe and high quality services.
When was NMHS last assessed for accreditation?
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital – May 2026
- Osborne Park Hospital – May 2026
- Women and Newborn Health Service – December 2024
- Mental Health – November 2024
- Public Health – September 2023
- Dental Services –November 2024
What are the National Safety and Quality Standards?
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards were developed by the Commission in collaboration with the Australian Government, state and territories, the private sector, clinical experts, patients and carers. The primary aims of the NSQHS Standards are to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of health care provision. They provide a quality assurance mechanism that tests whether relevant systems are in place to ensure expected standards of safety and quality are met.
The NSQHS Standards describe the level of care you should expect to receive from a health service organisation, in areas that affect the safety and quality of care, and where there is good evidence of how to provide better care.
Sir Charles Gairdner & Osborne Park Healthcare Group, Women and Newborn Health Service, and Mental Health Services are accredited to the NSQHS Standards.
The National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare (NSQPCH) Standards were developed in collaboration with consumers, healthcare providers and services, professional and peak bodies, Primary Health Networks and other representatives of the sector.
The aim of the Primary and Community Healthcare Standards is to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of care.
Public Health and Dental Health Service are accredited to the NSQPCH Standards.