Pursuant to section 35(1)(a) of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001 (“the Act”), I, Anthony Hill, Deputy Director-General, Sector Accountability & Funding, Ministry of Health (“the Ministry”), under delegation
from the Director-General of Health, advise the modification of the designation of Verification New Zealand Limited (the Designated Auditing Agency (“DAA”)) to audit the provision or likely future provision of the following kinds of health care services:
? Hospital Care (as defined in section 4(1) of the Act)
? Rest Home Care (as defined in section 6(2) of the Act)
? Residential Disability Care (as defined in section 4(1) of the Act)
This designation is subject to the following conditions:
1. The DAA must comply with the requirements of the DAA Handbook issued by the Ministry and updated from time to time.
2. The DAA must provide any information about the auditing of health care services pursuant to the Act if requested in writing by the Ministry.
3. During the term of the DAA’s designation, the DAA
will allow the Ministry to audit or to commission the undertaking of audits or reviews of the DAA. This could also include attending audits being undertaken by the DAA. The Ministry may or may not notify the DAA of any audit or review.
4. The DAA must immediately notify the Ministry in writing of any significant change to the DAA, including but not restricted to:
? any change in ownership and/or control of the legal entity;
? any change in management personnel;
? any change to the Auditor Register (refer to condition 7); and
? any change in the status of any third party accreditation the DAA may hold including evidence of such accreditation and copies of any Third Party Accreditation Audit Reports or notifications in respect of their accreditation.
5. The DAA must conduct as a minimum at least one annual:
? internal audit that focuses on the DAA’s auditing activities undertaken pursuant to the Act, together with a compliance audit against the requirements of the DAA as set out in the Act; and
? management review in respect of the DAA’s programmes operated pursuant to the Act.
6. The DAA shall at all times operate an internal appeals system which is documented and conveyed in writing to all clients. Auditable records of the facts and outcomes of all client appeals shall be maintained by the DAA. The DAA must provide these records to the Ministry when requested in writing by the Ministry.
7. The DAA must provide, in a timely manner when requested by the Ministry, in writing the details of the name, auditing qualifications and experience, and if relevant, the area of clinical or service competency of each auditor or technical expert approved by the DAA to undertake audits pursuant to the Act.
This designation expires on 25 January 2010.
This notice revokes and replaces in its entirety the notice that designated Verification New Zealand Limited, made pursuant to section 32 of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001, and published in the New Zealand Gazette, 1 February 2007, No. 10, page 211.
Dated at Wellington this 11th day of November 2008.
ANTHONY HILL, Deputy Director-General, Sector Accountability & Funding, Ministry of Health.