BHN has successfully undergone accreditation again several sets of standards in 2023. Accreditation is an opportunity to have someone independent enter the service and assess how well our services are operating according to nationally recognised indicators. BHN very much sees accreditation as an opportunity to listen, learn and improve and we welcome the opportunities it provides.
The accreditation standards relevant to BHN are:
NDIS Practice Standards – these standards ensure that we are delivering high quality services to people with a disability. We completed accreditation against these standards in July and there were five areas in these standards where BHN did not just meet the requirements but displayed elements of best practice.
Human Service Standards – these standards relate to services we provide in Child Protection, Family Services, Housing Assistance and Family Violence. Accreditation for these standards was completed in September, with all standards met.
National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards – these standards cover key elements of our clinical practice, as well as making sure our systems are processes for governance and management are robust. We have completed assessment against these standards and await the report.
National Standards for Mental Health Services (NSMHS) – these standards closely mirror the NSQHS Standards above but provide extra focus on the protection of the rights and dignity of persons living with mental illness. We have completed assessment against these standards and await the report.
Aged Care Quality Standards – these standards cover our Home Care Packages program and other services for those 65 and over. BHN will complete accreditation against these standards in due course and will continue to work to the Aged Care Reforms.
Rainbow Tick Accreditation – these standards are voluntary. BHN has made a commitment to undergo assessment to these standards to ensure that our services are safe and inclusive for everyone.
Child Safe Standards – these standards do not currently require formal accreditation but but BHN is a Child Safe organisation and adheres to all obligations under these standards. We are committed to keeping children safe from harm, neglect and abuse.
From these accreditations, BHN will create Action Plans and commence ongoing Quality Improvement projects to address all areas identified for improvement. We look forward to working with the community to continuously improve our services.
