ACCREDITATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Formal accreditation decision and registration
IHCA Certification will provide a written report to your organisation and confirm your accreditation. Upon the award of accreditation, your organisation will be issued with a certificate confirming your organisation’s conformance to the standards with the outcome of Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation.
Your organisation will also have the right to use IHCA Certification’s distinctive symbol in promotional activities.
The outcomes of your assessment are also provided to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission).Â
Other Standards
NSQDMH Standards assessments are not to be conducted at the same time as an assessment to another standard e.g. National Standards for Mental Health Services. Other assessments may be conducted immediately following your NSQDMH assessment.
 More Information
For more information about the NSQDMH Standards, please visit the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare website.
Self-Assessment
In this optional process you complete a self-assessment against the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards (NSQDMH) in advance of your on-site assessment.
The self-assessment will guide you in preparing the evidence necessary to satisfy all of the requirements of the NSQDMH Standards. Your IHCA Certification assessor will review your completed self-assessment and development plans and provide you with feedback about your preparedness, prior to commencing the accreditation assessment.
Not Applicable Actions
Where relevant, your organisation may apply for relevant actions to be rated ‘not applicable’ at assessment.
Accreditation Assessment
The assessment is conducted in two stages:
- Desktop review – A review of evidence submitted by the service provider to demonstrate conformance to the NSQDMH Standards. This review is informed by your completed Self-Assessment.
- Verification – An assessment, either on-site or virtually, to verify the safety and quality of the systems described by the service provider.
At the conclusion of the assessment, the findings will be presented to your organisation’s management and other interested parties in relation to conformity with the Standard’s requirements.
Remediation Period and Final Assessment
The Lead Assessor will explain what follow-up action is required to remediate any actions that are found to be not met during the assessment. You will have 60 business days to resolve these which is the Remediation Period. Actions that were not met or met with recommendations during the accreditation assessment will need to be assessed during a Final Assessment.
NSQDMHS Resources
Cybersecurity and Confidentiality in Digital Mental Health: What NSQDMHS Auditors Want to See
When it comes to online mental health, safety isn’t just clinical, it’s digital. NSQDMHS Standard 1 requires services to actively manage technical risks and protect client confidentiality. In a sector where trust is everything, poor cybersecurity can be devastating....
The 3 Core NSQDMHS Standards Demystified: A Practical Guide for Digital Mental Health Providers
The National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards (NSQDMHS) provide a critical framework to ensure online and digital mental health services are safe, effective, and consumer centred. Whether you operate a telehealth platform, a mental health app, or a...
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