It can be very demanding and complex for NDIS providers, especially regarding issuing compliance and maintaining high standards set by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Therefore, one of the most important milestones undertaken during this journey is the NDIS Mid-Term Audit; it is a process of utmost importance for NDIS providers to remain compliant with the requirements and maintain registration. This article discusses the mid-term audit, why it matters, and how the NDIS consulting and compliance group can help providers with this.

What is an NDIS Mid-Term Audit?

A Mid-Term Audit of NDIS is a review conducted for every registered NDIS provider. This audit normally occurs at the midpoint of the three years. Its objective is to ensure that NDIS providers continue to live up to the high-performance requirements stated by the NDIS Practice Standards. Unlike the NDIS internal audit, it mainly assesses various specified service delivery areas, compliance, and participant safety. It's an opportunity for providers to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to quality and compliance and identify improvement areas before their next full audit.

Why Does This Type of Audit Matter?

The mid-term audit helps ensure that the NDIS providers maintain quality standards during registration. Some of the primary reasons why the mid-term audit is necessary involve:

Continued Compliance: NDIS Practice Standards are constantly changing, and providers must be abreast of them. A mid-term audit starts by making them adhere to the criteria, hence ensuring continued compliance with their registration period.

Risk Management: Risk Management identifies potential risks or non-compliance at an early stage, allowing the provider to address issues before they become major problems that may lead to deregistration or loss of reputation.

Participant Safety and Quality of Service: The mid-term audit ensures that the quality of care and support for NDIS participants remains high. Moreover, it ensures participant safety and the maintenance of participants' rights.

Prepare for Renewal: The mid-term audit, midway into the registration cycle, is an excellent point to monitor readiness for the entire audit. Furthermore, providers can use the findings to prepare or streamline for Renewal.

What Does the Mid-Term Audit of NDIS Involve?

The mid-term audit of NDIS considers critical service areas such as service delivery, participant outcomes, and compliance. Auditors typically carry out activities remotely and generally include:

Document Reviews:  

The audit team will analyse policies, procedures, and records to ensure alignment with NDIS requirements.

Interviews with Key Personnel:  

To assess how well the organisation fulfils its promise, interviews may also be required with managers, staff, and sometimes participants.

Evidence of Improvement:  

Additionally, providers will be asked to show how they have improved or maintained compliance since the first audit.

How VCCG Can Help with Your Mid-Term Audit?

VCCG provides professional consulting and compliance services to NDIS providers. It helps them through one-on-one guidance at every step of the audit process. VCCG service includes pre-audit preparation, during which we examine your policies, procedures, and documentation against midterm audit standards to help you identify gaps you may be facing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the mid-term audit of NDIS is one of those key review points at which providers get the chance to verify if they are maintaining compliance with the standards of the NDIS while continuing to provide quality care to participants. Done correctly and in conjunction with the necessary expertise, this audit can be an invaluable check-and-balance toward improving your organisation.