roles and responsibilities of achs surveyors - Australian Council on ...

SURVEYOR SELECTION, ROLE & APPOINTMENT
1. PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF ACHS SURVEYORS
Prospective <strong>surveyors</strong> who meet the criteria for surveyor selection <strong>and</strong> who are able
to commit to the <strong>responsibilities</strong> <strong>of</strong> ACHS Surveyors, are required to submit the
following:
Cover letter addressing the selection criteria
Application form – including two referees
Curriculum Vitae
Current position description
Successful c<strong>and</strong>idates are invited to attend a Surveyor Training Workshop /
Induction <strong>and</strong> to participate in a training survey. Surveyors will be assessed during
the surveyor Induction <strong>and</strong> training survey on key competencies.
2. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF ACHS SURVEYORS
Criteria listed 1 to 4 is only for those applicants that are to be considered for that
surveyor category. If you are to be considered as an Administrator or Nursing
surveyor please only respond to Criteria 5 to 8.
1. Medical Clinicians are to be Clinical Specialists <strong>of</strong> consultant status,
however styled, Visiting Medical Specialist or Staff Specialist with Fellowship
status who have held their specialist appointment <strong>of</strong> at least two years, in
addition to meeting Criteria 5, 7 & 8 only; <strong>and</strong> including in a cover letter,
details <strong>of</strong> their involvement in <strong>and</strong> knowledge <strong>of</strong> quality activities <strong>and</strong>
systems.
2. Allied Health Specialists must be appointed to positions where they are
responsible for administering clinical health care across a number <strong>of</strong>
disciplines, in addition to meeting Criteria 5 to 8 below.
3. Quality Managers must be appointed to positions where they are
responsible for a number <strong>of</strong> service areas <strong>and</strong> have held a position at this
level for at least 2 years, in addition to meeting Criteria 5 to 8 below.
4. Consumers must be able to demonstrate a contemporary underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong>
quality principles, have been actively involved in activities in facilities within
the past two years, <strong>and</strong> have a knowledge <strong>of</strong> accreditation processes, in
addition to meeting Criteria 5 <strong>and</strong> 7 only.
5. A commitment to, <strong>and</strong> an underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong>, the philosophy <strong>of</strong> the
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Council</strong> on Healthcare St<strong>and</strong>ards (ACHS)
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- Underst<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> supports the mission <strong>of</strong> the ACHS
- Underst<strong>and</strong>s the political, social <strong>and</strong> economic environment in which
the ACHS functions
- Ability to make judgements based on clear underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> the
ACHS goals <strong>and</strong> strategic direction
- Ability to represent the ACHS before a number <strong>of</strong>
people/organisations
- Ability to present <strong>and</strong> explain the ACHS goals, policies <strong>and</strong> products
6. Has been responsible for preparing a hospital/department/health facility
for accreditation within the past five years
- Ability to underst<strong>and</strong> the issues confronting organisations preparing
for accreditation
- Ability to identify problems in applying st<strong>and</strong>ards
- Computer literacy for word processing <strong>and</strong> e-mail
7. Demonstration <strong>of</strong> a range <strong>of</strong> human relations skills
- Ability to deal with people <strong>and</strong> issues
- Ability to listen to <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> others
- Ability to create teams <strong>and</strong> work within teams
- Ability to work towards acceptable solutions in situations <strong>of</strong> conflict
- Ability to communicate effectively orally <strong>and</strong> in writing
- Ability to supervise/train others
- Ability to modify approach to different people <strong>and</strong> situations
- Ability to demonstrate a positive attitude to change
8. Manage within the Health Care Industry with experience <strong>of</strong> at least 5
years duration in the last 10 years at a senior management level
- Ability to work to timetable/deadlines in a wide variety <strong>of</strong> situations
- Ability to accept a high level <strong>of</strong> responsibility
- Ability to delegate as appropriate
- Ability to modify approach to different people <strong>and</strong> situations
- Attention to detail
3. ROLE
The surveyor has multiple <strong>roles</strong> to play in ACHS Accreditation programs. The
surveyor must be an evaluator <strong>and</strong> an educator, <strong>and</strong> also support the mission <strong>of</strong> the
ACHS in promoting quality <strong>and</strong> safe health care.
When surveying, <strong>surveyors</strong> are ambassadors for the <strong>Council</strong>. The credibility <strong>of</strong> the
<strong>Council</strong> largely depends on the conduct <strong>and</strong> performance <strong>of</strong> <strong>surveyors</strong>.
During the survey, <strong>surveyors</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer consultative advice to help identify <strong>and</strong> overcome
existing quality related difficulties. If needed, they <strong>of</strong>fer informal on-site education to
help prevent future problems developing <strong>and</strong> assist the organisation to continuously
improve their performance.
The surveyor needs to continually update their ability to carry out their role <strong>of</strong>
evaluator <strong>and</strong> educator in an environment where increasing complexity <strong>and</strong> diversity
is the norm <strong>and</strong> change is continual.
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An important role for the surveyor is to act as a sounding board <strong>and</strong> active working
partner to his or her surveyor colleagues. Surveyors must be able to evaluate <strong>and</strong>
<strong>of</strong>fer comment on all <strong>of</strong> the functions <strong>of</strong> the ACHS st<strong>and</strong>ards.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES
The <strong>responsibilities</strong> <strong>of</strong> an ACHS surveyor will assist the ACHS to achieve its goals:
1. To be the leading provider <strong>of</strong> accreditation products <strong>and</strong> services.
maintain current knowledge <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Australian</strong> health care system, clinical
practice, quality activities, management strategies, new st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong>
other relevant topics up to date
be involved with ACHS education <strong>and</strong> advisory activities or st<strong>and</strong>ards
development, as requested in addition to the time commitment <strong>of</strong> ten
surveying days per year
promote ACHS accreditation <strong>and</strong> quality in health care within own
organisation <strong>and</strong> the wider health community
2. To provide high quality performance <strong>and</strong> assessment services for
accreditation <strong>and</strong> certification programs against recognised st<strong>and</strong>ards.
obtain approval from their employer to participate in Accreditation reviews
for the ACHS
underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> apply Accreditation st<strong>and</strong>ards in a variety <strong>of</strong> health care
organisations, accepting the occasional need to survey an organisation
which, in terms <strong>of</strong> its size, public/private status or other aspects, is
different from the surveyor’s usual work environment
3. The collection <strong>and</strong> analysis <strong>of</strong> performance data <strong>and</strong> the dissemination
<strong>of</strong> information relevant to the quality <strong>and</strong> safety needs <strong>of</strong> consumers
<strong>and</strong> the health care industry.
submit survey reports to the coordinator <strong>of</strong> the survey within the
allocated time frame in the EAT format.
4. To be a leading contributor to research into quality <strong>and</strong> safety in health
care.
attend the ACHS surveyor training including the annual surveyor
development day
5. Ensure a strong business focus.
underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> support the mission <strong>and</strong> commit to the philosophies <strong>and</strong>
objectives <strong>of</strong> the ACHS
commit to between 7 - 10 survey days per year
travel interstate to undertake surveys
be involved with ongoing assessment <strong>of</strong> surveyor’s performance
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5. SURVEYOR WORKSHOP / INDUCTION
Key Competencies for Participants:
1. Interviewing <strong>and</strong> effective communication
2. Broad content underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> EQuIP <strong>and</strong> National St<strong>and</strong>ards
3. Critical thinking
4. Teamwork
5. Ability to work to deadlines
Objective for participants:
Participants will be assessed in their ability to demonstrate the key competencies as
listed above.
Assessment for participants will be based on:
Pre-course:
o Homework to be written <strong>and</strong> submitted:
During the course:
o Interview technique
o Presentation skills
o Group interaction
o Report writing
Based in the above assessment, participants may be invited to a training
survey:
During the training survey, assessment will be based in the key
competencies listed above:
Based on the assessment <strong>of</strong> successful completion <strong>of</strong> training survey, the
trainee surveyor will be <strong>of</strong>fered a twelve month probationary surveyor
position.
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6. APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT OF ACHS SURVEYORS
The ACHS Policy on surveyor appointments <strong>and</strong> reappointments states:
- Surveyors are initially appointed for a period <strong>of</strong> two years
- Reappointments occur every four years after initial appointment for those in full
time employment <strong>and</strong> once a year for honorarium (paid) <strong>surveyors</strong>
- Surveyor reappointment will be subject to attendance at surveyor development
days, satisfactory performance <strong>and</strong> commitment to the ACHS (e.g. survey days,
number <strong>of</strong> withdrawals, coordinating surveys, report timeliness etc.)
- Surveyors who retire from substantive positions in the health care industry are
eligible for yearly appointments for no longer than five years.
- Surveyors who are temporarily unemployed (from a recent health care position)
are eligible for yearly appointments for no longer than three years at the
discretion <strong>of</strong> the Executive Director Customer Services.
- Surveyors who are no longer in the employ <strong>of</strong> a health care facility for a
consecutive period <strong>of</strong> 5 years (excluding Visiting Medical Officers <strong>and</strong> those
retired from positions in the health industry) are not eligible for reappointment.
- Surveyors who fail to meet the performance criteria will, in the first instance, be
contacted by the Executive Director Customer Services or Surveyor Resource
Coordinator for counseling. One written warning will be issued in consultation
with the Executive Director Customer Services. The Executive Director
Customer Services <strong>and</strong> the Surveyor Resource Coordinator may consider
<strong>surveyors</strong> who receive any warnings for non-appointment
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