Key Personnel
It is up to your Package Providers to check the background of key personnel. Some steps that would be considered reasonable for your Package Provider to take to check that their key personnel are right for the job are:
- Obtain (with the person’s written consent) a police certificate for that person
- Check bankruptcy records
- Check previous employment and referees
- Be satisfied the person is mentally capable of performing the duties as key personnel or make arrangements for the person to be examined by a registered medical practitioner
Contractors and Subcontractors
If a provider has a contract with an agency that provides staff who work under the control of the Package Provider then those contracted individuals may be considered as staff members. This is also true for subcontractors.
Police checks don’t need to extend to people who are engaged on an ad hoc basis. For example, trades people engaged as independent contractors generally do not require police checks. The provider’s intention is to allow for reasonable judgments to be made.
Regardless of how services are delivered and by whom, the Package Provider remains responsible for service quality and for meeting regulatory demands.
Annie Donaldson
agedcare101 Registered Nurse and Carer
Exceptions would include services that are also there for the general public, such as a gym. This would not generally be regarded as a service provided by independent contractors. If a home care consumer is attending a gym as part of their package, the provider is not required to ensure that the staff or employees of the gym have undergone a police check.
Further information about police checks is available
By emailing: agedcare.police.checks@dss.gov.au
By writing:
Aged Care Police Checks
Aged Care Quality & Compliance Group
Department of Social Services
PO Box 7576
Canberra Business Centre
ACT 2610
