The audit team opens with a meeting, reviews clinical records and care plans, observes care, talks with staff, people and whānau, and closes by sharing initial findings with every available member of staff. A detailed report follows, with commendations and the findings that need improvement, after typically one to five days on site.
Who comes, and what they do
A lead auditor coordinates the audit, a clinical auditor focuses on clinical care, and a consumer auditor with lived experience joins certification audits of residential disability and mental health services.1 A technical expert with recent experience in the service, such as maternity, surgical or hospice care, may attend to advise.1 The Ministry says audits review systems and processes, and are not designed to test individual staff.1
The questions staff are asked
| The Ministry's example question | A strong answer shows |
|---|---|
| Can you tell me about your role and what a typical day involves? | A clear role, and how the day is organised |
| Who would you report to if you had a concern about a person's wellbeing? | A named escalation line, known on every shift |
| How do you involve people and their whānau in care planning? | A plan written with the person, and the record of it |
| Can you describe what you would do if a person had a fall? | The process, and where it is recorded |
| How do you ensure a person's privacy and dignity are respected? | Practice on the floor, and access controls in the record |
| Where would you find the procedure for infection prevention and control? | Where the procedure lives, found without help |
The Ministry tells staff it is acceptable to say they do not know, and to explain who they would ask or where they would look.1
- Tell staff the dates and the purpose. The audit looks at systems, and every voice is welcome.
- Attend the opening meeting. Confirm the schedule, the scope and who the auditors can reach.
- Give auditors open access to records. They choose the files, staff and people they sample.
- Cover for colleagues being interviewed. Care for people comes first, and auditors will pause for it.
- Log every question you could not answer. So it is closed before the report arrives.
- Bring every available person to the closing meeting. Initial findings and next steps are shared there.
- Audit dates ______ Agency ______
- Lead auditor ______ Our audit lead ______
- Where procedures are kept ______
- Who to escalate a concern to ______
- Closing meeting at ______ Room ______
- Questions we could not answer ______
What happens after the visit
Where an auditor finds a critical or high risk, HealthCERT is told verbally before the team leaves the site, and in writing within 24 hours, with the provider's plan to reduce it.2 The provider comments on the draft report, and the agency submits it to HealthCERT, for a certification audit within 20 working days of the last site visit or 20 working days before the certificate expires, whichever is earlier.2
Questions
How long does a Ngā Paerewa audit take?
Typically one to five days on site, depending on the size and complexity of the service.
Do auditors assess individual staff?
No, the Ministry says they review systems and processes and are not there to test individual staff or handle personal complaints.
Who is a consumer auditor?
A person with lived experience of using health and disability services, who joins certification audits of residential disability and mental health services.
Sources
- 1Ministry of Health, 2025Information for clinical and frontline staff, the audit process under Ngā PaerewaRead source
- 2Ministry of Health, 2025Designated Auditing Agency Handbook, Ministry of Health Auditor Handbook (revised 2025)Read source
Written by the wai team from HealthCERT, Ministry of Health guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. Neither HealthCERT nor the Ministry of Health endorses wai or any software.