# 2026 — HealthCERT — Web Capture — ARC Facility Certification Process **Source URL:** Derived from Ministry of Health / Health New Zealand certification pages **Publisher/Organisation:** Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) / Ministry of Health — HealthCERT **Date accessed:** June 2026 **Folder/category:** 02 Aged Residential Care **Source type:** Web capture / Government process guide **NZ-specific:** Yes **Reliability rating:** High (official NZ government information) --- ## Why This Source Matters Every aged residential care (ARC) facility in New Zealand must be certified by HealthCERT (the Health Certification arm of Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora) to operate. The certification process is the primary quality assurance mechanism for rest homes, hospitals, and dementia care units. Understanding how certification works — including audit frequency, standards, and how to access audit reports — empowers older New Zealanders and their families to make informed choices about care facilities and to hold providers accountable for quality. --- ## What is HealthCERT? HealthCERT is the regulatory body within Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora responsible for certifying health care services, including all aged residential care facilities. It ensures that facilities meet the required standards under the Health and Disability Services Standards (NZS 8134). | Field | Detail | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Full name** | Health Certification — Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora | | **Role** | Certifies all ARC facilities to operate | | **Legal basis** | Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001 | | **Standards** | Health and Disability Services Standards (NZS 8134 series) | | **Scope** | All rest homes, private hospitals, dementia units, and ARC facilities | --- ## Certification Periods Facilities receive certification for varying periods depending on their audit performance: | Certification Period | Meaning | Audit Frequency | | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | **Up to 4 years** | Facility fully meets standards with no or minor issues | Surveillance audits (can be unannounced) | | **1–2 years** | Some non-compliance found; facility must improve | More frequent audits | | **Less than 1 year / Provisional** | Significant issues identified; close monitoring required | Full audits more frequently | | **Suspended / Revoked** | Facility cannot operate until issues resolved | Immediate action required | The certification period is a key indicator of a facility's quality — longer certification generally means better performance. --- ## Audit Process ### Types of Audits | Audit Type | Purpose | Frequency | | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | **Certification audit** | Full assessment for initial certification or renewal | Every certification cycle (1–4 years) | | **Surveillance audit** | Ongoing monitoring between certification audits | Annual or more frequent; can be unannounced | | **Provisional audit** | For new facilities or after major changes (e.g., change of ownership) | As needed | | **Follow-up audit** | Verification that non-compliance has been addressed | Within specified timeframe | ### What Auditors Check Audits assess facilities against the Health and Disability Services Standards across these domains: - **Clinical care and nursing** — Quality of care delivery, medication management, clinical documentation - **Staff qualifications and ratios** — Appropriate staffing levels, qualifications, training - **Food and nutrition** — Meal quality, dietary requirements, hydration - **Infection control** — Hygiene practices, outbreak management - **Resident rights and advocacy** — Respect, dignity, privacy, cultural safety - **Facility safety and environment** — Building safety, accessibility, equipment - **Governance and management** — Leadership, policies, complaint management ### Independent Auditors Audits are conducted by independent auditing agencies contracted by Health NZ — **not by the facility itself** or by Health NZ directly. This independence is critical to the integrity of the certification process. --- ## How Families Can Find Audit Reports Audit reports are **public records** and can be accessed by anyone. This is a powerful transparency tool for families choosing a care facility. | Method | Details | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Health NZ website** | Search by facility name or location at the Health NZ certification page | | **Direct request** | If not easily found online, audit reports can be requested from Health NZ | | **Facility itself** | Facilities should be able to provide their latest audit report on request | | **Certification status** | Can be verified with Health NZ directly | ### What to Look For in an Audit Report - Certification period awarded (longer = better) - Number and severity of non-compliances identified - Whether non-compliances were on the first audit or a follow-up - Whether any critical (immediate risk) non-compliances were found - The facility's plan to address any issues --- ## Complaints Pathways If a resident or family member has concerns about care quality: | Step | Action | Contact | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- | | **1** | Raise concern with facility management directly | Facility manager / care home manager | | **2** | Contact Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) | https://www.hdc.org.nz | | **3** | Use Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service | https://www.advocacy.org.nz | | **4** | For serious concerns, contact Health NZ directly or the Aged Care Commissioner | Ministry of Health / Aged Care Commissioner | | **5** | For issues about certification, contact HealthCERT | Health NZ certification team | --- ## Certification and Change of Ownership When a facility is sold or transitions to a new provider, it must recertify. This ensures new owners meet all standards before taking over care. Families should be aware if their loved one's facility is changing ownership and ask about the certification status of the new provider. --- ## Key Facts Summary - ✅ All ARC facilities in NZ must be certified to operate - ✅ Certification periods range from less than 1 year (provisional) up to 4 years - ✅ Longer certification = better audit performance - ✅ Audits cover clinical care, staffing, food, infection control, resident rights, safety, and governance - ✅ Auditors are independent — not employed by the facility or Health NZ - ✅ Audit reports are public records — families can search and review them - ✅ Surveillance audits can be unannounced - ✅ Complaints can be made through HDC, Advocacy Service, or Health NZ - ✅ Facilities changing ownership must recertify --- ## Practical Use Cases - A family choosing a rest home searches for and reviews the latest audit report for each facility under consideration - A resident or family member concerned about care quality uses the audit report to understand whether issues are known to regulators - An advocate supporting a family checks certification history as part of a quality assessment - A policy researcher uses certification data to identify systemic quality issues across facilities - A prospective resident compares certification periods between facilities as a quality indicator --- ## Related Links (Source Material) - Health NZ Certification: https://www.health.govt.nz/regulation-legislation/certification-of-health-care-services - Find an audit report: https://www.health.govt.nz/regulation-legislation/certification-of-health-care-services/find-audit-report - Health and Disability Commissioner: https://www.hdc.org.nz - Advocacy Service: https://www.advocacy.org.nz - Aged Care Commissioner: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/aged-care/aged-care-commissioner --- ## Related Files - `02_Aged_Residential_Care/2026 - Health NZ - Web Capture - Rest Home Certification and Audits.md` (companion capture with more detail) - `02_Aged_Residential_Care/2026 - Health NZ - Topic Map - Aged Care Assessment and Audit Pathway.md` - `02_Aged_Residential_Care/2025 - Ombudsman - OPCAT Aged Care Monitoring Report.pdf` - `02_Aged_Residential_Care/2025 - HDC - Annual Report.pdf` --- _Part of the NZ Seniors Knowledge Base_ _Captured: June 2026_