Email
Types of audits
Internal audits
As part of quality improvement and patient safety processes, health services require a comprehensive, continuous, systemic approach to monitoring cleaning outcomes within their facilities. Internal audits should be performed in all functional areas across all functional area risk categories. A systemic program of internal auditing, as well as the results of all internal audits undertaken, should be clearly documented.
Cleaning audit scores should be equal to, or higher than, the specified AQL for each functional area risk category. The frequency with which any particular functional area should be audited depends on what functional area risk category it falls under. The table below provides the specified frequency of internal auditing and AQLs for each risk category:
Required frequency of internal auditing and AQLs for each functional area risk category
| Functional area risk category | Example of a functional area in that category | Required frequency of auditing | AQL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very high risk (category A) |
Intensive care unit | Over a period of 1 month 50% of rooms within a very high risk (category A) functional area should be audited at least once | 90 |
| High risk (category B) |
General ward | Over a period of 1 month 50% of rooms within a high risk (category B) functional area should be audited at least once | 85 |
| Moderate risk (category C) |
Rehabilitation area | Over a period of three months 50% of rooms within a moderate risk (category C) functional area should be audited at least once | 85 |
| Low risk (category D) |
Administrative building | Over a period of 12 months all rooms within a low risk (category D) functional area should be audited at least once | 85 |
External audits
In addition to an ongoing internal cleaning standards auditing program, facility-wide cleaning standards audits, undertaken by an external auditor, are required. As is the case for internal audits, external cleaning audit scores should be equal to, or higher than, the specified AQL for each functional area risk category.
An external cleaning standards audit includes the examination of a health service’s internal auditing program and the results for all internal audits. A health service must be able to demonstrate or produce the following:
- a comprehensive mapping, or catalogue, of all rooms within the health service with accompanying risk profile (this is sometimes referred to as a ‘tree’ or ‘network map’ and may show the health service, then each facility within the health service, then the buildings comprising each facility, followed by the functional areas within each building and finally the individual rooms within each of the functional areas. Some mapping also indicates floors or levels within buildings as a navigational aid for auditors)
- an auditing frequency schedule, diary or timetable based on the specified frequencies for functional area risk categories
- reports of all audits undertaken, including variance reports complete with any required rectification and re-auditing of functional areas
- reporting and feedback processes, including evidence that variance reports are tabled at appropriate meetings such as infection control committee meetings, included in quality reports, and that feedback is given to staff including managers or supervisors of functional areas.
Following Australian Standards in sampling procedures for inspection by attributes, an external audit should include approximately a fifth of the total health facility. However, the external audit should include all functional areas in the very high risk functional area category A and at least 75 per cent of functional areas in the high risk functional area category B.
