OPCAT aged care inspections programme information published

Tēnā koutou. One of my roles as an independent Officer of Parliament is to inspect places of detention. These are places where people cannot leave if they want to.

People may be there because they are very unwell, have broken a law, or to keep themselves, or others, safe. I check that the treatment and conditions they experience meet international expectations.

In June last year, the Minister of Justice extended the places I am to inspect to include people securely held in privately-run aged care facilities.

I will be phasing in this new inspection programme over the next three years, starting with visits to a variety of facilities across the country. These are ‘orientation visits’, not inspections, and will help inform my inspection programme and assessment criteria.

These are ‘orientation visits’, not inspections, and will help inform my inspection programme and assessment criteria. I am excited at the opportunity. I believe it is a welcome addition to help safeguard vulnerable people. And it is important to get this right for all of us.

You can find out more about my inspections on my website.