Assessment processes for older people needing to go to an Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) vary depending on the processes of the Aged Care Assessement Teams (ACAT) they see and whether or not they are in hospital. The data collected on ACAT performance was significantly revised during 2004 making comparisons with subsequent years problematic. ACATs have more responsibilities than assessing older people for residential care. It is not clear whether they have sufficient resources for this additional workload.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #160 - released 5 December 2006

This Report, Volume Two: Corporate Governance in Practice reports upon how actual corporate governance practices by NSW public sector boards compare with “better practice”.

It found criteria and processes for appointing directors to boards are not always transparent. It also found a more systematic and rigorous approach to the range of corporate governance issues is required across the public sector if it is to approach "better practice", there is a lack of accountability for board decision making and board performance and where boards are to serve a governance role, then a basic framework needs to be created to ensure they can operate efficiently and effectively.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #39 - released 17 June 1997

A Supplement to Volume Two: Survey Findings has also been prepared, presenting The Audit Office’s survey findings in detail. This may serve as a useful benchmark for governance in the NSW public sector.

It found that, supporting/enabling legislation, governance structures and boards creation processes should facilitate better governance practice. It also found boards and management should understand their roles, responsibilities and duties and that these should be clearly articulated in legislation, board directors should possess appropriate qualifications and expertise to fulfil their responsibilities, boards need to ensure that adequate systems are in place to be able to oversight on the activity of the agency and boards must be accountable to those whose interests they represent.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #39 - released 17 June 1997