NURS8761 Acute Mental Health Nursing Practice (semester 1)

• Students must supply a valid Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) prior to the commencement of their placement.

Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC)

Valid for three years from date of issue

Commonly referred to as a Police Check, a National Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) is a document that lists all criminal convictions recorded against a person in the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) database. For more information visit the ACIC website.

Police Checks (NCCHCs) can be issued by:

• State and Territory or
• Private brokers that have been accredited by the ACIC

An acceptable Police Check (NCCHC) must meet the following requirements:

• Unsupervised Contact within the Health/Aged Care Sector.
• The following information is provided to assist you complete an application form for your Police Check:
• Reason for Check – Unsupervised Contact with Vulnerable Groups (if there is a character limit, ensure Unsupervised Contact is recorded at a minimum).
• Proposed Place of Work – Health/Aged Care Sector
• Location – Adelaide, South Australia

Please note – if you are completing a Police Check for a Northern Territory placement, please follow the instruction provided by Flinders NT or your discipline specific checklist.  In the absence of this advice, follow the above instructions to complete the application form.

Students are responsible for the cost of obtaining their Police Check (NCCHC).

Students completing placements in South Australia may choose to apply for a Police Check (NCCHC) directly through their local police, or through a commercial broker. If a Police Check (NCCHC) is required urgently (e.g. sooner than 4 – 5 weeks) then it is advisable to apply online through an accredited broker that offers fast turnaround.

Police Check (NCCHC) providers:

• South Australia Police (SAPOL) - We strongly recommend you use the SAPOL Police Check as this the most accepted document.
• Third party providers are  https://flinders.checked.com.au and www.cvcheck.com.
• State clearances are most widely accepted across organisations and interstate, third party provided clearances may not be accepted by host organisations outside of the control of the University.

Please note that Flinders University does not endorse these providers and cannot guarantee their turnaround times.

What happens if there are offences listed on my Police Check?

Students with criminal convictions should to refer to the SA Health Criminal and Relevant History Screening Policy Directive. Students with serious criminal convictions may be precluded from placement. Students with criminal convictions are advised to meet with their course coordinator to discuss their ability to satisfy the requirements of their placement topic.

Will you accept a Teachers Registration Board (TRB) Registration Certificate?

No. The Teachers Registration Board (TRB) undertakes a Police Check (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check) as part of the registration process, however, no outcomes are listed on the registration certificate. You are required to obtain a separate Police Check (NCCHC).

How can I obtain a replacement Police Check?

Replacement Police Checks (NCCHCs) can sometimes be obtained by contacting the organisation that issued the original certificate. In many cases, students who have lost their Police Check (NCCHC) will need to apply for a new one.

Valid for one year from date of issue.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training is completed annually. Students are responsible for organising their training through an external provider.

Acceptable training can include:

• courses accredited to the HLTAID009 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation standard OR
• Basic Life Support courses completed through SA Health or endorsed by the Australian College of Nursing OR
• workplace CPR training that includes a practical component.

Acceptable evidence of training can include:

• a certificate of completion issued by the training provider
• a letter from an employer stating the date of completion of training
• a printout from an employer’s training register showing the date of completion of training.

Course providers may include:

• IntelliLearn
• St John Ambulance
• First Aid Pro
• Red Cross Australia
• First Aid Training Adelaide CBD

Find additional accredited training providers by searching for HLTAID009 courses near your location.

These clearances are valid for five years from date of issue (unless revoked prior), except Aged Care Sector Clearance, which has an expiry of three years.

There are three main types of screening offered by the DHS the University requires; Aged-Care Sector, Working With Children Check (WWCC), and NDIS Worker Check. Refer to the pre-placement compliance checklist to determine which screenings you require.

Formerly known as Department of Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) clearances, DHS clearances are state-based clearances used to determine suitability for employment within specific care sectors in South Australia.

Note: Working With Children Checks issued prior to 1 July 2019 are known as Child-Related Employment Screenings.

Obtaining DHS clearances

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences require students to obtain DHS Clearances through self-initiation via the DHS website.

Please follow this guide for step-by-step directions of how to start your application.

Existing clearances can be renewed up to 6 months prior to expiry. It is recommended that clearances are renewed early to ensure there is no lapse in compliance.

View more information on the DHS website.

What is the difference between DHS clearances and the Police Check?

The Police Check is a printout of all disclosable criminal convictions as recorded by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). DHS clearances involve additional probity checks and continuous monitoring. Both are required.