Facility Accreditation Framework
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CAREGIVERS (NIC)
Care Facility Accreditation Policy
Effective Date: [Insert Date]
Issued by: National Institute of Caregivers (NIC), Nigeria
1. INTRODUCTION
The National Institute of Caregivers (NIC) is a professional body established to promote excellence, professionalism, and ethical standards in caregiving across Nigeria.
In furtherance of its mandate, NIC has instituted a **Care Facility Accreditation Policy** to assess, recognize, and monitor care facilities that meet defined professional, operational, and ethical standards for the provision of caregiving services.
This policy sets out the legal framework, requirements, procedures, and conditions governing the accreditation of care facilities by NIC.
2. OBJECTIVES OF ACCREDITATION
The objectives of NIC facility accreditation are to:
Promote safe, dignified, and high-quality care for vulnerable persons;
Establish minimum professional and operational standards for care facilities;
Enhance public confidence in caregiving services;
Encourage continuous quality improvement within the care sector;
Create and maintain a national registry of compliant care facilities;
Support government, private sector, and civil society efforts in regulating care services.
3. SCOPE OF APPLICATION
This policy applies to all care facilities seeking accreditation by NIC, including but not limited to:
Residential care homes for the elderly;
Assisted living and nursing care facilities;
Dementia and memory care centers;
Disability and special needs care facilities;
Home care service providers;
Palliative and hospice care facilities;
Rehabilitation and recovery centers.
NIC reserves the right to define additional categories or subcategories of facilities as the caregiving sector evolves.
4. LEGAL STATUS OF ACCREDITATION
NIC accreditation is a **professional quality assurance certification**.
Accreditation by NIC **does not replace**, supersede, or substitute any statutory license, permit, or approval required under Nigerian law.
Facilities are responsible for complying with all applicable laws, regulations, and directives issued by relevant government authorities.
NIC accreditation signifies that a facility has met NIC’s **professional standards** at the time of assessment.
5. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for accreditation, a care facility must:
Be legally registered in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC);
Operate from a verifiable physical location;
Provide caregiving services within NIC’s defined scope;
Employ caregivers who possess recognized qualifications and/or NIC certification;
Agree to comply with NIC standards, inspections, and monitoring requirements;
Submit all required documentation truthfully and accurately.
Submission of false or misleading information shall constitute grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of accreditation.
6. ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
Facilities seeking accreditation shall be assessed against standards covering, but not limited to, the following areas:
Legal and regulatory compliance;
Governance and management structure;
Staffing, training, and supervision;
Care delivery and service standards;
Health, safety, and environmental conditions;
Infrastructure and facilities;
Record keeping and data management;
Ethics, safeguarding, and client rights;
Quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms.
NIC may update or revise accreditation standards from time to time. Accredited facilities shall be notified of material changes.
7. ACCREDITATION PROCESS
The accreditation process shall include the following stages:
**Application Submission**
Facilities shall submit an application through the NIC platform or designated channels, together with required documentation and applicable fees.
**Document Review**
NIC shall conduct a preliminary review of submitted documents to determine eligibility and readiness for inspection.
**Inspection and Assessment**
NIC or its authorized representatives may conduct on-site inspections, staff interviews, and records verification.
**Decision and Notification**
Based on assessment findings, NIC may grant:
* Full Accreditation;
* Conditional Accreditation (subject to corrective actions); or
* Denial of Accreditation.
**Certification and Registry Listing**
Accredited facilities shall be issued an accreditation certificate and listed on the NIC National Care Facility Registry.
8. DURATION AND RENEWAL
Accreditation shall be valid for a specified period determined by NIC, not exceeding three (3) years.
Facilities seeking renewal must apply prior to expiration and comply with renewal requirements.
NIC reserves the right to require re-inspection as part of the renewal process.
9. MONITORING, COMPLIANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT
NIC may conduct periodic or unannounced monitoring visits to accredited facilities.
Facilities must cooperate fully with NIC inspectors and provide access to relevant premises, staff, and records.
Where non-compliance is identified, NIC may impose corrective measures, including:
* Issuance of warnings;
* Conditional accreditation;
* Suspension of accreditation;
* Revocation of accreditation.
Serious violations may be reported to relevant regulatory or law enforcement authorities.
10. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AND VERIFICATION
NIC may publish the accreditation status of facilities on its official website or registry.
Members of the public may verify the accreditation status of facilities through NIC’s verification platforms.
Facilities shall not misrepresent or misuse NIC accreditation status.
11. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
NIC shall not be liable for acts, omissions, negligence, or misconduct of accredited facilities.
Accreditation does not constitute a guarantee of outcomes, performance, or suitability for individual care needs.
Care recipients and families are encouraged to conduct independent assessments when selecting care services.
12. AMENDMENT AND INTERPRETATION
NIC reserves the right to amend this policy at any time.
The interpretation of this policy shall rest solely with NIC.
Decisions made by NIC under this policy shall be final, subject to applicable dispute resolution procedures.
13. CONTACT INFORMATION
All enquiries regarding this policy or the accreditation process should be directed to:
**National Institute of Caregivers (NIC)**
Email: info@nicnigeria.com
Website:http://www.nicnigeria.org
© National Institute of Caregivers, Nigeria. All rights reserved.
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