Hospital Accreditation for Training Sites

Hospitals and private training settings seeking to provide orthopaedic surgical training must apply for accreditation of one or more training positions. Each site is assessed against established accreditation standards to ensure it provides an appropriate clinical environment, educational opportunities, supervision, and resources to support delivery of the curriculum and training programme requirements. It is a requirement that all hospital training posts, including private hospitals, are accredited prior to the placement of a trainee who is on the NZOA Training Programme, this is to ensure the quality and consistency of training and education across New Zealand.

The NZOA will assess each training setting on a range of criteria regularly to ensure that the training setting is appropriately equipped to provide the trainees with the education and training opportunities that are in accordance with the NZOA curriculum.

Transition to the Model Accreditation Standards

NZOA is progressing the transition to the Model Accreditation Standards, with implementation expected in 2027. This follows the development of nationally consistent accreditation standards and procedures for specialist medical training programmes, designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across medical colleges.

The transition will align NZOA's accreditation framework with these contemporary standards while maintaining its established and robust processes for assessing training environments. As part of this work, accreditation documentation and processes are being updated to incorporate consistent terminology, standardised assessment processes, procedural fairness principles, and a risk-based approach to accreditation decisions.

Accreditation Standards

The accreditation standards define the requirements that hospitals, private training settings, and training positions must meet to provide high-quality orthopaedic surgical training. They establish the standards and criteria for safe, effective learning environments, including supervision, clinical experience, educational opportunities, and training resources. All accredited training settings and positions are assessed and monitored against these standards as part of the ongoing accreditation process.

For more information on accreditation of training positions, please contact the Education and Training Manager prue@nzoa.org.nz

Trainees may be placed in any one of our accredited training centres within New Zealand. The following New Zealand hospitals are currently accredited for SET Orthopaedic Surgery Training:

Concerns or Complaints

NZOA recognise that accreditation is a collaborative process and that training environments are complex and continually evolving. If an accredited training setting has concerns about an accreditation review, believes relevant information has not been considered, or identifies a factual error in an accreditation report, it should contact the NZOA Education & Training Manager as soon as possible. Accreditation findings may be reviewed, and additional information will be considered where appropriate before decisions are finalised.

NZOA welcomes feedback on all aspects of the accreditation process as part of its commitment to continuous quality improvement. Concerns or complaints regarding the accreditation process are managed in accordance with NZOA policies and principles of procedural fairness.

NZOA staff are available to provide advice and assist training settings in navigating the accreditation process and responding to accreditation outcomes.