Review a Policy

Policy documents must be reviewed within 3 years of the effective date of the previous version.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to review a policy document by following the review process set out in the Policy Framework.

• Step 1. Download the review form

  When the time comes to review a policy, download the Review Form and let the Secretariat know that you are intending to review the document by emailing policy@nd.edu.au.

  The Secretariat will advise the Policy Owner of upcoming review dates and will advise users (through the Policy Portal) that a policy document is under review.

• Step 2. Determine the scope

  Using the Policy Review Form, begin to map out the scope of the review. You will need to consider a number of factors:

  • Is there an ongoing need for a policy in this area?
  • Does this intersect with other policy document/s?  If so, is there opportunity to combine this within the other policy document/s?
  • Does the policy require any updating to keep it compliant and/or consistent with changed legislative or regulatory requirements?
  • Is the policy doing what you want it to do?
  • Are there gaps in the policy when compared to practices and standards across the sector?
  • How well is the policy being implemented?
  • Do users of the policy report any problems? How often?
  • Are the costs associated with implementing this policy reasonable?

  When attempting to answer these questions, you will start to get an idea of the scale of the required changes to the policy. If the Policy Owner determines that the changes are major, go to Step 3 on the Develop a policy page. If the Policy Owner determines that the changes are minor, go on the Step 3 below.

  Definitions of “major” and “minor” amendments are set out in sections 10 and 11 of the Policy Framework.

• Step 3. Prepare a new version

  If the changes to the existing policy are minor, use track changes to make the required amendments and record a short summary of the changes in the version control table at the end of the document.

• Step 4. Arrange approval

  Once you have prepared a new version of the policy, ensure the Policy Review Form is complete and forward both documents to the Policy Owner for their approval.

  When approval is received, email the record of approval and the new version of the policy to the Secretariat via policy@nd.edu.au. The Secretariat will arrange publishing and notify the Policy Owner and Responsible Officer (written on the title page of the policy) when it is published.

• Step 5. Implement the policy

  Once you have been notified that the policy have been approved, you can start planning to communicate and implement any relevant changes.