The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) was established as a corporate Commonwealth entity under the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 (the Act). Section 5 of the Act identifies ANSTO’s purpose and functions to include undertaking research and development; making available on a commercial basis its expertise, equipment and facilities; producing and selling nuclear radiation goods and services; and conditioning, managing and storing radioactive materials and radioactive waste.

ANSTO supplies the Australian health sector with the radio-pharmaceuticals used to diagnose heart disease, cancer and skeletal injuries. Disruptions to ANSTO’s manufacture, production or distribution of radio-pharmaceuticals result in risks to worker safety, ANSTO’s financial sustainability and the security of domestic nuclear medicine supply.

This audit examines the effectiveness of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s management of assets involved in the manufacture, production and distribution of nuclear medicines.

Key findings:

• ANSTO’s management of assets involved in the manufacture, production and distribution of nuclear medicines is partly effective.
• The framework for asset management is largely fit for purpose. There is need for an improved enterprise-level strategic approach to asset management in planning, training and information management.
• ANSTO’s management of nuclear medicine asset maintenance is progressing through the development of maintenance strategies and plans and with an increasing focus on proactive maintenance. Nuclear medicine asset management plans are largely fit for purpose. Maintenance planning maturity varies by facility and is not consistently monitored. Maintenance is often not timely. Although regulatory inspections and reviews address maintenance to some extent and there are key performance indicators, internal oversight of maintenance effectiveness through management system and internal audits could be expanded.