008 Incident Management Policy
1. Purpose
Proactive Support is committed to ensuring each participant is safeguarded by an incident management system, ensuring that all incidents are acknowledged, responded to, well-managed and learned from.
2. Scope
This policy covers all incidents that have occurred in connection with the delivery of supports and services by Proactive Support:
- Incidents that have, (or could have), caused harm to the participant
- Acts by the participant that have caused serious harm, or a risk of serious harm, to another person
- Reportable incidents that are alleged to have occurred
3. Definitions
In this policy:
Staff means any person employed by Proactive Support, including managers and workers, regardless of pay, status or working hours
Participant means a client or potential client who is receiving supports or services from Proactive Support
Advocate is a person speaking or acting on the participant’s behalf, including associated family members, carers, nominees, independent advocates, and significant others
Incident means any act, omission, event, or circumstance that has caused harm or could have caused harm to or by the participant or any other person in connection with the provision of Proactive Support’s services and supports. This could range from an accident such as a slip, trip or fall, to a critical incident such as a missing person or death.
Procedural fairness means acting fairly in administrative decision making. It relates to the fairness of the procedure by which a decision is made, and not the fairness in a substantive sense of that decision. Procedural fairness traditionally involves two requirements: the fair hearing rule and the rule against bias. The hearing rule requires a decision maker to afford a person an opportunity to be heard before making a decision affecting their interests. The rule against bias ensures that the decision maker can be objectively considered to be impartial and not to have pre-judged a decision.
4. Rights and Responsibilities
All Staff
It is the responsibility of all staff to:
- Provide information to participants and their advocates about incident management at Proactive Support, including how incidents have been dealt with and managed in the past
- Have input into the resolution of incidents and continuous quality improvement of Proactive Support supports and services
- Be compliant with Proactive Support’s Incident Management policy and procedures
Management
It is the responsibility of management to:
- Maintain an incident management system which complies with the requirements under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
- Ensure staff are aware of, trained in and comply with Incident Management policy and procedures
- Continuously seek to improve the incident management system through review of documentation, investigation of incidents and a collaborative approach with staff and participants to gain their input
- Review and keep records about all incidents
- Ensure the incident management system is documented, available to and understood by all staff, participants, and their advocates
- Plan and deliver services in a manner that respects and upholds the participant’s human rights
- Recognise the three stages of Incident management – Identify and respond to incidents, Assessment of Incidents and Reporting Incidents
5. Incident Management
If an incident occurs it is important for staff to be able to manage the incident appropriately and make a timely and comprehensive report to Proactive Support management for recording, reporting (if required), resolution and review. This can be achieved by:
- Quick response in the event of an incident
- Full communication with management
- Providing appropriate supports to the participant
- Accurate information gathering for Incident Register recording
- Collaboration in resolution and in any investigative follow up
- Providing information for reporting to NDIS Commission and any other entities, as required
The Managing an Incident Procedure provides more detail on roles, and how this can be achieved.
6. Assessment
Each incident which occurs will be assessed by Proactive Support management in relation to the following, taking into account the participant’s views:
- Whether the incident could have been prevented
- How well the incident was managed and resolved
- What, if any, remedial action needs to be undertaken to prevent further similar incidents from occurring, or to minimise their impact
- Whether other persons or bodies need to be notified of the incident
This assessment forms part of the incident management system, and is underpinned by the Risk Management Framework.
7. Reportable Incidents
The following reportable incidents (including allegations) arising in the context of Proactive Support’s supports or services must be reported to the NDIS Commission by Beatrice Airs (Key Personnel, Proactive Support):
- The death of a participant
- Serious injury of a participant
- Abuse or neglect of a participant
- Unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, a participant
- Sexual misconduct committed against, or in the presence of, a participant, including grooming of the participant for sexual activity
- The use of a restrictive practice in relation to a participant, other than where the practice is authorised (in Queensland) and used in accordance with the participant’s approved behaviour support plan
The 016 Reporting an Incident Procedure provides more detail on the requirements of reportable incidents.
8. Administration
Proactive Support management will ensure the following:
- The incident management system is reviewed annually to ensure it is effective and procedurally fair. For further information refer to the 010 Quality Management Framework
- Incidents are comprehensively entered into the Incident Register
- Records entered in the Incident Register will be kept for seven years from date of entry, or from when the report was made to the NDIS Commissioner, if it was a reportable incident
- Statistics and other information relating to issues raised through the incident management process can be reviewed, identified and addressed and reported to the Commissioner at their request
- Staff are trained in how to prevent, respond to, manage, and report incidents according to policy and procedures
- Referral and notification can be made to any other bodies in accordance with any requirements under relevant Commonwealth and Queensland laws
- Feedback is sought from participants on the management of the incident and its effect on them
- Relevant items are entered into the Continuous Improvement Register
9. Related Documentation
Proactive Support
001 Participant's Rights Policy
003 Participant’s Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality Policy
004 Risk Management Framework
005 Risk Management Policy
010 Quality Management Framework
015 Managing an Incident Procedure
016 Reporting an Incident Procedure
Registers: Continuous Improvement and Incident Registers
External
National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
Critical Incident Reporting Policy, Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnership.
