The big picture:
Registered NDIS providers are required by law to have detailed incident management systems. But all allied health providers – including unregistered NDIS providers – should have one.
Why:
A well-designed incident management system:
- improves safety;
- improves care processes and service quality;
- changes the way clients, carers, families, management and workers think about risk;
- raises awareness of good practice; and
- helps providers identify, report, manage and learn from incidents.
Why else?
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission says that:
- it is good practice for unregistered-providers to have an incident management system; and
- having incident management policies and procedures is a feature of quality practices providing support for children in the NDIS.
What to watch:
Future NDIS reforms may soon require unregistered allied health providers to implement incident management systems. It’s a good idea to prepare.
Best practices:
Incidents should be managed through a system that:
- is transparent, open and fair to everyone;
- promotes accountability;
- is co-designed with clients, families and workers;
- encourages timely action;
- forms a key part of a wider risk-management system that promotes safety; and
- helps key personnel and workers share lessons and learn from incidents.
Key phases:
- Identification
- Immediate action to reduce risk and harm
- Notification and reporting
- Initial assessment and prioritisation
- Analysis, investigation and classification
- Action, including implementation of recommendations and plan
- Feedback to people affected
- System-wide learning and sharing
Go deeper:
Incident management guide | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Practical Tool:
If you’re not sure where to start – or want to improve your system – check out our updated Incident Management and Reportable Incidents System Policy and Procedures Template.
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