Incident Management Guidelines

1. Your safety and wellbeing matters

At Carer Solutions, incident management is a vital part of how we ensure safe and rights-based support for our clients (Partners). This guide is designed to ensure that all incidents are managed effectively, systematically, and timely. Our approach prioritises the safety and wellbeing of everyone affected and ensures that incidents are thoroughly investigated and learned from. By learning from each incident, we aim to prevent future occurrences or reduce their impact wherever possible.

2. Who must report an incident

Everyone has the responsibility to report any incident that affects the safety, wellbeing or rights of our clients (Partners), support workers, or the organisation. Reporting is a critical part of our commitment to safeguarding and continuous improvement. If you are unsure whether something qualifies as an incident, it is always better to report it and seek guidance.

3. How to report an incident

You can contact us in the way that works best for you as soon as possible:

Phone: 1300 729 839
Email: compliance@carersolutions.com.au
Online: carersolutions.com.au/contact
Mail: Level 1, 2 Macquarie Street, Prahran, 3181.

When reporting, please make sure you include all information regarding the incident, including:

• What happened
• Who was involved
• When and where it occurred
• Any immediate actions taken

4. How we manage an incident

We follow a clear seven-step process:

1. Identifying the incident
   We identify incidents through direct observation, disclosure by an affected person, or information shared by others. Complaints may also constitute incidents and will be considered under both Incident Management Policy and the Feedback and Complaints Policy.
2. Reporting an incident
   We encourage reports of both confirmed and suspected incidents. We will manage such reports in line with our Incident Management policy.
3. Ensuring immediate safety and wellbeing of impacted persons
   We will assess the incident and take any necessary actions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all impacted individuals. Actions to take may include:
   • Removing individuals from danger
   • Administering First Aid
   • Calling emergency services
   • Removing the source of risk
4. Receiving the incident report
   We will record all relevant details of the incident into the Incidents Management Register within 24 hours. Accurate and timely recording ensures proper escalation and compliance with regulatory expectations.
5. Reporting the incident to Regulatory Bodies
   We will manage the incident accordingly to regulatory requirements, including mandatory reporting for specific incidents. Reportable incidents must be submitted to the NDIS Commission within the designated timeframes:
   • 24 hours for most incidents
   • 5 days for unauthorised restrictive practices
6. Investigating the incident
   We will assess and investigate all incidents, whether reportable or not. We will share outcomes with impacted persons and, where required, disclosed to external bodies such as the NDIS Commission.
7. Determining corrective and restorative actions
   We may implement corrective actions to improve internal processes and systems, aiming to either eliminate, avoid, reduce or isolate risks.

5. How we record incidents

We keep comprehensive records of all incidents received to ensure accountability and compliance. These records are securely stored for:

• 7 years from the date of the record was made, for general incidents
• Until the child involved reaches 25 years of age, for child-related incidents

6. How we use information gathered from incidents

We review every incident to identify opportunities for improvement. We assess whether there are actions that can be taken to reduce the likelihood and impact of future incidents and implement them across the relevant areas of the organisation.

7. Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1300 729 839 or email compliance@carersolutions.com.au

To view the full policy please click here