The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) aims to prevent the abuse and neglect of people receiving aged care.
We've developed a suite of resources about the SIRS. They're designed to help aged care providers work effectively with the scheme.
Resources for all providers
Guides
- Effective incident management systems: Best practice guidance
- Reporting serious incidents: Using a problem-solving approach to enhance effective incident management
- Effective serious incident investigations guidance for providers
- Effective incident management system checklist.
Fact sheets
- What is an effective incident management system?
- Recording incidents in an incident management system
- SIRS readiness checklist.
Decision support tool
The SIRS decision support tool helps identify an incident's priority level.
Approved forms
Use these forms when you submit information to us:
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SIRS – Notice of additional information (Priority 1) | Submit a notice of additional information under section 15NE(5) of the Quality of Care Principles 2014 or the relevant program manual. |
| SIRS – Notice of additional information (Priority 2) | Submit a notice of additional information under section 15NF(3) of the Quality of Care Principles 2014 or the relevant program manual. |
| SIRS – Notice of significant new information | Submit a notice of significant new information under section 15NH of the Quality of Care Principles 2014 or the relevant program manual. |
| SIRS – Final report on reportable incident | Submit a final report about a reportable incident under section 15NI of the Quality of Care Principles 2014 or the relevant program manual. |
Investigation plan template
This template can be adjusted to suit your investigation needs.
Articles
These articles address the 6 essential elements of an effective incident management system (IMS):
- Ensure leadership and a safety culture (Quality Bulletin, February 2022)
- Responding to incidents (Quality Bulletin, March 2022)
- Record and report the incident (Quality Bulletin, April 2022)
- Analyse the incident (Quality Bulletin, May 2022)
- Implement actions (Quality Bulletin, June 2022)
- Close the loop (Quality Bulletin, July 2022).
Online learning modules
Poster
Videos
- Incident management under the SIRS
- Reportable incidents under the SIRS
- Early lessons learned from SIRS in home services.
Webinars
- SIRS for residential aged care: Incident management systems (11 March 2021)
- Introduction to the SIRS: Incident management systems (26 September 2022).
Workshops
Roundtable outcome summaries
Resources for residential care providers
Guides
- Serious Incident Response Scheme: Guidelines for residential aged care providers (updated July 2022)
- SIRS reportable incidents workflow for residential aged care.
Notification example responses
A good-quality incident notification requires extra information. It should contain more than progress notes about an incident or text from the IMS.
We’ve created some example responses to help you report incidents. Please note: any similarities to actual incidents or individuals are purely coincidental.
- Unreasonable use of force
- Unlawful sexual contact
- Psychological or emotional abuse
- Unexpected death
- Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member
- Neglect
- Inappropriate use of restrictive practices
- Unexplained absence from care.
Reportable incident fact sheets
- Unreasonable use of force
- Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct
- Psychological or emotional abuse
- Unexpected death
- Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member
- Neglect
- Inappropriate use of restrictive practices
- Unexplained absence from care.
Webinars
- Introduction to the SIRS – 25 February 2021
- Reporting under the SIRS – 18 March 2021
- Overview of the Commission's role – 25 March 2021
- SIRS and quality aged care – 8 April 2021.
Workshop slide pack for in-service delivery
Resources for home care providers
Guides
- Serious Incident Response Scheme: Guidelines
- SIRS reportable incidents workflow
- Quality and safety in home services – 5 key areas of risk.
Reportable incident fact sheets
- Unreasonable use of force
- Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct
- Psychological or emotional abuse
- Unexpected death
- Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member
- Neglect
- Inappropriate use of restrictive practices
- Missing consumers
- Reporting responsibilities for providers and their staff.
Webinars
- Home services SIRS webinar: Introduction to the SIRS – incident management systems (26 September 2022)
- Home services SIRS webinar: SIRS reportable incidents (3 November 2022)
- Home services SIRS webinar: Reporting under the SIRS (16 November 2022)
- Home services SIRS webinar Q&As.
Workshop slide pack for in-service delivery
SIRS reports
- Sector performance reports, including information about the SIRS
- Unreasonable use of force: Notifications of resident-to-resident incidents.
