Incident Management Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines how [Organisation Name] identifies, reports, manages, and learns from incidents involving participants. It ensures compliance with NDIS Practice Standard 2.6 (Incident Management) and the NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all workers, contractors, and volunteers of [Organisation Name].

3. Definitions

• Incident: An event or circumstance that occurred during the provision of supports that resulted in, or could have resulted in, harm to a participant
• Reportable Incident: An incident that must be reported to the NDIS Commission under the NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
• Near Miss: An event that could have resulted in harm but did not

4. Reportable Incidents

The following incidents must be reported to the NDIS Commission within 24 hours of the organisation becoming aware:

1. Death of a participant
2. Serious injury to a participant
3. Abuse or neglect of a participant
4. Unlawful sexual or physical contact with a participant
5. Sexual misconduct committed against or in the presence of a participant
6. Use of restrictive practices (unauthorised or not in accordance with a behaviour support plan)

5. Incident Reporting

5.1 Worker Responsibilities

• All workers must report incidents immediately to their supervisor/manager
• Workers complete an incident report form within 24 hours
• Workers preserve evidence and ensure the participant is safe

5.2 Management Responsibilities

• Assess the severity and determine if it is a reportable incident
• For reportable incidents: notify the NDIS Commission within 24 hours via the NDIS Commission portal
• Notify the participant (or their representative) about the incident
• Ensure the participant receives appropriate support
• Commence an investigation

6. Investigation Process

1. Immediate Response: Ensure participant safety, provide support, secure the scene
2. Information Gathering: Collect statements, records, and other evidence
3. Analysis: Determine root causes and contributing factors
4. Findings: Document findings and conclusions
5. Actions: Implement corrective and preventive actions
6. Communication: Inform the participant and relevant parties of findings and actions

7. Post-Incident Review

• All incidents are reviewed within 30 days
• Systemic issues are identified and addressed
• Learnings are shared with workers (de-identified)
• Policies and procedures are updated if required
• The participant is supported to recover from the incident

8. Record Keeping

• All incident records are kept for 7 years
• Records include: incident report, investigation findings, actions taken, and follow-up reviews
• Records are stored securely and accessible to authorised personnel only

9. Related Policies

• Risk Management Policy
• Complaints and Feedback Policy
• Privacy and Dignity Policy
• Emergency and Disaster Management Policy

10. Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually or following a significant incident.

| Version | Date | Author | Changes | |---------|------|--------|---------| | 1.0 | [Date] | [Author] | Initial release |

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This template is provided by GuardRail as general guidance only. Organisations should customise this policy to their specific circumstances and have it reviewed by a legal professional before adoption.