Incident Management for Team Leaders and Managers

Every registered NDIS provider must have an incident management system that suits its size and the supports it delivers. An incident is any act, omission, event or circumstance that has or could have caused harm to a person with disability, or where a person with disability has caused serious harm or the risk of it to someone else. This lesson explains the parts of our system, the steps from identifying an incident to learning from it, and your role as a leader in making the system work on every shift.

Some serious incidents, and allegations of them, must be notified to the NDIS Commission. These reportable incidents are the death of a person with disability, serious injury, abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact with or assault of a person with disability, sexual misconduct committed against or in the presence of a person with disability, and the use of a restrictive practice that is unauthorised or not in line with a behaviour support plan. This lesson explains each category, why allegations count, and how to decide quickly when you are unsure.

Reportable incidents have strict timeframes that start when key personnel become aware of the incident. Most must be notified within 24 hours using the immediate notification, followed by a more detailed report within 5 business days. The exception is a restrictive practice that is unauthorised or not in line with a behaviour support plan and has not caused harm, which must be notified within 5 business days. If it caused harm, it is a 24 hour notification. The Commission may also ask for a final report. This lesson explains how to meet these timeframes.

The person affected by an incident must feel safe, respected and involved. This lesson explains how to provide immediate safety and care, when to call emergency services or police, how to communicate using the person's preferred method, how to involve them and their chosen supporters in the response, and how to offer access to an advocate. It also covers supporting workers who were involved or who witnessed the incident. Key points: safety first, the person's voice at the centre, trauma informed communication and support for everyone affected.

Not every incident needs a formal investigation, but every incident needs an assessment of why it happened, whether it could have been prevented and what needs to change. When an investigation is needed, it should be proportionate, fair and focused on causes rather than blame. This lesson explains how to plan an investigation, gather and record evidence, interview people fairly, identify contributing factors and write clear findings and actions. It also covers when to involve police or our human resources team and when to hand over to more senior leaders.

Registered NDIS providers must have a complaints management and resolution system that is easy to use and fair, and must tell participants they can also complain to the NDIS Commission. Managers play a key role: welcoming complaints, acknowledging them promptly, involving the person, resolving issues fairly and on time, and recording outcomes. This lesson explains your responsibilities, how to protect people who complain from any negative consequences, and when a complaint also needs to be treated as an incident. It links to our complaint handling course for more detail.

Incidents and complaints are some of the richest sources of information we have about the quality and safety of our supports. This lesson shows managers how to review incident and complaint data for trends and themes, how to share lessons with teams without breaching privacy, how to turn lessons into changes to plans, training, rosters or procedures, and how to check that those changes worked. Key points: look across incidents not just at each one, involve participants and workers in solutions, and track actions until they are proven effective.

If you manage aged care services, the Serious Incident Response Scheme, known as SIRS, applies alongside our own incident management system. There are eight types of reportable incidents, each classed as Priority 1 or Priority 2. Priority 1 incidents must be notified to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission within 24 hours of becoming aware, and Priority 2 incidents within 30 days. This lesson gives managers a short overview and points you to our course, Introduction to the Serious Incident Response Scheme, for the full detail.

This case study follows Ayesha, the on call team leader, who receives a call at 2 am from a support worker whose participant has fallen and hit his head. The lesson walks through her decisions in the first hours: making sure the participant gets urgent care, escalating to key personnel so any notification is made within 24 hours, getting the facts recorded, supporting the worker and the family, and setting up the follow up. Key points: safety first, escalate early rather than deciding alone, make sure records are made that shift, and plan the assessment and learning.

This case study follows Marcus, a house manager, after a participant tells a day worker that a night worker pushed her against the wall. The lesson covers the manager's responsibilities when an allegation involves a worker: keeping the participant safe and supported, separating the worker while the matter is looked at, making sure the reportable incident is notified within 24 hours, contacting police where a crime may have occurred, and running a fair process for everyone. Key points: believe it enough to act, do not investigate by questioning the participant, and treat the worker fairly.