SIRS - Serious Incident Response Scheme 

SIRS has been introduced and mandated effective from the 1st of April this month. 

What is SIRS?

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is a new initiative to help prevent and reduce incidents of abuse and neglect in residential aged care services subsidised by the Australian Government. SIRS sets new arrangements for approved providers of residential aged care to manage and take reasonable action to prevent incidents with a focus on the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of aged care consumer

What is a reportable incident?

Reportable incidents include those listed below:

• Unreasonable use of force – for example, hitting, pushing, shoving, or rough handling.
• Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct – such as sexual threats or stalking, or sexual activities without consent.
• Psychological or emotional abuse – such as yelling, name calling, ignoring a consumer, threatening gestures, or refusing a consumer access to care or services as a means of punishment.
• Unexpected death – in the event of a fall, untreated pressure injury, or the actions of a consumer result in the death of another consumer.
• Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member – for example, if a staff member coerces a consumer to change their will to their advantage, or steals valuables from the consumer.
• Neglect – includes withholding personal care, untreated wounds, or insufficient assistance during meals.
• Inappropriate physical or chemical restraint – for example, where physical or chemical restraint is used without prior consent or without notifying the consumer’s representative as soon as practicable; where physical restraint is used in a non-emergency situation; or when a provider issues a drug to a consumer to influence their behaviour as a form of chemical restraint.
• Unexplained absence from care – this occurs when the consumer is absent from the service, it is unexplained and has been reported to the police.

Who to Report to and When 

You must report information as soon as you become aware of any of the listed reportable incidents. These must be reported to the Supervisor on duty, Unit Managers, CCM or CEO. There is only a 24 hour window from the incident occurring to be reported to the Commission and the police if classed as their being criminal intent.  

Further information can be found at https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sirs/resources where you can read further information regarding SIRS. 

Mandated education will be put out for the month of May for all staff to attended so as we are all aware of our reporting obligations.