Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
Published: 18 January 2021
Published: 18 January 2021
In April 2021, a new federal government initiative known as the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) will commence, aiming to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect in residential aged care (ACQSC 2020).
The SIRS expands upon the protections to older adults in residential aged care currently offered by the Aged Care Act 1997.
Under the Aged Care Act 1997, residential aged care providers are required to report alleged, suspected or actual reportable assaults to the police and Department of Health. This must be done within 24 hours of either an allegation or reasonable suspicion that a reportable assault has occurred (DoH 2019). ‘Reportable assaults’ include:
(Ma 2020)
Notably, neglect, inappropriate physical and chemical restraint, intentional and reckless staff behaviour, and poor personal care are not listed as types of reportable assault under the Act (Ma 2020).
Furthermore, there are two situations in which residential aged care providers are not required to report a reportable assault, these being:
(DoH 2019; Ma 2020)
Due to these exemptions, along with the narrow definition of ‘reportable assault’, there is concern that potentially-serious incidents are ‘falling through the gaps’, with the exact nature and frequency of these events unknown. Therefore, current legislation may not offer enough protection for older adults in residential aged care (DoH 2019; Ma 2020).
The SIRS was established based on recommendations from the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). The ALRC proposed that reportable incidents should be expanded to include situations that are not specified in the Aged Care Act 1997 and that greater emphasis should be placed on investigating and responding to incidents rather than reporting their occurrence (DoH 2019).
Under the SIRS, residential aged care providers will be required to identify, record, manage and resolve all serious incidents, as well as take appropriate steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring again in the future. The SIRS also requires providers to put into practice an incident management system (DoH 2020).
The SIRS aims to ensure that service providers deliver safe and effective care, and that consumers are adequately supported if an incident does occur. Through the implementation of an effective incident management system, providers should be able to respond to incidents more appropriately, provide consumers with access to support and continuously improve their services (ACQSC 2020; DoH 2019).
The SIRS will ensure that service providers are held responsible for managing incidents that occur in their facilities (DoH 2019).
The SIRS will sit alongside the Aged Care Quality Standards, Charter of Aged Care Rights and Open Disclosure Framework and Guidance (DoH 2020).
Underpinning the SIRS is the importance of establishing an effective incident management system. This system should comprise processes and procedures for:
(ACQSC 2020; DoH 2020b)
The SIRS covers situations where an incident has been perpetrated against a consumer, by either a staff member, family member, visitor or another consumer (even if that consumer has cognitive or mental impairment) (DoH 2020a, b).
Any allegation, suspicion or witness account of the following will be required to be reported to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission:
Serious Incident | Examples |
---|---|
Unreasonable use of force |
|
Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct |
|
Neglect |
|
Psychological or emotional abuse |
|
Unexpected death |
|
Stealing or coercion by staff |
|
Inappropriate restraint (physical or chemical) |
|
Unexplained absence |
|
(ACQSC 2020; DoH 2020b)
Providers are not required to report an incident if:
(DoH 2020b)
(Subscribers Only)
Question 1 of 2
True or false? An incident perpetrated by a consumer against a visitor is reportable under the SIRS.
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