Aged care incident reporting: managing regulatory scrutiny
Under the Serious Incident Response Scheme, an aged care provider must decide whether an incident is reportable and whether it is Priority 1 or Priority 2, record it in its incident management system, and notify the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission through the My Aged Care provider portal: within 24 hours of becoming aware for Priority 1, and within 30 days for Priority 2. Scrutiny comes from those notifications and from audits against the strengthened Quality Standards.
Key takeaways
- An incident is reportable if it is one of the 8 reportable incident types and has occurred, is alleged or is suspected to have occurred to a person receiving aged care.
- Suspected or alleged incidents must be reported even if you cannot confirm them, and you do not need permission from those involved.
- The provider decides the priority. Priority 1 is due within 24 hours of becoming aware, Priority 2 within 30 days.
- Audits against the strengthened Quality Standards give ratings of conformance, minor non-conformance or major non-conformance.
What must an aged care provider report under SIRS?
The Commission lists 8 reportable incident types: 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; and unexplained absence in the course of delivery of care. It says you need to report all reportable incidents, including those that are suspected or alleged, those under investigation, and those involving people who do not want to report.
How do the Priority 1 and Priority 2 clocks work?
| Priority | What it covers | Notify within |
|---|---|---|
| Priority 1 | For example, an incident causing injury or illness needing medical or psychological treatment, or where there are reasonable grounds to report it to police | 24 hours of becoming aware |
| Priority 2 | All other reportable incidents | 30 days of becoming aware |
The provider decides the priority. If unsure, the Commission says workers should ask the service’s manager. If an incident involves a crime or ongoing danger, the service must notify police within 24 hours.
What should the record show?
The Commission tells providers to record all reportable incidents in their incident management system and to follow their own policies. A record that supports notification should say what happened or was alleged, who was involved, when the provider became aware, the priority decision and why, and the actions taken. The Commission requires the names of everyone involved, or notification when they become known and as soon as possible.
The Commission also says a provider does not need to notify it of incidents caused by an informed older person who refuses care or does not follow a recommended course of action. In that case the details are documented in the care plan: the circumstances, the provider’s understanding of why, and the actions to address the risk.
Where does regulatory scrutiny come from?
Two places. First, notifications: reportable incidents go to the Commission, and the Aged Care Act 2024 protects people who make a disclosure, including workers, older people, supporters, volunteers and advocates. Second, audits: the Commission audits against the strengthened Quality Standards at registration, renewal and variation for categories 4, 5 and 6. It rates each outcome as conformance, minor non-conformance or major non-conformance, and where it finds non-conformance it responds in proportion to the risk faced by older people.
What does a provider need in its records?
A shift note is often the first record of an incident, so its wording matters when the incident is assessed. In NoteGate’s practice, aged care notes carry an explicit statement that no reportable incident occurred, or the incident itself. That is NoteGate’s rule, not a Commission requirement. NoteGate Incident Reporting (IRA) gives workers a structured, SIRS-aligned way to capture an incident and links it to the shift note. Deciding the priority and notifying the Commission remain the provider’s responsibility. See the aged care incident reporting tool and the SIRS documentation guide.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly must an aged care provider report a serious incident?
Within 24 hours of becoming aware for a Priority 1 incident, and within 30 days of becoming aware for a Priority 2 incident. The provider decides the priority.
Do I report an incident I only suspect?
Yes. The Commission says all reportable incidents must be reported, including those that are suspected or alleged, even if you cannot confirm them.
Where do providers notify the Commission?
Through My Aged Care’s provider portal. Names of everyone involved must be provided, or supplied as soon as they are known.
How does the Commission assess aged care providers?
It audits against the strengthened Quality Standards and rates outcomes as conformance, minor non-conformance or major non-conformance. It responds to non-conformance in proportion to the risk faced by older people.
Sources
- About reportable incidents (SIRS) (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, retrieved 28 September 2026)
- Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, retrieved 28 September 2026)
Related
Capture an incident in a structured record
See how NoteGate Incident Reporting links an incident to the shift note.
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