Critical Incident Reporting Policy

Purpose

The safety of our Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) participants and partners is our prime objective. All personnel must understand their obligations and responsibilities when witnessing or involved in a critical incident.

Scope

Employees/volunteers engaged by HPHH that become aware of a critical incident.

Objectives

To ensure all persons engaged by HPHH report incidents through the correct mechanisms so that they can be dealt with appropriately and speedily.  

HPHH’s reporting activities align with the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (the Department) Critical Incident reporting requirements. 

Principles

All persons engaged in HPHH are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and timely notification of a critical incident to management and for management to respond appropriately and swiftly to minimise further risk. This further ensures employees, volunteers and participants are provided with the necessary support to continue participating in HPHH.

Critical Incident Types

Level 1 & 2 type incidents must be reported to the Department within the policy’s timeframe.

Level 1 Incidents require immediate verbal notification to the HPHH manager/coordinator who will then contact the Department’s officer. The manager will then be responsible for submitting the critical incident report within three hours of the incident occurring to the relevant officer. This will allow the required time for the officer to notify their management team.

These incidents may result in a participant’s:

  • Death

  • Life-threatening injuries

  • Serious injuries that result in hospitalisation

  • Abduction

  • Major security incident

  • Alleged rape, sexual assault or serious assault of a child under 14 years

Level 2 Incidents
Require immediate verbal notification to the HPHH manager/coordinator, who will then be responsible for contacting the Department’s officer followed by a critical incident report submitted by 5 pm the next business day from the time the incident occurred to the departmental officer.

These incidents may involve a participant, employees, volunteers or a member of the public that result in:

  • Serious injuries that result in hospitalisation

  • Alleged rape, sexual assault or serious assault

  • Attempted suicide

  • Missing participants

  • Alleged abuse, neglect or exploitation of a person with a disability

Level 3 Incidents
Require immediate verbal notification to the HPHH manager/coordinator with a critical incident report completed within 48 hours of the incident occurring.

These incidents may involve a participant, employees, volunteers, or a member of the public that result in:

  • Risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation

  • Abandonment or risk of abandonment

  • Serious risk of harm or injury

  • Alleged criminal activity by an employee/volunteer

  • Inappropriate sexual behaviour by a client

  • Property damage

  • Emergency situation resulting in the closure of the service

Contacting Emergency Services

Queensland Police Services/Coroner’s Office 

It is the responsibility of the HPHH manager/coordinator to contact the Coroner’s Office when a death in care occurs. 

All employees/volunteers must seek direction from the HPHH manager/coordinator prior to contacting the Police. 

Queensland Fire Services (QFS)/Ambulance 

In the event of an incident requiring an immediate response, an employee/volunteer could directly contact QFS or request an ambulance and must then immediately notify the HPHH manager/coordinator to advise them of the incident.  

State Emergency Services (SES) 

In the event such as a weather event requiring an immediate response, an employee/volunteer may directly contact the State Emergency Services to request assistance and must then immediately notify the Happy Paws Happy Hearts manager/coordinator of the incident.  

Roles and Responsibilities

Employees/Volunteers 

  • Immediately notify management/coordinators of any incidents and follow directions/instructions.  

  • Complete a Critical Incident Report and submit a final report to management/coordinator for review within the required timeframes from the time of the incident: 

  • Level 1 report completed within two hours  

  • Level 2 report completed by midday the following business day 

  • Level 3 report completed by 5 pm the following business day. 

  • Undertake follow up actions as directed by management/ coordinator. 

Management/Coordinator

Provide guidance to employees/volunteers on action at the time of notification. 

  • Notify the relevant departmental officer within required timeframes.  

  • Liaise with departmental officer as to agreed actions and further follow up. 

  • Provide advice and direction to the employee/volunteer as to appropriate level of reporting. 

  • If required allocate additional resources to ensure report is completed within timeframes. 

  • Review critical incident report and forward to appropriate departmental officer. 

  • Ensure all follow-up actions and activities are completed as directed. 

  • Enter information on the Critical Incident Register.  

  • Review Critical Incident Register periodically. 

  • Provide statistics and reports as required. 

  • Review of organisational practices with a view to continuously improve, particularly in the area of Critical Incident Reporting and Complaints. 

Last updated: 04/04/2022

Status: Released