This information is currently being updated to align with the changes in the Aged Care Act 2024. An updated version will be published as soon as possible. While these updates are being made, please refer to the ‘Reportable incidents and SIRS – A quick guide to changes from 1 November 2025’.
What is reportable neglect?
Reportable neglect is when a registered provider, aged care worker or responsible person has, or someone suspects them of having:
- provided a service that puts an older person at risk of serious injury or illness
- caused or contributed to
- a significant failure to provide a service to an older person
- a systemic pattern of poor conduct (organisation wide poor behaviour)
- provided a completely inadequate service to an older person
- been reckless or intentionally negligent in how they provided a service to an older person.
If you suspect (think) there has been a reportable incident, you must let us know. You shouldn’t wait for definite proof.
If an incident doesn’t meet the threshold (requirements) for reporting neglect, you need to understand if you should still record and respond to it as part of your incident management obligations.
What is a significant failure?
A significant failure is conduct or behaviour that’s significantly different from what should be happening. Providers, responsible persons and workers have rules for their conduct under the Aged Care Act 2024.
What is a systematic pattern of conduct?
To work out if there is a systematic pattern of conduct, we look at:
- the number of times the conduct happened
- the time period the conduct happened in
- the number of older people the conduct affected
- how the provider responded to any complaints about the conduct.
What is reckless or intentionally negligent?
Someone is reckless if they:
- know there will be a significant risk to the health, wellbeing and safety of an older person because of their action
- still take that action, knowing it can cause harm.
Someone is intentionally negligent if their action or lack of action was deliberate (on purpose) and caused harm.
What does putting the older person at risk of serious injury or illness mean?
Putting an older person at risk of serious injury or illness means putting them in a situation where they could have a serious injury or illness. Serious injury or illness doesn’t have to have happened.
For example, leaving an older person (who needs help to move) in the sun without enough shade, sun protection, water or access to help.
Priority 1 and Priority 2 incidents
A Priority 1 incident is where:
- it’s reasonable to contact the police
- there was harm to an older person that needed medical or psychological treatment.
Medical or psychological treatment for a Priority 1 incident is treatment that can only be provided by a:
- medical practitioner
- nurse practitioner
- registered nurse
- psychologist
- social worker.
A Priority 2 incident is an incident that is reportable to the Commission but does not meet the threshold for a Priority 1 incident.
When should you report neglect to the police?
You need to report neglect to the police if there is a confirmed or suspected incident that might be criminal.
This can include where the neglect of the older person may be abuse.
What if the neglect isn’t from an aged care service?
Providers and their teams may see neglect caused by the action or lack of action of an older person’s family or friends.
In these situations you should give the older person, and their supporters, information about:
- Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) gives free, confidential and independent support to older people looking for or receiving care. You can contact them on 1800 700 600.
- 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374) – a free and confidential national elder abuse phone line.
If the person is in immediate danger, or there is possible criminal conduct, contact emergency services.
Warning signs
Incidents of neglect aren’t always witnessed. And not all older people will report that there has been an incident.
Warning signs of neglect can include:
- unexplained weight loss
- unexplained or unusual hunger or thirst
- constant tiredness or falling asleep at unexpected times
- poor hygiene or grooming, like overgrown nails, dirty hair, body odour, or continence aids not being regularly changed
- wearing dirty and damaged clothes or clothing that doesn’t suit the weather
- wounds that won’t heal
- dirty dressings
- unexpected changes to behaviour
- hints or comments that seem to be about neglect.
If you suspect there has been a reportable incident, you must let us know. Don’t wait for definite proof.
Responding to neglect
When an incident happens, a provider and their care team’s first priority is to make sure the older person is safe and well.
For incidents of neglect, this could mean:
- reassuring them
- immediately attending to their needs
- organising further assessment and treatment
- offering to connect the person with confidential support
- acting to stop more harm from the neglect.
While you manage the incident, you need to use open disclosure. You can find more information on responding to a serious incident on our website.
