Resource library

Serious Incident Response Scheme - Residential aged care provider readiness checklist

Residential aged care providers are encouraged to work through the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) readiness checklist.

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) launched on 1 April 2021. The Commission is helping the aged care sector to prepare for the introduction of the scheme with information and resources and is hosting a series of webinars about the scheme. This third webinar discussed reporting incidents to the Commission under the SIRS.

This booklet aims to give guidance on how to:

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is a new initiative to help prevent and reduce the risk of incidents of abuse and neglect in residential aged care services subsidised by the Australian Government. The SIRS requires residential services to have an effective incident management system or IMS.

An IMS is key to a provider’s ability to effectively identify, respond to, and mitigate the impact of an incident, and enables providers to analyse and identify risks and trends to inform preventative measures.

This fact sheet describes how incidents should be recorded in your IMS to meet your obligations under SIRS and provide safe care to your residents.

Children and their elderly relatives can still connect during COVID-19. Regular phone and video calls will help to maintain their connection as well as help prevent loneliness in aged care
residents due to the COVID-19 isolation.

The Commission has produced a glossary of common terms to aid understanding of the aged care services sector. The list is not intended to be exhaustive and is provided as general information only. 

A web version of the glossary is also available.

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) launched on 1 April 2021. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is helping the aged care sector to prepare for the introduction of the scheme with information and resources and is hosting a series of webinars about the scheme. This second webinar discussed the importance of an effective Incident Management System under the SIRS.

This guidance provides information for providers to help them to develop and embed a best practice incident management system which enables them to respond to and manage specific incidents and near misses by assessing:

A fact sheet outlining the Aged Care Quality Standards.

This resource is not available to order.

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) launched on 1 April 2021. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is helping the aged care sector to prepare for the introduction of the scheme with information and resources and is hosting a series of webinars about the scheme. This first webinar provides an introduction to SIRS and the importance of incident management systems.

This fact sheet provides guidance to providers of aged care on an effective incident management system, the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS). The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is a new initiative to help prevent and reduce the risk of incidents of abuse and neglect in residential aged care services subsidised by the Australian Government.

This fact sheet provides updated information for providers of aged care on effective infection prevention and control capability. This is critical to the safe, effective delivery of personal and clinical care in aged care. This is particularly the case during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday 10 December 2020, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson hosted a webinar on the recently released new outbreak management planning in aged care guide for aged care providers.

The Commissioner wrote to approved providers on 7 December 2020 about visitor access in a COVID-normal world

To support the aged care sector, the Commission has developed a range of storyboards that are designed to illustrate key behaviours and priority issues. The storyboards are particularly helpful in supporting people whose English or literacy levels may be a barrier when it comes to accessing content and are relevant to all providers and consumers, their families and representatives across the aged care sector. 

Advance Care Planning – Don’t Leave it Too Late

This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the process for preparing to return several residents to their residential aged care facility (RACF) from hospital.

These translated guides will help you understand what to expect if someone has COVID-19 in your residential aged care service, including that a number of changes will take place. These changes will be made very quickly. You might be anxious when these changes take place but the aim is to keep you safe.

If someone has COVID-19 in your residential aged care service, a number of changes will take place. These changes will be made very quickly. You might be anxious when these changes take place but the aim is to keep you safe.

This poster has been translated into 15 languages to help residents understand what to expect in the time of COIVD-19.

This discussion paper explores strategies to improve medication management in aged care, including reducing inappropriate prescriptions and promoting non-pharmacological interventions. It reviews current interventions' effectiveness, highlights the use of psychotropic medications, and identifies areas for improving practices through multifaceted and multidisciplinary approaches for better resident outcomes and healthcare quality. 

This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards. 

On Thursday 6 August 2020, the Commission held a webinar for NSW/QLD-based providers of residential aged care services to share insights from the Commission’s work in monitoring and supporting services to prepare for and respond to an outbreak.