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At Bolton Clarke, your safety and wellbeing are our highest priorities. We have clear processes in place to manage any incidents that may occur during the delivery of our care and services. By managing incidents openly and effectively, we aim to learn from what happens, prevent future harm, and continuously improve the quality of our care.

Our incident management process applies to all clients and residents receiving care from Bolton Clarke, whether you live in one of our residential aged care homes or receive support at home. It also applies to your families, representatives, and anyone involved in your care.

Your questions answered

 

Your questions answered

What is an incident?

An incident is any event or situation that could have, or did, result in unintended or unnecessary harm to a client or resident during care or service delivery. This includes both physical and psychological harm and can range from minor issues to more serious events.

There are many types of incidents. Some examples include falls, injuries, medication errors, pressure injuries, some types of infections etc.

What happens if an incident occurs?

Immediate Response

The first priority is your safety and wellbeing. Staff will respond appropriately, which may include providing first aid, calling emergency services, or making the area safe. The incident is recorded in our secure systems.

Open disclosure

Open disclosure means we are open and honest with you if something goes wrong in your care. You and/or your representative or family will be informed as soon as possible. We will acknowledge what happened, explain what is being done to manage the situation and prevent it from happening again, and give you the opportunity to ask questions and share your experience.

How does Bolton Clarke investigate incidents?
  • Every incident is reviewed to understand what happened and why.
  • The seriousness of the incident determines the level of investigation and who is involved.
  • Investigations are conducted by staff who were not directly involved in the incident, to ensure fairness and objectivity.
  • We look for contributing factors, such as equipment issues, communication gaps, or environmental factors.
What are the possible outcomes of an investigation?

We identify actions to prevent similar incidents in the future. These actions may include changes to care plans, staff education and training, equipment upgrades, or process improvements.

We share lessons learned with staff and, where appropriate, with clients, residents, and families.

How does Bolton Clarke support clients, residents, and staff after an incident?

We offer support and information to all those affected. Staff involved are also offered support and debriefing.

We encourage open communication and welcome your questions or concerns at any time.

How can I report an incident or raise a concern?

You can report an incident or raise a concern with any staff member, manager, or through our feedback channels. All reports are taken seriously and managed confidentially.

We will keep you informed about the progress and outcome of your report.

Are incidents reported to external authorities?

Some incidents, such as serious injuries, abuse, or deaths, must be reported to government regulators (such as the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission). We follow all legal and regulatory requirements for reporting.

Bolton Clarke’s incident management processes comply with relevant Australian laws and standards, including:

  • Aged Care Act 2024
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
  • Australian Open Disclosure Framework
  • Aged Care Quality Standards
  • NDIS Practice Standards

 

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