Holiday Incident Reporting Made Simple
Reportable incident timeframes are set by the NDIS Commission, and they run from when key personnel (such as the CEO or a director) become aware of an incident. That makes the holiday period a planning question more than a rules question: who will be aware, who will be able to submit, and where does the record live?
What the NDIS Commission requires
Registered NDIS providers must notify the NDIS Commission of all reportable incidents, including alleged reportable incidents, through the NDIS Commission Portal. For most categories, including death, serious injury, and abuse or neglect of a person with disability, notification is required within 24 hours. A further report with more detail follows within five business days. The unauthorised use of a restrictive practice is notified within five business days, or within 24 hours if it has resulted in harm. Source: NDIS Commission, Reportable incidents and NDIS Commission, Incident management for providers.
Four practical steps before the break
1. Confirm who holds portal access. The NDIS Commission moved to a new portal in October, so check that more than one person can log in to the new NDIS Commission Portal and submit, and that their contact details are current.
2. Name the person responsible for each stage. Recording, internal escalation, notification and review should each have a named owner and a named backup for the closure period.
3. Make the incident procedure the first thing people find. Covering staff should be able to reach the incident form and the escalation contacts quickly, on any device.
4. Schedule the first review. Put a review of anything recorded during the closure in the calendar for the first working day back, so follow-up actions have an owner and a date.
A short check for the week before closure
Two or more people confirmed with portal access
Escalation contacts shared with all staff and updated for the closure
Incident form and procedure easy to reach
Owner and backup named for recording, notification and review
First post-break review booked
Make it easy for participants and families to raise concerns
Over the break, participants and families should still know how to report something that worries them. Check that your complaints and feedback details are current on your website and in any holiday letters, and that messages to a shared inbox or phone line are being checked by someone on the roster.
Learn from the holiday period
Once the first post-break review is done, look for patterns rather than single events. Were incidents clustered around particular shifts, sites or handovers? Did covering staff find the procedure easily? Note what worked and what didn't, and add any changes to your continuous improvement register, so next year's plan starts from experience rather than from scratch.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on your incident management setup before the break, Centro ASSIST offers a free Impact Assessment. Book your free Impact Assessment.
