SIRS Incident Reporting in Aged Care: Provider Guide

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is part of the incident management responsibilities of Australian aged care providers. It connects recognition and immediate response with notification, investigation and action to reduce recurrence.

SIRS began in residential aged care in April 2021 and extended to home and community settings on 1 December 2022. Support at Home now operates within the framework of the Aged Care Act 2024; home care incident reporting did not first begin in November 2025. See the Commission's reporting guidance.

This guide covers reportable incident categories, notification deadlines and the records a provider team needs. For a software evaluation, inspect the incident, awareness time, priority review and notification handover in our product tour.

The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is a mandatory reporting framework established under the Aged Care Act 2024 (previously introduced under the Aged Care Act 1997 in April 2021 for residential care). SIRS requires aged care providers to report certain categories of serious incidents to the ACQSC, investigate those incidents, and take action to prevent recurrence.

Use the current statutory definitions and service-specific guidance to assess each incident, including alleged or suspected events. Do not rely on a simplified description of the earlier reporting regime.

The ACQSC uses SIRS data to monitor provider safety performance, identify systemic issues across the sector, and target regulatory action where providers demonstrate patterns of non-compliance. Review reported trends alongside the underlying records; notification counts alone do not explain the level of safety or reporting completeness.

The eight reportable incident types are:

1. Unreasonable use of force.
2. Unlawful sexual contact or inappropriate sexual conduct.
3. Psychological or emotional abuse.
4. Unexpected death.
5. Stealing or financial coercion.
6. Neglect.
7. Inappropriate use of a restrictive practice.
8. Unexplained absence.

These labels are a starting point. Use the Commission’s current residential and home-service guidance and statutory definitions to assess the people involved, service connection, circumstances and any applicable exceptions. Alleged or suspected incidents also need assessment; do not wait for an investigation to finish before considering notification.

Record incidents and near misses in the incident management system even where external notification is not required. Record the assessment and reasons so another reviewer can understand the decision.

SIRS incidents are classified into two priority levels, each with different notification deadlines. Getting the classification right is critical — an incorrectly classified Priority 1 incident that is reported as Priority 2 will be treated as a late notification.

• Priority 1 incidents must be reported to the ACQSC within 24 hours of the provider becoming aware. An incident is Priority 1 if it:

• Has caused physical or psychological injury or discomfort requiring medical or psychological treatment
• Involves unlawful sexual contact or sexual misconduct (always Priority 1)
• There are reasonable grounds for reporting to police
• Involves an unexplained absence of a care recipient (all unexplained absences are Priority 1)
• Involves an unexpected death

The 24-hour clock starts from the moment any staff member becomes aware — not from when management is informed, and not from when the incident is entered into your system. Late data entry does not restart the reporting period.

• Priority 2 incidents — any reportable incident that does not meet Priority 1 criteria — must be reported within 30 calendar days. While 30 days allows more time for investigation, providers should not delay notification until the investigation is complete. The ACQSC recommends reporting as soon as practicable.

Guidance checked 25 September 2026 against the current Rules.

• Additional and new information. Rule 165A-25(6) requires missing Priority 1 notice information and further information specified by the Commissioner within five days from the start of the 24-hour period, unless the Commissioner determines another period or decides the notice is not required. Significant new information after notification must be notified as soon as reasonably practicable under rule 165A-40.
• Final reports are not automatic. A final report is only required where the Commissioner requires one — and when required, it must be given within 84 calendar days of the initial notification, or another period the Commissioner specifies (Aged Care Rules 2025, s 165A-45). The final report must contain the information specified by the Commissioner.

Key deadlines summary:

• Priority 1 initial notification: 24 hours
• Priority 2 initial notification: 30 days
• Final report (only if required by the Commissioner): 84 days from initial notification
• Record keeping: Incident details recorded under rule 164-25(1) must be kept for seven years from the day the record is made or received (rule 154-150)

SIRS began for residential aged care on 1 April 2021 and expanded into home and community settings on 1 December 2022. The Aged Care Act 2024 commenced on 1 November 2025, alongside Support at Home, but that was not the start of home care SIRS obligations.

Use the Commission's current SIRS guidance to confirm reportability, notification and follow-up requirements for your service. Keep initial notification, investigation and required additional information and any required final report distinct in your workflow.

Software can support records, assignments and deadline visibility. It does not replace the provider's responsibility to assess the incident, respond to the person affected and complete the required notification.

An effective SIRS workflow typically follows six stages:

• Stage 1: Incident identification and recording. The incident is identified and entered into the system immediately. Best practice is digital capture at the point of care — via a mobile care worker app or bedside terminal — rather than paper forms or verbal handovers that delay recording.
• Stage 2: Priority review and deadline calculation. Review reportability and priority against the incident facts. Calculate the applicable deadline from provider awareness, including time before the record was entered. A system suggestion supports this review; it does not replace the provider’s decision.
• Stage 3: ACQSC notification. The initial notification is submitted to the ACQSC via the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal within the required timeframe (24 hours for Priority 1, 30 days for Priority 2).
• Stage 4: Investigation. A thorough investigation is conducted, including interviews with witnesses, review of care records, and root cause analysis. The investigation should answer: what happened, why it happened, what immediate actions were taken, and what systemic changes will prevent recurrence.
• Stage 5: Remediation and systemic improvement. The provider implements remediation actions for the specific incident and systemic changes to address root causes. This may include policy updates, additional staff training, changes to care plans, or environmental modifications.
• Stage 6: Final report (if required) and evidence documentation. A final report is not automatic for every incident — where the Commissioner requires one, it is submitted within 84 days of the initial notification, and all investigation evidence is documented and stored for audit purposes.

Pay particular attention to the handover between recording and review. If your staff report an incident verbally but it takes days to enter the system, your 24-hour or 30-day clock may have already started without your compliance team knowing. Prompt digital capture helps the team act sooner; clear after-hours responsibilities and follow-up remain essential.

Use these questions to review potential weaknesses in your incident process:

• Late notification. Check for delays between verbal reporting and system entry, and review the basis for priority decisions. The 24-hour clock starts from when any staff member becomes aware — not from management review.
• Under-reporting. Providers who only report incidents involving physical harm miss the breadth of the 8 categories. Neglect (missed medications, inadequate supervision), psychological abuse (verbal intimidation), and inappropriate restrictive practices are frequently under-reported.
• Inadequate investigation. The ACQSC expects root cause analysis, not just incident description. A compliant investigation documents what happened, why it happened (including contributing factors), what immediate actions were taken, and what systemic changes will prevent recurrence.
• No evidence of systemic improvement. Individual incident resolution is necessary but not sufficient. Providers must demonstrate that they analyse incident patterns, identify trends (e.g., incidents concentrated on particular shifts, in particular units, or involving particular categories), and implement organisation-wide improvements.
• Incomplete records. Rule 154-150 requires incident details recorded under rule 164-25(1) to be retained for seven years from the day the record is made or received. Incomplete records — missing investigation notes, unsigned remediation plans, or gaps in the timeline — are flagged during assessment contacts.
• No staff training on incident identification. All staff must understand what constitutes a reportable incident and how to report it immediately. Annual SIRS training is best practice, with refresher training after significant incidents.

Restrictive-practice reporting depends on the setting and the facts. Residential services must assess use against the applicable safeguards, including assessment, consent, behaviour support and emergency provisions. Home and community services have a specific exception under rule 16-15 where planned circumstances and use requirements are met and the use is documented promptly. That exception does not itself authorise restraint.

Do not assume that a signed plan removes reporting duties or that an allegation automatically determines Priority 1. Review the restrictive-practices guide, assess reportability and priority, and retain the decision and supporting evidence.

Support at Home providers need incident management and reporting arrangements suited to care delivered in a person's home or community. Confirm the reportable incident rules and any setting-specific provisions in the Commission's current SIRS guidance.

Field-based workers need a clear way to report concerns promptly, including when connectivity is limited. Record the awareness time, immediate response, people involved and escalation to the responsible manager. A care worker app can support recording, but the provider still needs trained staff, escalation procedures and a fallback when digital access is unavailable.

Do not assume a transition or grace period removes notification requirements. Confirm the applicable deadline and complete the required notification.

SIRS compliance is directly assessed under multiple Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards:

• Standard 2 (The Organisation) — requires providers to demonstrate effective governance systems, including incident management, risk management, and continuous improvement processes. Your SIRS data, investigation quality, and evidence of systemic improvement are key evidence sources.
• Standard 3 (The Care and Services) — requires safe, quality care. Review care-delivery evidence against applicable requirements, including Standard 5 for clinical care.
• Standard 1 (The Individual) — requires that care recipients are treated with dignity and respect. SIRS incidents involving abuse, neglect, or restrictive practices are assessed under this standard.

During assessment contacts, the ACQSC will review your SIRS register, investigation files, remediation evidence, trend analysis reports, and staff training records. An audit preparation guide helps ensure all evidence is organised and accessible.

• Is SIRS still used in 2025-2026? Yes. SIRS continues under the Aged Care Act 2024, including Support at Home; its extension into home services occurred in December 2022. The scheme is a permanent part of the regulatory framework.
• What is SIRS in aged care? SIRS stands for the Serious Incident Response Scheme. It is a mandatory incident reporting and management framework requiring aged care providers to report 8 categories of serious incidents to the ACQSC within specified timeframes.
• What are the SIRS guidelines? The ACQSC publishes SIRS guidance materials including a decision support tool to help providers classify incidents. The core rules are set out in the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Aged Care Rules 2025. See our SIRS checklist for a practical compliance reference.
• How many SIRS reports are made each year? The Commission’s 2023–24 annual report records 61,808 notifications: 56,841 from residential care and 4,967 from home care. This is a historical reporting count, not a measure of every incident that occurred.
• What happens if we miss a SIRS deadline? Late notifications are recorded by the ACQSC and may trigger a compliance review, a request for information, or a targeted assessment contact. Persistent late reporting can lead to compliance notices, conditions on registration, or civil penalties.
• Do we need to report near-misses? Near-misses are not reportable under SIRS unless they fall within one of the 8 incident categories. The Commission’s recording guidance includes near misses in incident recording. Review notification requirements separately from what belongs in the incident management system.

Statura Care’s incident workspace brings the incident record, reviewed priority and reporting deadline together. Record when the provider became aware, even if staff enter the incident later. Logging a record does not restart the legal reporting period.

• Review the suggested priority. The system suggests a priority from the recorded facts; your team confirms reportability and the appropriate response using current Commission guidance.
• See the time remaining. The incident header shows the recorded deadline and countdown. Priority 1 reminder windows are 12, 4 and 2 hours before the deadline; Priority 2 reminders cover the final seven days. The deadline workflow creates escalation tasks and attempts alerts to the relevant roles. Confirm recipients and delivery during implementation; an alert is not evidence that the Commission has been notified.
• Keep notification and follow-up distinct. Recording Commission notification changes the incident’s reporting status. If the Commissioner requires a final report, its separate deadline remains visible after the initial notification. Keep the submission reference and supporting records with the incident.

In a tailored demonstration, bring a synthetic example where awareness precedes data entry, then review the priority, deadline, reminder recipients and evidence of notification together.