Allegations of Responding to Provides a more detailed outline of the reporting and physical or allegations of management requirements for allegations of physical or sexual assault physical or sexual sexual assault that involves a client for all services directly assault (DHHS delivered or funded by the Department. This includes instruction issued in reporting to police, initiating disciplinary procedures and 2005 and updated in reporting to the Department through its critical incident 2014) management process. Critical client Critical client incident Describes the requirements for funded service providers incidents management to submit client incident reports to DHHS for all critical instruction (issued in incidents that occur at the service or during service 2011 and updated in delivery which involve and/or impact upon clients. 2014) Critical client Critical client incident Flip chart based on Critical client incident management incidents management instruction 2011. summary guide and categorisation table: 2011 Physical and DHHS residential Outlines roles and responsibilities for responding to sexual assault services practice physical and sexual assault in residential services manual, 3rd edition managed by DHHS. Not specified Managing Focuses on disciplinary investigations. Performance and Conduct in Disability Services Policy Not specified Promoting Better Aims to assist in the effective management of all adverse Outcomes Systemic events and promote a learning culture and continuous Improvement Policy: improvement in disability service delivery. Managing and reviewing adverse events Source: Compiled by the Family and Community Development Committee from DHHS publications and supplementary evidence (Response to request for information, Department of Health and Human Services, 23 July 2015). Disability Services Commissioner and critical incidents As noted in the Interim Report, the Disability Services Commissioner (DSC) is primarily responsible for receiving and managing complaints regarding service quality. In addition, the DSC has a limited role in reviewing and providing advice to the Department on critical incidents involving stafftoclient abuse. However, this role does not extend to conducting investigations into specific incidents of stafftoclient abuse. The Committee understands that there is significant confusion within the disability sector about the role of the DSC and its obligations in relation to investigating abuse. The Committee is also aware that the DSC has recently undertaken investigations into ‘complaints’ that it has received that relate more to possible abuse and neglect, than service quality. While this is an encouraging step – and affirms the DSC’s willingness to go beyond a conciliatory approach to resolving issues – this move contributes further to the confusion surrounding the role of the organisation. A number of witnesses have suggested that the Department’s oversight of critical
Allegations of physical or sexual assault Responding to allegations of physical or sexual assault (DHHS instruction issued in 2005 and updated in 2014) Provides a more detailed outline of the reporting and management requirements for allegations of physical or sexual assault that involves a client for all services directly delivered or funded by the Department. This includes reporting to police, initiating disciplinary procedures and reporting to the Department through its critical incident management process. Critical client incidents Critical client incident management instruction (issued in 2011 and updated in 2014) Describes the requirements for funded service providers to submit client incident reports to DHHS for all critical incidents that occur at the service or during service delivery which involve and/or impact upon clients. Critical client incidents Critical client incident management summary guide and categorisation table: 2011 Flip chart based on Critical client incident management instruction 2011. Physical and sexual assault DHHS residential services practice manual, 3rd edition Outlines roles and responsibilities for responding to physical and sexual assault in residential services managed by DHHS. Not specified Managing Performance and Conduct in Disability Services Policy Focuses on disciplinary investigations. Not specified Promoting Better Outcomes Systemic Improvement Policy: Managing and reviewing adverse events Aims to assist in the effective management of all adverse events and promote a learning culture and continuous improvement in disability service delivery. Source: Compiled by the Family and Community Development Committee from DHHS publications and supplementary evidence (Response to request for information, Department of Health and Human Services, 23 July 2015). Disability Services Commissioner and critical incidents As noted in the Interim Report, the Disability Services Commissioner (DSC) is primarily responsible for receiving and managing complaints regarding service quality. In addition, the DSC has a limited role in reviewing and providing advice to the Department on critical incidents involving stafftoclient abuse. However, this role does not extend to conducting investigations into specific incidents of stafftoclient abuse. The Committee understands that there is significant confusion within the disability sector about the role of the DSC and its obligations in relation to investigating abuse. The Committee is also aware that the DSC has recently undertaken investigations into ‘complaints’ that it has received that relate more to possible abuse and neglect, than service quality. While this is an encouraging step – and affirms the DSC’s willingness to go beyond a conciliatory approach to resolving issues – this move contributes further to the confusion surrounding the role of the organisation. A number of witnesses have suggested that the Department’s oversight of critical
FCDC_58-02_Abuse_in_disability_services_-_Final_report.docx