Policy and Procedure

Introduction

The Decent Care Risk Management Policy guides how risk is assessed and responded to in managing and delivering NDIS Service. Decent Care is committed to ensuring that identified risks are managed to maximise ongoing viability, quality and accountability of services.

Scope

This policy applies to the Managing Directors and team members and any other representative of Decent Care.

Policy

Decent Care is committed to the identification and management of risks that may arise in governance, team members duties, as well as the day to day operations with delivering service. The Risk Management Framework is incorporated into all areas of the organisation have specific processes of identification, reporting, analysis, treatment and review. Risk is managed across three core domains of the service:

Procedure

Risk management plan
Risk management tools are maintained for the organisation which details identified risks and actions taken to control or minimise those risks.

Participant Risk:

Vulnerability Assessment (My Safety Plan)

Each participants individual risks are identified on entry into the service through the My Safety Assessment, that identifies their individual risks and includes a vulnerability assessment process. This process identifies participants who are vulnerable in terms of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination when receiving supports in the community.
This assessment also identifies the extent to which individual participant rely on their service in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.
The outcome of the assessment informs senior team members of the level of service oversight in service provision, as well as priority of support in an emergency that is required.

Goal Plan Activity Risk Assessment
Individual goal plans identify risks associated with activities being undertaken within the plan are identified and managed to mitigate, or minimise the impact of identified risks.

Specialised Plan Risk Management (Medical Emergency Plan)
Where participants have a specialised plan relating to high intensity needs, the associated risk assessment and management strategies are documented within the plan.
This relates to:

Mealtime Management
Behaviour Support

The risk management strategy provides guidance to team members when complications arise from the specialised support. e.g mealtime management.

Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Plan
Each participant of whom Decent Care is the primary support will be provided with information about the Emergency Management and Natural Disaster Plan See also Emergency Management Planning Policy and Procedure. This plan identifies specific processes related to Decent Care response to emergencies, including an Emergency Officer who leads the processes of supporting team members and participants.

Team members risks when undertaking role requirements

A WHS Register that is contained within the organisation’s Master Register and is reviewed monthly. Identified team members hazards or incidents inform the plan with monthly strategic planning to develop control mechanisms.

Organisational Risk Management:

An organisational Risk Management Plan is contained within the Master Register and is reviewed monthly as required under the underpinning governance and continuous improvement model. The Risk Management plan addresses:

Financial risk
Work Health and Safety Risk
Information management risk
Human Resource Risk
Governance risk
Complaints
Incident Management
Emergency and Disaster Management

Identifying and managing risk

Decent Care risk management framework

Decent Care regularly identifies risks to the organisation and services that are provided. In doing this, the organisation takes into consideration:

Feedback from participants, their family and carers
Participant assessments
Feedback from team members
Workplace inspections, including the participant’s home
Workplace Hazard Reports
Incident Reports
Work practices
Changing needs of participants and team members
Advice from professionals and/or stakeholders
External changes such as policy and legislation
Market movements
Team members training
Provision of information
The use of safe or safer equipment
Maintaining adequate insurance
Personal checks including referee checks, driver licences, motor vehicle registrations, professional registrations, criminal history checks
Review of policies and procedures.

The following risk matrix is used to assess each risk:

Decent Care uses the following processes to determine what action will be taken in relation to each risk identified and monitor implementation of controls by:

Assessing the effectiveness of controls put in place
Liaise with participants and team members to ensure the controls are effective
The Managing Directors reviews controls with the team members and alter controls as required
Monthly review of the risk registers.
Undertaking testing activity of the Emergency Management strategies

Recording improvements
Improvements implemented as a result of risk management reviews and planning are recorded in the Continuous Improvement Register to ensure that they are implemented, monitored and evaluated. The Managing Directors are responsible for monitoring the plan.

Responsibilities

The Managing Directors are responsible for:

Reviewing this policy on an annual basis to ensure that the policy is operating effectively
Reviewing the Organisation Risk Register, WHS Register and Participant Vulnerability Register and determining appropriate management strategies at monthly Executive Management Meetings
Actively testing the Emergency Management Plan, and adjusting according to the context of the natural disaster or Emergency Plan – See also Emergency Management Policy and Procedure
Ensuring all WHS hazards and risks are entered onto the WHS Register
Monitoring actions being undertaken to manage risk to ensure effectiveness.

Program Managers are responsible for:

Ensuring all participants are listed and assessed on the Participant Vulnerability Register
Undertaking check in of participants who have been identified as vulnerable on the Participant Risk Register
Ensuring team members are trained in identifying and responding to risk across all levels
Where the participant has consented, sharing risk with other providers who are involved in the participant care.

Team Members are responsible for:

Identifying and reporting participant risk to their Program Manager
Identifying and reporting WHS risk through the completion of the WHS Hazard and Incident Reporting forms
Updating Environmental Risk Assessment forms when emerging risks present and entering the risk onto the participant database
Following direction provided by the Managing Directors and Program Managers in addressing identified risks.