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SIRS: Let’s Get Practical!
March 3, 2021 | Altura Blog
Topic: Rights & Responsibilities
As residential care providers prepare for the implementation of the first phase of the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) on the 1st April 2021, Altura Learning has been designing comprehensive training to support staff to understand and most importantly how to practically implement the new scheme.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety estimates that 39.2% of people living in residential care homes experience abuse such as neglect, physical and psychological abuse.
SIRS is designed to strengthen the current compulsory reporting system that has been in place since 2007, with an emphasis on incident management and an extended list of reportable incidents.
Altura Learning’s training gets to the heart of what SIRS is really about – reducing abuse and neglect in residential aged care and works through how you can practically implement the new scheme.
‘After consultation with our members, we decided to build the training around elder abuse awareness as we feel it’s the key to reducing abuse. If staff have a thorough understanding of the different types of abuse and their signs and symptoms, they are in the best position to recognise it and report it immediately.’ said Yvie Webley, CEO of Altura Learning.
The training also provides an overview of SIRS, including an explanation of each reportable incident, the responsibilities of the service provider and the incident management process.
‘All Altura Learning courses are supported by a suite of learning resources, but for this course we’ve been very intentional about how we designed our evidence assessment. We’ve created an assessment designed to support providers to identify gaps in staff knowledge, with the aim of ensuring that staff are aware of the different types of elder abuse and serious incidents that can occur, and can identify who, when and how to report these alleged, suspected or actual incidents, in line with the upcoming SIRS requirements.’ Ms Webley said.
The course will be available from the 17th March 2021 to member organisations and individuals via the shopfront for individual learners.
The second phase of SIRS is due to be implemented in October 2021. We will be updating this course to encompass the new information, prior to this phase being implemented.
