Open Disclosure Procedure
1 Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to describe the procedure mobility adopts to ensure it practices Open Disclosure in the management of incident, complaints, and feedback from consumers.
2 Scope
Applicable to all staff who are in consumer facing roles when investigating, responding to, or resolving incidents, complaints and feedback.
Definitions:
Continuous Quality Improvement Consumers have the right to receive safe and high-quality care and services.
Dignity and Respect Consumers have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to be listened to and understood, and to have a person of their choice, including an aged care advocate, support me or speak on my behalf.
Elements of Open Disclosure include the quick identification that something has gone wrong, mechanisms to address the issue and provide support to the consumer, acknowledge and apologise to the consumer, investigate what occurred in a timely manner, and feed investigation into Continuous Quality Improvement.
High-Impact High-Prevalence Risk High-Impact incidents are identified using Severity Assessment Coding Matrix (see Appendix One) SAC 1 and 2 incidents are classified as High-Impact. High Prevalence-Incidents are those that occur frequently in any given month and are identified via trend analysis.
Privacy and Confidentiality Consumers have the right to personal privacy and to have my personal information protected.
Principles of Open Disclosure include Dignity and Respect, Privacy and Confidentiality, Transparency and Continuous Quality Improvement.
Transparency Consumers have the right to be informed about my care and services in a way they understand, to direct their care, and to access all information about themselves, including information about my rights, care and services.
3 Procedure
3.1 Notification that something has gone wrong
Mobility workers, via the app, report that something has gone wrong by entering an incident, complaint for feedback.
Consumers can report feedback or a compliant via the customer support number on 1300 GET CARE (1300 438 2273), email us on support@mobility.com.au.
You can call mobility support on 1300 GET CARE (1300 438 2273), or email us via support@mobility.com.au
At shift completion a Worker has the following options to report a:
| Accident/Incident |
| Client Incident |
| Skin and wound incident |
| Visit report |
| Workplace incident |
Once a Worker submits an Accident/Incident; Client infection or Skin and Wound Incident it is submitted to Carelynx. The Visit Report also goes directly to Carelynx, and a RN reviews these on a weekly basis. The RN contacts the consumer, family and care manager if required. All reports are discussed weekly with the Clinical and Risk Specialist (CRS) and RN.
When a workplace incident (mobility) is selected – this triggers an auto generated SMS to the CEO, CRS, COO and MD. If an immediate response is required the CRS responds and action the incident or escalates to the CEO and MD if required.
For high-impact incidents consumers are contacted within 24 hours. All other incidents are responded to within 2 working days.
3.2 Commence Investigation Process by communicating with the consumer
All consumers are contacted by the CRS.
Investigation team members will always:
- Apologise/express genuine regret that the incident has occurred.
- Ask them what they would like to see done about it.
- Outline the steps mobility will take to investigate, advise the outcome and then learn from the incident.
- Ask the consumer if they wish to receive any further information about the investigation or learnings.
3.2.1 Investigation Process
All high-impact incidents will be investigated using Root Cause Analysis.
Findings and recommendations from the RCA are tabled at the monthly Clinical Governance meeting and fed into the Continuous Improvement Plan.
Low impact incidents will be investigated, causes identified and where possible immediate changes made to processes/procedures to prevent recurrence.
Each consumer will receive an apology and information about the learnings (if they have indicated they wish to receive the later).
3.2.2 High-Prevalence Incidents Review
High-prevalence incidents are reviewed monthly at the Clinical Governance Meeting and opportunities to prevent recurrence fed into the Continuous Improvement Plan.
3.3 Evaluation and monitoring of compliance
All communication with consumers is recorded in the consumers case notes. Front-line staff and members of the Investigation Team record their conversations in the notes. Notes are audited on a quarterly basis to ensure consistency with this Procedure.
4 Related Documents
4.1 Internal
- Aged Care Charter of Rights
- Clinical Governance Framework
- Open Disclosure Work Instruction
4.2 External
- Aged Care Act 1997
- Aged Care Quality Standards
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Open Disclosure Framework and Guidance
5 Document History
Reviewed by: Clinical and Risk Specialist
Authorised by: CEO
Date Adopted:
Next Review Due:
Version Control
| Version | Date | Change |
| 1 | 10/4/22 | New |