# How do I report an incident?

> Five Good Friends encourages and values the prompt identification and reporting of incidents and near misses whether they relate to you individually or Memb

Source: https://helper-support.fivegoodfriends.com.au/en_us/how-do-i-report-an-incident-r1lAhBNfi

Last updated: 2024-09-04T01:41:43.605Z

![](https://cdn.kustomerhostedcontent.com/media/62bdb8727045aa066fa5e91e/5fef7e198e837388a2b5adb4da6bad28.png)

At Five Good Friends, we believe in fostering a blame-free culture where every team member plays a vital role in maintaining a safe and supportive environment for both our Members and our Helpers. Reporting incidents, including near misses, is essential to our commitment to continuous improvement and ensuring the highest standards of care.

## What is an incident?

An incident is an event or set of circumstances that could have resulted or did result in harm, illness, loss, property damage, or disruption to normal services.

### An incident could look like this:

An incident is any event or set of circumstances that could have resulted in or did result in harm, illness, loss, property damage, or disruption to normal services. These incidents may involve both Helpers and the Members we support.

Examples of incidents include:

1.  A Member being physically or verbally aggressive towards a Helper.
2.  A Member slipping with a Helper intervening to prevent a fall.
3.  A Member reporting suspected theft or misuse of their bank card by someone associated with Five Good Friends.
4.  A Helper injuring themselves during a visit.
5.  Fraudulent activity, such as false claims for Member transport or unauthorised visit extensions.

## Why report incidents?

Reporting incidents is essential for upholding the quality and safety of care at Five Good Friends. When incidents are reported, it allows us to: 

1.  Respond effectively to individual care needs or circumstances.
2.  Identify and implement risk mitigation strategies to prevent future occurrences.
3.  Continually improve our services and safety protocols.

## What should I do if I witness or am involved in an incident?

When an incident occurs, your immediate actions are crucial. Your first priority is the health, safety, and wellbeing of your Member, yourself, and anyone else present during the incident.

### 1\. Ensure safety

Depending on the situation, take the necessary steps to make the area safe. This may include:

1.  Contacting emergency services
2.  Providing first aid
3.  Removing people from harm (if it is safe to do so)

### 2\. Report immediately

Once it's safe, report the incident immediately by calling Five Good Friends on 1300 787 581. This number will divert to our on call service outside of business hours. 

### 3\. Submit an incident report

As soon as possible and within 24 hours, submit an Incident Report via the app. Follow the steps below. 

## How do I report an incident?

Follow the steps below to report an incident via the app. 

### Step 1

In the Schedule tab, click the "+" button.

![](https://cdn.kustomerhostedcontent.com/media/62bdb8727045aa066fa5e91e/df41da7793968bf2eec9df94c3eacd6c.png)

### Step 2

Click the "Report an incident" button.

![](https://cdn.kustomerhostedcontent.com/media/62bdb8727045aa066fa5e91e/0b24241b2f5518d4734562a065052964.png)

### Step 3

This will take you to the incident reporting form. Click on the "Member" button if you are reporting an incident for a Member or the "Yourself" button if you are reporting an incident regarding yourself.

![](https://cdn.kustomerhostedcontent.com/media/62bdb8727045aa066fa5e91e/261b2205621e9de13b701575b19a1d5a.png)

## Five Good Friends reporting obligations

Helpers are required to report incidents to Five Good Friends as soon as possible. Prompt reporting is essential as Five Good Friends must adhere to strict timeframes for notifying external authorities about serious incidents. Certain incidents must be reported to the relevant Commission, and in some cases, to the police within 24 hours. 

* * *

## Additional learning and resources

To support your ability to manage incidents effectively, we recommend exploring the following resources and taking advantage of the training opportunity:

•    Enroll in the ‘Frame It: Incident Reports’ and ‘Your Business: Health and Safety’ courses in [LearnUpon](https://fivegoodfriends.learnupon.com/users/sign_in).

•    Review the [Incident Management Workflow](https://fivegoodfriends.notion.site/Incident-Management-Workflow-4365e277b26c4175917be01d24ccd136) for detailed guidance.

•    Familiarise yourself with the [Helper Brokerage Agreement](https://www.notion.so/fivegoodfriends/Helper-Brokerage-Agreement-00d73981d53c4873ac7bd0b867a20ce6) for an overview of your responsibilities.

## We’re here to help

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please speak to one of our Customer Support Team members call **1300 787 581** or email [helper@fivegoodfriends.com.au](mailto:helper@fivegoodfriends.com.au).

* * *