Critical Incident Management Procedures

1. Governing policy

The Critical Incident Management Procedures (“procedures”) relate to the Critical Incident Policy. They describe how to manage a critical incident at the Institution.

2. Scope

The procedures apply to the nominated staff with responsibility for management of critical incidents at the Institution and those individuals, being staff, students or visitors, whom are affected by a critical incident.

3. Procedures

These procedures set out the five key processes involved in the management of critical incidents at the Institution as per Table 1 below:

i. Reporting a critical incident

The steps a student or staff member should follow in the event that they are involved in or witness a critical incident.

ii. Initial assessment

The initial steps taken to assess the situation.

iii. Determine a Response Team

Incidents vary in terms of the nature, the scale and the level of response required. Therefore, the membership of the critical incident Response Team may vary depending on these variables.

iv. Action

The responsibilities of the Response Team and the steps they must take to ensure the effective, compassionate and timely response to a critical incident.

v. Follow up, evaluation and reporting

The steps to be taken after a critical incident has been resolved in order to ensure that future responses are informed by current experiences.

Table 1.

Process Responsibilities Timeframe
1. Reporting a critical incident
1.1 In the event of a critical incident involving a student/staff member or witnessed by a student/staff member, he/she should report it immediately to the Manager on Duty on 0429 994 590 (Manly campus), or 02 9160 8842 (city campus) or report it in person to a member of staff.

1.2 For emergency situations that require police, fire or ambulance assistance, the student/staff member should immediately dial Emergency Services on 000 .

1.3 In the event that a member of staff is notified of a critical incident, they immediately notify the Manager on Duty, Chief Operations Officer (COO) and/or President. This includes notification from an external source.

1.4 In the event that a staff member becomes aware of a critical incident, or the potential for a critical incident to occur, as part of wellness / counselling support, the staff member notifies the President. Data provided to the President is deidentified to ensure privacy of individuals unless: 

  • the individual has given consent to disclose their personal information; 
  • the safety of others is deemed to be at risk; or 
  • there is risk of severe damages to the Institution’s operations, environment or reputation. 
 Manager on Duty Immediate
2. Initial assessment
2.1 The Manager on Duty, COO, Associate Vice President (Campus and Operations) and/or delegate will undertake an initial assessment of the critical incident to assess the nature, scale and level of response that may be required.

2.2 The Manager on Duty, COO and/or Associate Vice President (Campus and Operations) notifies the President and Managing Director (President) and provide an initial assessment of the situation.

2.3 For emergency situations, the Manager on Duty, COO and/or Associate Vice President (Campus and Operations) may immediately refer the matter to emergency services.

2.4 The President notifies the Chairman.

 Manager on Duty

Or

COO

Or

Associate Vice President (Campus and Operations)

 Within one hour
3. Determine a Response Team
3.1 The President forms a Response Team depending on the nature, scale, level and confidentiality/privacy needs of the incident and response required. A response team may comprise one member only, at the President’s discretion, to uphold privacy and confidentiality purposes. 

3.2 The Chair of the Response Team is determined by the President and may comprise relevant members of the Executive Management and/or senior managers with relevant expertise as determined by the President.

 President Within two hours
4. Action
4.1 For all critical incidents the relevant Response Team:

  1. assume immediate responsibility for controlling the situation;
  2. review details of the incident to develop a clear and complete understanding of the incident. In some cases, the incident may be referred for management under a different policy or procedure of the Institution (e.g. sexual harm, general misconduct, etc);
  3. for incidents that are not referred for management under a different policy, the Response Team will manage the incident until its resolution, providing regular updates to the President (and other staff as determined by the President);
  4. establish a means of communication, and meet with the President (and relevant staff as determined by the President) as required;
  5. Identify the tasks to be performed (eg. medical treatment, welfare and counselling) and allocate responsibility for tasks including but not limited to:
  • emergency services liaison (e.g. police, ambulance, fire, hospitals, etc);
  • family/next of kin liaison;
  • other third party/external agency liaison (e.g. professional health services, support services, embassies, consulates, accommodation providers, Department of Home Affairs, media, etc);
  • campus safety and security matters;
  • identify students and staff members closely involved;
  • communication strategies including whether media liaison is required;
  • identify risks;
  • counselling or other support;
  • triggering academic-related actions with faculty staff (e.g. special consideration of deferred examinations, late submission of assessments, etc);
  • Overseas Student Health Cover issues;
  • compliance issues for international students;
  • under 18s safety and wellbeing including: that appropriate accommodation and welfare arrangements are maintained if disruptions occur, contacting the student’s parents and/or legal guardian and assuming responsibility for critical incident escalation at a homestay provider;
  • In the event of a student fatality, ensure that appropriate contact is made with the deceased student’s next of kin, act as official delegate, provide travel assistance, prepare condolence correspondence and arrange student counselling for peers;
  • undertake mandatory reporting as required;
  • ensure information about the incident and/or affected student(s) is treated confidentially and disclosed only to those persons who have a right to the information by virtue of their role in the process in accordance with privacy legislation;
  • ensure that accurate records are maintained and recorded appropriately;
  • undertake post-incident debriefs with the President/EMG/Chairman as required to ensure that future responses are informed by current experiences.
 Response Team Varies
5. Follow up, evaluation and reporting
5.1 Upon resolution of a critical incident, the Response Team assesses the need for ongoing follow-up meetings for those involved and monitor the need for ongoing counselling and support.

5.2 The chair of the Response Team, or nominated delegate, will prepare a report that includes:

  • a comprehensive summary of the critical incident;
  • any changes required to policies and procedures to improve future responses;
  • any requirements for training and debriefings deemed necessary; and
  • arrangements for periodic testing of the Institution’s preparedness for critical incidents.

5.3 EMG will meet within one month of the critical incident to consider the report and review the response to the incident.

5.4  A report will be made to the Board of Directors at its next available meeting.

5.5 The critical incident and any remedial action is logged in the Critical Incident Register maintained by the COO.

 Response Team

EMG

COO

Associate Vice President (Campus and Operations)

 Within one month

4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 The Manager on Duty/Chief Operations Officer is responsible for the initial coordination of a critical incident and reporting it to the President.

4.2 The President is responsible for nominating a Response Team appropriate to the nature, the scale and the level of response required.

4.3 The Response Team has overall responsibility for the management of the critical incident and executes all responsibilities outlined in Table 1 and report it to the Board of Directors.

5. Compliance and monitoring

These procedures are written in accordance with the Higher Education Standards Framework 2021, National Code 2018 and ESOS Act.

a. Reporting

As detailed in Table 1 above, the Response Team provides ongoing de-briefs to key personnel and provide a final report for consideration by the EMG after the resolution of the critical incident. Outcomes will be reported to the Board of Directors at its next available meeting, including any reviews and updates to any relevant operational plans including the Risk Register.

6. Records management

As detailed in Table 1 above, the chair of Response Team, or nominated delegate, will ensure that accurate records are maintained and recorded appropriately, and be retained for at least two years after an incident has occurred or if the incident involves a student, for at least two years after the student ceases to be an accepted student. The COO maintains a Critical Incident Register.

7. Related documents

Critical Incident Policy

Health and Safety Policy 

Incident Reporting Procedures  

Infectious Diseases Policy 

Infectious Diseases  

Sexual Harm Policy

Sexual Harm Procedures 

Student Wellness Policy 

Student Wellness Procedures 

 

Approved by the Board of Directors on 6 October 2021