NDIS incident report template: what to record and when

Incident reporting under the NDIS sits in a grey area for a lot of workers and small providers. Most know that serious incidents need to be reported to the NDIS Commission, but the line between "serious" and "just write a note" is not always obvious in the moment.

This guide explains what counts as a reportable incident under the NDIS legislation, the timeframes involved, and what needs to go into the report itself. There is a free template below.

What is a reportable incident

The NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018 define reportable incidents. You do not get to decide whether something meets the threshold based on how serious it felt at the time. The definition is categorical.

Reportable incidents under the Rules include:

• Death of a person with disability connected to a funded support
• Serious injury of a person with disability connected to a funded support
• Abuse or neglect of a person with disability
• Unlawful sexual or physical contact or assault
• Sexual misconduct by a worker
• Unauthorised use of a restrictive practice
• Any other incident prescribed by the Rules

"Connected to a funded support" does not require the incident to have been caused by the support. If the incident occurred while a participant was receiving NDIS-funded support, it is in scope.

The phrase "serious injury" is worth understanding. It includes injuries requiring hospitalisation, significant medical treatment, or injuries that are likely to have a lasting effect. A bruise from a fall does not automatically reach this threshold. A fall requiring a hospital visit does.

Internal incidents vs reportable incidents

Registered providers are required to maintain an incident management system that covers both reportable incidents (reported to the NDIS Commission) and internal incidents (managed within the organisation).

An internal incident is anything that happened, nearly happened, or could have happened that affected a participant's safety, wellbeing, or dignity, even if it did not meet the reportable threshold. This includes near-misses, minor injuries, medication errors that did not cause harm, and situations where a participant was distressed or at risk.

Maintaining records of internal incidents matters for two reasons. First, patterns become visible. A participant who has three near-fall incidents in a month needs a risk review, and you cannot see that pattern if only reportable incidents are documented. Second, auditors review internal incident registers. A register with nothing recorded is not evidence of a safe environment. It is evidence that recording is not happening.

Timeframes for reporting to the NDIS Commission

Registered providers must report to the NDIS Commission within specific timeframes depending on the type of incident.

Within 24 hours: Death, serious injury, abuse or neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, sexual misconduct by a worker, and unauthorised restrictive practice.

Within five business days: A written report following the initial notification.

The 24-hour notification can be made via the NDIS Commission's online portal (ndiscommission.gov.au). The Commission may request additional information or assign an officer to the investigation.

Unregistered providers are not subject to the same mandatory reporting obligations to the NDIS Commission. However, incidents involving suspected criminal conduct must be reported to police, and incidents involving children must be reported to the relevant state child protection authority.

What to record in the report

A good incident report answers six questions.

What happened? A factual, chronological account of the incident. Stick to what was observed. Avoid interpretation, opinions about fault, or statements like "the participant was being difficult." Write only what you saw and heard.

When and where did it happen? Date, time, and location. If multiple workers were present, note who was on shift.

Who was involved? The participant, any workers, and any witnesses. If others were present (e.g., family members), note that without identifying them unless relevant.

What was the immediate response? What first aid was given, whether emergency services were called, what the participant was told, and who was notified within the organisation.

What is the participant's current status? As of the time of writing the report. If the participant was taken to hospital, note which hospital. If they declined medical attention, document that too.

What corrective action is planned? What will change to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. This section is forward-looking. It does not need to be completed in the initial report if action is still being determined, but the follow-up report must include it.

After the initial report

Once the immediate response is handled, a follow-up investigation should happen within a reasonable timeframe. For most internal incidents, that means within one to two weeks. The investigation does not need to be formal, but it should include speaking with everyone involved, reviewing the circumstances, and identifying whether a system or process change is needed.

For NDIS Commission reportable incidents, the five-day written report needs to include the findings of any initial investigation. The Commission may follow up with further questions or with their own investigation. Cooperate fully and provide records when requested.

Progress notes written at the time of the incident are key evidence in any investigation. If notes were written using Billa, they are timestamped and cannot be backdated, which matters if the Commission or a complaint investigator is reviewing the timeline.

Linking incidents to your audit documentation

Incident records are a core part of NDIS audit evidence. Auditors will look at your incident register, your follow-up documentation, and whether your policies describe the reporting process correctly. Workers should be able to explain what counts as a reportable incident and what the process is for reporting.

If you are working through audit preparation, the incident management section of the NDIS audit checklist covers what auditors check in detail.