Reporting adverse events
Under the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2000 State authorities are obliged to report adverse incidents promptly to the State Claims Agency (SCA) and to facilitate any subsequent investigation. This allows the SCA, in conjunction with State authorities, to identify and analyse developing trends and patterns and to work with the State authorities concerned to develop and implement risk mitigation strategies. It is also important in the investigation of any subsequent claim.
What to report to the SCA
The following are guidelines as to the types of adverse events that should be reported to the Agency:
Personal injuries (including clinical adverse events)
all adverse clinical events must be reported to the State Claims Agency;
injuries requiring medical attention by a doctor or attendance at a hospital; involving staff, contractors, patients, clients, service users, members of the public etc;
where an employee is absent from work for any period of time (including incidents where less than three days were lost) and the absence is directly attributable to a work-related activity/environment. This includes circumstances where the absence occurs some time after the event);
no days lost, however an injury was sustained by an employee, member of the public, client, service user etc, which could be attributed to a work related activity/environment;
where an employee, ex-employee or a client, service user has requested health screening arising from alleged exposure to work environments e.g. asbestos, noise, dust, fumes, biological or chemical agents;
where the State authority becomes aware of an adverse incident (resulting in personal injury) on its premises involving a visitor, recreational user or trespasser.
The following serious (non-clinical) adverse events should be notified to the Agency immediately by phone: fatality; serious injury, including amputation, injury to an eye, serious burns or other injuries requiring resuscitation.
Property damage (including motor vehicle)
- where a vehicle that is hired or belonging to the State authority is involved in a road traffic collision;
where the property of a third party has been damaged as a result of the activities of the state authority.
How to report an event or incident
- State authorities that have direct access via the National Incident Management System (NIMS) can enter incident reports directly.
- State authorities may submit a copy of their own event or incident report form to the Agency. Reports should be sent to stateclaims@ntma.ie
- Hard-copy reports may also be submitted by post.