Introduction
Welcome to the Centrecare Incident Management System. This application helps you report, track, and manage workplace incidents in accordance with "Notification of Serious Matters" requirements.
What is an Incident?
An incident is any event that:
- Poses a risk to clients, workers, the agency, or the community
- Requires immediate attention or documentation
- May need follow-up action or investigation
- Should be tracked for compliance and safety purposes
Key Features
- Auto-save: Your work is automatically saved every 30 seconds
- Draft Mode: Save incomplete incidents and return later
- Workflow Management: Clear process from draft to closure
- File Attachments: Upload supporting documentation and photos
- Collaborative Notes: Add notes and communicate with team members
- Email Notifications: Automatic alerts for status changes
- Mobile Friendly: Access from any device
Getting Started
Accessing the System
1 Navigate to the application URL (provided by your system administrator)
2 Sign in with your Centrecare Microsoft account
- Use your organizational email and password
- Single Sign-On (SSO) - same credentials as other Microsoft services
3 You're automatically logged in - the dashboard will appear
Understanding the Dashboard
The dashboard is your main workspace and displays:
- Statistics Cards: Quick overview of open/closed incidents
- Incident List: All incidents you have access to view
- Filters: Filter by status, risk rating, branch, date range
- Search: Full-text search across titles and descriptions
- Create Button: Start a new incident report
Dashboard Statistics
At the top of the dashboard, you'll see real-time statistics:
| Statistic | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Open | All incidents not yet closed |
| Total Closed | All incidents that have been closed |
| Draft | Incidents being prepared but not yet submitted |
| Submitted | Incidents awaiting manager review |
| Activated | Incidents being actively managed |
| Case Review | Incidents under detailed investigation |
| Low/Medium/High Risk | Breakdown by risk rating |
Creating an Incident Report
Starting a New Incident
1 Click "Create New Incident" button on the dashboard
2 Enter an Incident Title when prompted
- Use a clear, descriptive title (e.g., "Client fall at Midland branch")
- This helps you and others quickly identify the incident
3 The incident form opens - your incident is automatically saved as a draft
Completing the Incident Form
Basic Information
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Incident Title | Brief description of the incident | Yes |
| Risk Rating | Your assessment: Low, Medium, or High | Yes |
| Branch/Location | Where the incident occurred | Yes |
| Incident Date & Time | When the incident occurred | Yes |
| Manager Notified Date & Time | When you notified your manager | No |
Who is at Risk?
Select all that apply (you can select multiple):
- Client - Child
- Client - Adult
- Worker
- Agency
- Community
- Other
Person Details (if applicable)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Person(s) at Risk | Names of individuals involved |
| File Number | Client file number (if applicable) |
Staff Involved
Use the "People Picker" to search and select staff members:
- Staff Names: Primary staff involved in the incident
- Senior Managers: Senior managers who should be aware
- Program Assistant Managers: Program AMs involved
- Team Leaders: Team leaders involved
Incident Summary
Provide a detailed description of what happened:
- What occurred?
- Who was involved?
- What were the circumstances?
- What was the outcome?
Outside Services Contacted
Select all services that were contacted:
- Ambulance
- Fire
- Police
- DCP (Department for Child Protection)
- Other (specify)
If contacted, record the date and time in "Outside Services Notified Date & Time"
Actions Taken
Describe what you did in response to the incident:
- Immediate actions taken
- Support provided to those involved
- Steps to ensure safety
- Follow-up actions planned
Attachments
Upload supporting documentation:
- Photos of the scene or injuries
- Written statements
- Medical reports
- Police reports
- Any other relevant documents
1 Click "Browse" or drag files into the attachment area
2 Select the file(s) to upload
3 Files are uploaded immediately and listed below
Saving and Submitting
Auto-Save (Draft Mode)
- Your work is automatically saved every 30 seconds
- Look for the "Saved" indicator at the bottom of the form
- You can close the form and return later to continue
- Draft incidents appear in your dashboard with "Draft" status
Submitting the Incident
1 Complete all required fields (marked with *)
2 Review your information for accuracy
3 Click "Submit Incident" button at the bottom
4 Confirm submission in the dialog that appears
5 Email notifications are sent automatically to relevant managers and stakeholders
Managing Incidents
Viewing Incidents
From the dashboard, you can view incidents based on your role:
- Staff: Your own incidents only
- Management: Your team's incidents
- Risk Committee: All incidents
- System Admin: All incidents
Opening an Incident
1 Click on any incident row in the dashboard table
2 The incident details open in an overlay panel
3 Review all information, notes, and attachments
4 Close the panel by clicking the X or clicking outside
Filtering and Searching
Using Filters
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Status Filter | Show only Draft, Submitted, Activated, Case Review, or Closed incidents |
| Risk Rating | Filter by Low, Medium, or High risk |
| Branch | Show incidents from specific locations |
| Date Range | Filter by incident date (From and To dates) |
| Open/Closed Toggle | Switch between viewing open or closed incidents |
Search
- Type in the search box to find incidents
- Searches incident titles and descriptions
- Results update as you type
- Combine search with filters for precise results
Adding Notes
Notes allow you to communicate and collaborate on incidents:
1 Open the incident
2 Scroll to the "Notes" section
3 Type your note in the text box
4 Click "Add Note"
All notes show:
- Author name
- Date and time posted
- Note content
Downloading Attachments
1 Open the incident
2 Scroll to the "Attachments" section
3 Click the "Download" button next to any file
4 The file opens or downloads to your device
Understanding the Workflow
Workflow States
Every incident moves through a series of states from creation to closure:
| State | Description | Who Can Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Incident is being prepared but not yet submitted | All users can create drafts |
| Submitted | Incident has been submitted and awaits manager review | Anyone can submit their own drafts |
| Activated | Incident is being actively managed and tracked | Management, Risk Committee, System Admin |
| Case Review | Incident requires detailed investigation or review | Management, Risk Committee, System Admin |
| Closed | Incident is resolved and no further action needed | Management, Risk Committee, System Admin |
Workflow Actions
Submit (Draft → Submitted)
- Who: Any user (on their own drafts)
- Purpose: Send the incident for manager review
- Effect: Managers are notified via email
Unsubmit (Submitted → Draft)
- Who: Management, System Admin
- Purpose: Return incident to reporter for more information
- Effect: Reporter can edit and resubmit
Activate (Submitted → Activated)
- Who: Management, Risk Committee, System Admin
- Purpose: Begin active management of the incident
- Required: Manager must provide risk rating
- Effect: Incident enters active tracking
Case Review (Activated → Case Review)
- Who: Management, Risk Committee, System Admin
- Purpose: Flag incident for detailed investigation
- Effect: Special attention and review process
Close (Activated/Case Review → Closed)
- Who: Management, Risk Committee, System Admin
- Purpose: Mark incident as resolved
- Required: Closing comments
- Effect: Incident removed from open incidents
Reopen (Closed → Activated)
- Who: Risk Committee, System Admin only
- Purpose: Reactivate a closed incident for additional action
- Required: Reason for reopening
- Effect: Incident returns to active management
Email Notifications
Automatic email notifications are sent for every workflow transition:
User Roles and Permissions
Role Overview
The system has four user roles, each with different permissions:
Detailed Permissions Matrix
| Permission | Staff | Management | Risk Committee | System Admin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create incident | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View own incidents | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View team incidents | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| View all incidents | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Submit incident | ✓ (own) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unsubmit incident | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Activate incident | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Close incident | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reopen incident | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Add notes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Upload attachments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manage settings | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Manage user roles | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Trigger Entra sync | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Role Assignment
- Default Role: All users automatically receive "Staff" role when synchronized from Entra ID
- Elevated Roles: System Admins can assign Management, Risk Committee, or System Admin roles via Settings
- Multiple Roles: Users can have multiple roles (e.g., both Staff and Management)
- Persistence: Role assignments are stored in the database and persist across logins
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Q: How often should I report incidents?
A: Report any incident as soon as possible after it occurs. The system allows you to save drafts if you don't have all information immediately.
Q: Can I edit an incident after submitting it?
A: No, once submitted, you cannot edit the incident. However, a manager can "unsubmit" it to return it to draft status, allowing you to make changes.
Q: How do I know if someone has updated an incident I'm involved with?
A: You'll receive email notifications for significant changes like status transitions. You can also check notes on the incident for updates.
Q: What's the difference between a note and a comment?
A: Notes are the current system for adding comments and updates to incidents. The term "comments" refers to the older system and has been replaced by "notes."
Technical Questions
Q: Why can't I see certain incidents?
A: Your access is determined by your role:
- Staff see only their own incidents
- Management sees team incidents
- Risk Committee and System Admin see all incidents
Q: How long are incidents kept in the system?
A: Incidents are retained indefinitely for compliance and historical tracking. Even closed incidents remain accessible.
Q: What file types can I upload as attachments?
A: Most common file types are supported including:
- Documents: PDF, Word, Excel
- Images: JPG, PNG, GIF
- Text files
- Other standard formats
Q: Is there a file size limit for attachments?
A: Check with your system administrator for specific limits. Generally, files up to 10MB are supported.
Q: Can I delete an incident?
A: Incidents are not permanently deleted for audit purposes. They can be marked as deleted (soft delete) by authorized users, but remain in the database.
Workflow Questions
Q: What determines if an incident is Low, Medium, or High risk?
A: Consider:
- Low: Minor incident, no injuries, minimal impact
- Medium: Moderate incident, minor injuries, some impact
- High: Serious incident, injuries, significant impact, legal implications
Q: Why does a manager provide a separate risk rating?
A: Manager risk rating provides an independent assessment when activating incidents, ensuring oversight and accurate risk classification.
Q: What happens during "Case Review"?
A: Case Review status indicates the incident requires detailed investigation or review by senior management or the Risk Committee.
Q: Can a closed incident be reopened?
A: Yes, but only by Risk Committee members or System Admins. This is for situations where new information emerges or additional action is needed.
Troubleshooting
Q: I can't log in. What should I do?
A: Ensure you're using your Centrecare Microsoft account credentials. If problems persist, contact your System Administrator or IT support.
Q: The auto-save isn't working. What's wrong?
A: Check your internet connection. The auto-save requires connectivity. If offline, your changes won't be saved until you're back online.
Q: I don't see the "Create Incident" button. Why?
A: Ensure you're logged in and have been granted appropriate permissions. All users should be able to create incidents.
Q: An attachment won't download. What can I do?
A: Try refreshing the page and attempting again. If the issue persists, the file may be corrupted or there may be a connectivity issue.