SIRS reporting software for Australian aged care providers
The 8 reportable incident categories pre-mapped, the 24-hour and 30-day deadlines calculated, the Commission notification auto-generated, the investigation log structured, the corrective actions tracked, and the quarterly aggregate report built in. From $89 per month.
What does SIRS reporting software actually do?
The Serious Incident Response Scheme is the most heavily enforced part of Australia's aged care regulation. Since it took full effect on 1 April 2021 (residential) and 1 November 2025 (Support at Home), the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has used SIRS notifications to identify systemic issues, monitor provider performance, and trigger investigations. The cost of getting it wrong is severe — up to $1.58 million per offence under the strengthened Aged Care Act 2024, plus criminal charges for individuals.
SIRS reporting software is the system that captures an incident at the point it is identified, classifies it into Priority 1 (24-hour deadline) or Priority 2 (30-day deadline), generates the Commission notification in the right format, structures the investigation, tracks the corrective action to closure, and produces the quarterly aggregate report. The day-to-day difference between doing this in a spreadsheet and doing it in purpose-built software is the difference between a missed notification that becomes a regulator inquiry and a clean notification that closes on time.
NovoCove handles the full SIRS workflow as one module of a broader aged care compliance platform. The same platform also covers the ACQSC Quality Standards, AHPRA registration tracking, NDIS Worker Screening, HLTAID011/012, and the full 7-year evidence retention. For aged care providers who do not want to stitch together a single-purpose SIRS tool with a separate compliance tool with a separate credential tracker, NovoCove is the consolidated answer.
The 8 capabilities that make SIRS reporting actually work
Beyond the incident form itself — the workflow, deadline, and audit trail features that a spreadsheet cannot reliably replicate.
8 reportable incident categories pre-mapped
Unreasonable use of force, unlawful or inappropriate sexual contact, psychological or emotional abuse, unexpected death, stealing or financial coercion, neglect, inappropriate use of restrictive practices, and unexplained absence from care. Each is pre-configured in the platform with the right priority assignment logic.
Priority 1 / Priority 2 deadlines calculated
A Priority 1 incident is reportable to the Commission within 24 hours of becoming aware. A Priority 2 incident is reportable within 30 days. The platform calculates the deadline from the time the staff member becomes aware — not the time the incident occurred — and fires escalating alerts as the deadline approaches.
Mobile incident reporting
Care workers report incidents from the floor on their phone, attach a photo or a witness statement, and route the report to the responsible manager in seconds. No desktop computer, no email, no paper form.
Commission notification auto-generated
The Commission notification is auto-generated in the right format with the right fields, ready for review by the responsible manager and submission through the Commission's My Aged Care portal. The platform does not lodge the notification itself — that is the provider's responsibility — but it generates the document and keeps it attached to the incident record.
Investigation log with full audit trail
Every investigation step is timestamped and recorded: who was interviewed, what evidence was reviewed, what corrective action was decided, who approved the closure. The full audit trail is exportable and is retained for 7 years.
Corrective actions tracked to closure
When an investigation identifies a corrective action — a policy update, a training refresh, a staff supervision change — it is logged with an owner and a due date. The 7-tier alert system tracks it to closure and flags anything that slips.
Quarterly SIRS aggregate report
The Commission requires a quarterly aggregate report of all SIRS notifications. NovoCove generates this in the right format with the right counts, ready for board review and submission.
Escalation to the Commission
If an incident is notifiable to the Commission but is approaching the 24-hour or 30-day deadline without a notification in progress, the multi-site dashboard escalates to the General Manager or the Board Chair.
How NovoCove compares for SIRS reporting
Head-to-head with the most common AU aged care SIRS reporting platforms.
NovoCove vs OzlerSIRS
OzlerSIRS is a single-purpose SIRS product from Ozler Care. NovoCove is a broader compliance platform with SIRS as one module. If SIRS is the only thing you need, OzlerSIRS is a focused option. If you also need credential tracking, ACQSC evidence export, AHPRA, NDIS Worker Screening, and policy management, NovoCove is the consolidated answer.
NovoCove vs Statura Care
Statura Care is a per-bed-priced aged care platform with SIRS as one module. NovoCove is a flat-rate compliance platform with SIRS as one module. Statura Care is typically more expensive for a 100-bed facility; NovoCove is the better fit for a small-to-medium residential provider.
NovoCove vs CompliSpace / Ideagen
CompliSpace/Ideagen is the enterprise-grade incumbent, typically $30k+ per year. NovoCove is the credible mid-market alternative — same SIRS workflow, same ACQSC evidence export, published flat-rate pricing, and a mobile app for care workers.
NovoCove vs homegrown spreadsheets
Some providers track SIRS notifications in a spreadsheet. The risks: missed deadlines, lost audit trail, no mobile incident reporting, no escalation, no quarterly aggregate report generator. NovoCove eliminates all of these. The cost is a few hours of educator time per month.
Why aged care providers choose NovoCove for SIRS
The 8 things that put NovoCove ahead of the alternatives for SIRS reporting.
- 8 reportable incident categories pre-mapped with the right priority assignment logic
- 24-hour and 30-day deadlines calculated from the date staff became aware
- Mobile incident reporting from the floor — iOS and Android apps for care workers
- Commission notification auto-generated in the right format
- Investigation log with timestamped entries and full audit trail
- Corrective actions tracked to closure with 7-tier alert system
- Quarterly SIRS aggregate report generated automatically
- 7-year evidence retention on the Professional plan and above
Frequently asked questions
What is SIRS reporting software?
How much does SIRS reporting software cost in Australia?
Does NovoCove auto-lodge the Commission notification?
Does NovoCove also handle the broader Aged Care Act 2024 obligations?
What happens at a SIRS investigation?
How long is SIRS evidence retained?
Related compliance solutions
Ready to see SIRS reporting that does not slip?
Book a 20-minute walkthrough. We will walk you through a Priority 1 incident end-to-end, from a care worker reporting it on their phone to the Commission notification being generated for submission.
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