Accident & Incident Log

What goes in an accident and incident log?

All accidents, incidents and near misses, whoever they involve: people who use the service, staff and visitors. Each entry gets a reference number that matches your incident report form, so the log shows in one place what went wrong, who it affected and what you did about it. Many services call this the accident book.

How the log works

Part A is what happened: date and time, who was involved, where it happened, what happened, any injury and first aid, and who recorded it. Write it as soon as possible and stick to facts.

Part B belongs to the Registered Manager. For each entry they answer five questions and note the reference for each:

1. Is it reportable to HSE under RIDDOR?

2. Does CQC need a notification?

3. Is a safeguarding referral needed?

4. Does the duty of candour apply?

5. Has the family or representative been told?

They then record the actions taken, the lessons learned and their sign-off.

Help with the yes or no answers

The guidance pages explain each question so the manager can answer it without looking anything up. For RIDDOR, HSE must get most reports within 10 days. A worker off normal duties for more than 7 days is reported within 15 days, while more than 3 days is recorded but not reported. Keep records for at least 3 years. A resident's accident is reportable only if they go straight from the scene to hospital for treatment. X-rays alone do not count.

For CQC, the log explains the serious injury tests in regulation 18 and the other events CQC must hear about. "Prolonged" there means at least 28 days in a row.

Reviewing the log

A log nobody reads only proves that things happened. The review table at the end is where the Registered Manager records patterns, themes and the actions agreed, and that record is the evidence CQC looks for under the safe and well-led key questions.

Record marks and injuries on a Body Map Form with the same reference. Falls feed into the resident's Falls Risk Assessment, and incidents where someone was harmed may need the Duty of Candour Policy & Procedure.