Australia National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards Second Edition 5.33-5.36: Situations that may precipitate aggression are identified and mitigated, patients at risk of aggression or violence are identified with de-escalation and safe management in collaboration with patients, carers and families, and restraint and seclusion where clinically necessary and lawful are minimised and where possible eliminated, governed under legislation and reported to the governing body

What does 5.33-5.36 require?

Situations likely to trigger aggression must be identified and defused in advance. Working with patients, carers and families, staff must identify who may become aggressive or violent, apply de-escalation and manage aggression safely to limit harm to everyone. Where restraint is needed clinically to prevent harm, systems must minimise and wherever possible eliminate it, govern it lawfully and report its use to the board; the same applies to seclusion wherever it is clinically necessary and lawful.