What to report

In Victoria, sentinel events fall under 11 categories – 10 of which are standard across the country. 

Health services must report

1. Surgery or other invasive procedure performed on the wrong site resulting in serious harm or death
2. Surgery or other invasive procedure performed on the wrong patient resulting in serious harm or death
3. Wrong surgical or other invasive procedure performed on a patient resulting in serious harm or death
4. Unintended retention of a foreign object in a patient after surgery or other invasive procedure resulting in serious harm or death
5. Haemolytic blood transfusion reaction resulting from ABO incompatibility resulting in serious harm or death
6. Suspected suicide of a patient in an acute psychiatric unit or acute psychiatric ward
7. Medication error resulting in serious harm or death
8. Use of physical or mechanical restraint resulting in serious harm or death
9. Discharge or release of an infant or child to an unauthorised person
10. Use of an incorrectly positioned oro- or naso- gastric tube resulting in serious harm or death
11. All other adverse patient safety events resulting in serious harm or death

Unsure if you need to report?

Read our Victorian sentinel event guide. 

Or contact our Sentinel event program.