Post-incident support

Image of a man having his therapy session

Leaders, managers and staff all play a role in preventing occupational violence and aggression (OVA) in Victorian hospital and health services. Appropriate responses following incidents of OVA are vitally important to:

provide practical and emotional support to people who have experienced stressful or traumatic events
reduce risk and prevent future incidents.

These resources provide practical information for managers and staff about:

how people may react to OVA in the workplace
strategies and services to promote recovery following an incident of OVA
providing support to others
helpful ways to take care of yourself.

When you use this resource and any tools provided within it, no information about you will be collected.

This resource was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health.

Information for staff

Information for health service staff about common reactions to OVA, Psychological First Aid, speaking with others and self-care. Includes a tool to assess psychological distress.

Supporting staff after OVA - information for managers

Information and advice for health service managers and leaders on supporting staff and colleagues after OVA, including an online learning module, self-assessment tool, detailed guide, common reactions and self-care strategies.

Common reactions of people after OVA

A summary of common short and long-term psychological, emotional and physical reactions to OVA.

Self-assessment tool for psychological distress

A simple 10-question self-assessment tool online tool to measure psychological distress. Occupational violence and aggression involves incidents in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.

Getting help after OVA

Information about services and support you can access after an incident of OVA.

Ten tips for coping after an incident of occupational violence and aggression

Helpful tips for coping after an incident of OVA.

If you or someone else is in crisis or needs urgent help

Call emergency services on 000
Call Lifeline on 13 11 14
Go to your local hospital emergency department.

Find out more about how to get help.

Post-incident support resources

These resources provide practical information for managers and staff, including how people react to OVA in the workplace, providing support to others, helpful ways to look after yourself, and strategies and services to promote recovery.