Last updated: August 2026
Occupational Violence and Aggression (OVA) training teaches healthcare workers how to recognise warning signs, de-escalate hostile situations and respond safely to violence in the workplace, and both the VPM and ADP frameworks are training models built for this purpose.
Main Points
- VPM is the Violence Prevention and Management framework developed by the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) for NSW Health staff.
- ADP is the Awareness, De-escalation, Protection framework developed and delivered by Resolution Education, used across public and private hospitals, health clinics, medical centres and aged care facilities in Australia and New Zealand.
- Resolution Education does not deliver VPM training — VPM is an internal NSW Health training framework, enrolled and delivered through NSW Health’s own learning system.
- The right framework depends on your organisation — VPM applies specifically within NSW Health, while ADP is customised to each organisation’s policies, setting and delivery preferences.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Who This Is For
- What Is the VPM Framework?
- What Is the ADP Framework?
- How Do VPM and ADP Training Compare?
- Does Resolution Education Provide VPM Training?
- How Do You Choose the Right Training Framework?
- Common Misconceptions
- Why Choosing the Right Framework Matters
- Glossary of Terms
- Which Framework Is Right for Your Team?
- Key Takeaways
- Our Expert Opinion
- Related Articles
Exploring Occupational Violence and Aggression training options for your team can be overwhelming. With various training frameworks available, it can be difficult to sort through information and make the best decision.
While we have the utmost confidence in the quality of our Awareness, De-escalation, Protection (A.D.P.) training framework, which has been utilised by many state and private hospitals, health clinics, medical centres and aged care facilities across Australia and New Zealand, we also understand the importance of making informed decisions. We recognise the need for organisations to find training solutions that not only guarantee effective, pertinent, and lasting learning experiences for their team but also provide content adapted to specific requirements.
To help you navigate the market and narrow down your search, we have provided information below that sheds light on both Resolution Education’s ADP training framework and the VPM training framework created by the Health Education and Training Institute. This will give you insight into both frameworks to help you find confidence in the decision around which training provider and framework best suits your needs.
Who This Is For
- This article is for: healthcare leaders, WHS managers and training coordinators in hospitals, clinics, aged care facilities or NDIS services who are comparing OVA training frameworks for their team.
- This may not apply if: your organisation is a NSW Health entity already required to deliver VPM training internally under NSW Health policy, in which case VPM enrolment is managed through NSW Health’s own systems rather than an external provider.
What Is the VPM Framework?
VPM (Violence Prevention and Management) is a training framework developed by the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) for NSW Health workers — and it is mandatory only for staff employed within the NSW public health system.
The Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) in New South Wales has developed a series of training programs using its Violence Prevention and Management (VPM) framework for the healthcare setting. The framework is designed to help healthcare workers identify and manage situations that may involve violence and hostility. HETI programs cover topics such as risk assessment, the signs of a heightened person, de-escalation strategies, and restraint techniques, with legal and ethical considerations in place.
Each training program that uses the VPM framework has a pre-determined delivery method of either eLearning or face-to-face delivery.
In September 2025, the NSW Health Mandatory Training Standing Committee signed off on a redesigned VPM Program, which now consolidates mandatory VPM training through self-paced eLearning modules on My Health Learning (MHL) alongside face-to-face workshops and practice drills, delivered across Learning Pathways 3, 4, 5a and 5b. VPM training requirements now sit within Chapter 7 of NSW Health’s “Protecting People and Property” security manual, after the earlier Policy Directive (PD2017_043) was rescinded in February 2026. (Sources: NSW Health VPM Program; NSW Health Protecting People and Property manual.)
Who Has to Do VPM Training?
VPM is a compliance requirement for NSW Health staff only. It applies to workers employed within the NSW public health system, who complete it through My Health Learning as part of their mandatory training.
It is not required for private hospitals, aged care providers, disability and NDIS services, community services, education, or healthcare organisations outside NSW. For these organisations — which make up the majority of the sector — there is no obligation to use VPM, and a fully customisable framework like Resolution Education’s ADP could be a more practical and tailored choice, because it can be built around each organisation’s own environments, risks and procedures rather than a single system-wide standard.
In short: if you are a NSW Health employee, VPM is part of your mandatory training. If you are almost any other kind of organisation, you are free to choose the training that best fits your workforce — and that is where ADP comes in.
What Is the ADP Framework?
ADP (Awareness, De-escalation, Protection) is Resolution Education’s own training framework, delivered nationally across Australia and New Zealand and customised to each organisation.
The team at Resolution Education train healthcare workers across Australia and New Zealand, using our ADP training framework which covers a range of concepts including assessing situations, communication and de-escalation strategies, Code Black procedures and drills, and restraint techniques. All techniques are taught with the safety of the team and the heightened individual in mind, both from an individual and legal standpoint.
The ADP framework is a research-based, practical, and effective training model for managing and preventing violence in the workplace. It is designed to provide healthcare workers with a range of tools and techniques for each component of the framework, as outlined in part below:
- Awareness is about seeing it before it happens and understanding instincts, complacency, verbal cues, body language, and emotions, as well as unpacking processes connected to calling a Code Black and using duress systems if required.
- De-escalation looks at techniques to de-escalate situations, how to use your voice and tone, mental health as a factor, and how to remove yourself safely.
- Protection involves safe, non-punitive physical intervention techniques taught through carefully monitored practice and drills, including various grab and release techniques. In addition, a full restraint training framework is available, which looks at physical, chemical, and mechanical restraints.
Furthermore, additional Code Black training can be included, focusing on drills and processes with effective roles and responsibilities outlined, demonstrated, and practised.
The team at Resolution Education emphasise collaboration and work closely with organisations to ensure learning is tailored accordingly. Building lasting relationships with clients by getting to know their workplace strengths, challenges and experiences is a crucial step in developing the ADP framework successfully.
The aim of the ADP framework is to provide a foundation of learning that can be adapted to the current policies, knowledge, and capabilities of each organisation. This approach ensures that all training is practical to the healthcare workers being trained, with discussions during training centred around real organisational incidents and strategies that are easily implemented in the employees’ day-to-day lives.
Each training program, using the ADP framework, can be delivered in a variety of ways to suit organisational needs. These delivery methods include virtual training, eLearning modules, face-to-face training, or a combination of methods.
How Do VPM and ADP Training Compare?
VPM is a NSW Health-specific framework with fixed content, while ADP is a nationally available framework that Resolution Education tailors to each organisation.
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Feature VPM Framework ADP Framework Developed by Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) Resolution Education Available to NSW Health organisations Hospitals, clinics, aged care and support services across Australia and New Zealand Delivery methods eLearning modules and face-to-face workshops Virtual training, eLearning, face-to-face, or a blend Customisation Preconfigured, approved healthcare topics Tailored to each organisation’s policies and experience Optional add-ons Not specified Code Black training, Train-the-Trainer certification -
Does Resolution Education Provide VPM Training?
No — Resolution Education delivers OVA training using its own ADP framework, not the NSW Health VPM framework.
Resolution Education trainers are experts in providing occupational violence and aggression training, using our well-established and proven ADP framework. Like VPM training, the ADP framework works by equipping healthcare workers with the necessary skills to address occupational violence and aggression effectively.
The trainers at Resolution Education have years of experience using the ADP framework across various healthcare organisations and have conducted training in many different settings such as public and private hospitals and clinics, aged care facilities, NDIS, and support services, to name a few.
Healthcare workers who participate in Resolution Education’s Train-the-Trainer program also become certified in the ADP framework, which provides internal trainers with the knowledge, confidence, and ability to train others in their department/facility with effective OVA tools and strategies.
How Do You Choose the Right Training Framework?
The right framework depends on whether your organisation sits within NSW Health or operates more broadly, and how much customisation your team needs.
When it comes to choosing the most appropriate training framework for your team, both the ADP and VPM frameworks have their strengths.
While the VPM framework is well-established in the New South Wales healthcare industry, Resolution Education trainers, utilising the ADP framework, have a broad understanding of effective strategies to use when preventing and mitigating occupational violence and aggression due to working with all types of healthcare organisations across Australia and New Zealand.
Furthermore, while the VPM framework is preconfigured with specific and approved healthcare topics, the ADP framework takes a more holistic approach to training, striving to understand each organisation on a deeper level, customising training to meet specific needs and including a range of topics that are not available in the VPM framework.
What Are Common Misconceptions About VPM and ADP Training?
- VPM and ADP are the same framework.They are separate frameworks built by different organisations — VPM by HETI for NSW Health, and ADP by Resolution Education for the wider Australian and New Zealand healthcare sector.
- Any provider can deliver VPM training.VPM is an internal NSW Health training framework, enrolled and delivered through NSW Health’s own learning system rather than an external training provider.
- ADP training is a fixed, one-size-fits-all course.The ADP framework is built to be adapted to each organisation’s existing policies, knowledge and real incidents.
Why Does Choosing the Right Framework Matter?
Workplace violence and aggression is a growing risk in Australian healthcare settings, which makes choosing an effective training framework a genuine safety priority. Safe Work Australia reports a 56% increase in serious workers’ compensation claims for assault and exposure to workplace violence over the past five years. The health care and social assistance industry has a high number of workers’ compensation claims and a high rate of reported violence and aggression, according to Safe Work Australia’s workers’ compensation and People at Work Survey data.
Glossary of Terms
- OVA (Occupational Violence and Aggression): a general term for violent or aggressive behaviour directed at workers in the course of their employment.
- VPM (Violence Prevention and Management): also referred to as the VPM Program or VPM training framework, developed by HETI for NSW Health workers.
- ADP (Awareness, De-escalation, Protection): Resolution Education’s training framework, sometimes referred to as the ADP System or ADP model.
- Code Black: the emergency code used in Australian healthcare facilities to call for assistance during a violent or aggressive incident.
- Train-the-Trainer: a certification pathway that allows internal staff to become qualified to deliver a training framework to their own colleagues.
Which Framework Is Right for Your Team?
Both VPM and ADP are credible OVA training frameworks, and the right choice comes down to whether your organisation is inside NSW Health or needs a nationally available, customisable framework.
In conclusion, both the ADP and VPM training frameworks are useful models for addressing psychosocial hazards and managing violent incidents. The choice between the two frameworks will depend on the specific needs and goals of an organisation.
Hopefully, you now have a clearer understanding of the ADP and VPM frameworks and feel more confident in making an informed decision.
If it sounds as though Resolution Education’s ADP framework is right for your team, then fill in the form below to register your interest. We would be more than happy to get in touch and discuss your training needs with you.
Key Takeaways
- VPM is HETI’s training framework for NSW Health workers, delivered internally through NSW Health’s own learning system.
- ADP is Resolution Education’s training framework, delivered across Australia and New Zealand and customised to each organisation.
- Resolution Education does not deliver VPM training — it delivers ADP training and Train-the-Trainer certification.
- Workplace violence in healthcare is a growing risk, with serious workers’ compensation claims for assault up 56% over the past five years.
Our Expert Opinion
It’s easy to pick a training framework based on how modern or well-known it seems. A better approach is to ask which one genuinely fits your environment, your team, and the kinds of incidents your staff actually deal with day-to-day.
Resolution Education Training Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Does VPM training offer flexible delivery options like ADP training does?
No. Each VPM program has a pre‑determined delivery method of either eLearning or face‑to‑face. ADP training, by comparison, can be delivered virtually, via eLearning modules, face‑to‑face, or as a combination of these methods.
Is Code Black training included in the ADP framework or offered separately?
Code Black training can be added on to the ADP framework. It focuses on drills and processes, with roles and responsibilities outlined, demonstrated, and practised.
What can staff do once they’re certified through the Train‑the‑Trainer program?
Staff who complete Resolution Education’s Train‑the‑Trainer program become certified in the ADP framework, giving them the knowledge, confidence, and ability to train others within their own department or facility using effective OVA tools and strategies.
In which healthcare settings has Resolution Education delivered ADP training?
Trainers have delivered ADP training across public and private hospitals and clinics, aged care facilities, NDIS, and support services, among other healthcare settings in Australia and New Zealand.
Can the VPM framework be customised to an organisation’s specific policies the way ADP can?
Not in the same way. The VPM framework is preconfigured with specific, approved healthcare topics, whereas the ADP framework takes a more holistic approach, adapting to each organisation’s current policies, knowledge, and capabilities and including topics not available within VPM.