Safeguarding Adults and Preventing Abuse Policy

Aim

The aim of Cavendish Homecare Professionals is to ensure that its clients are, as far as is practicable, protected from abuse at all times.

Background

It is a sad fact that the abuse of clients in the care and healthcare sectors does occur, albeit rarely. Cavendish Homecare Professionals believes that it has a fundamental role to ensure that its clients, many of whom are vulnerable and frail, receive the best quailty care possible and are protected at all times from all forms of abuse.

Abuse can be defined as the harming of a more vulnerable individual usually by someone who is in a position of power, trust or authority over that individual. This definition covers a wide range of possible abuse. Punching, hairpulling, pulling, pinching and pushing are all examples of unacceptable physical practices that may constitute abuse. Others include insults and abuse and what is often referred to as ‘institutional abuse’ where clients in poor quality environments are neglected or receive little or no stimulation.

The organisation understands that abuse can take many forms including:

Physical – including punching, hitting, pulling, pinching, shoving
Financial – including theft and fraud
Psychological – including insults, abuse and belittling
Sexual – including inappropriate touching and molesting
Neglect – including being understimulated, underfed or left in need
Discrimination – where one group are preferred over another
Inhuman or degrading treatment – for example the use of punishment
Inappropriate or excessive restraint – for example holding, locking doors, tying clients to chairs or commodes or the overuse of sedatives

Research shows that abusers also take many forms and have in the past included staff and managers, visitors, friends and family, volunteers, and even other clients. Abuse is usually carried out deliberately but it can also be the result of thoughtlessness, carelessness, ignorance, inefficiency or recklessness.

Cavendish Homecare Professionals complies fully with the Government’s ‘No Secrets’ guidelines to protect vulnerable adults from abuse and with local Safeguarding Adults policies and arrangements, a national framework of standards for good practice and outcomes in adult protection work.

Policy

Clients will be protected from abuse by the operation of sound recruitment policies which are designed to exclude untrustworthy individuals or potential abusers from working in a position of trust with vulnerable clients. At Cavendish Homecare Professionals we will ensure that all new and potential appointments and volunteers are given rigorous pre-employment checks, including the use of Disclosure & Barring (DBS) checks and by the taking up of two references before the individual starts work.
All staff will be trained to be aware of adult protection issues. The need for vigilence should be stressed to staff of all job roles and positions during induction training and subsequently in regular updates. Induction training will also include training in what staff should do if they suspect abuse is taking place and who to report their concerns to. All staff should be trained in the recognition and identification of elder abuse, thus enabling them to maintain a more effective vigilance concerning the possibility of abuse of clients from whatever source.
A climate of ‘openness, honesty and awareness’ among staff, clients, families and relatives will be encouraged which enables both staff and clients to freely raise concerns about any behaviour which they suspect might be abusive or which might lead to abuse. Clients should be reassured that they will not be victimised for speaking out and will be informed of where they can raise their concerns.
A staff member who suspects that abuse may be occurring, or who witnesses a situation in which a client may be actually being abused, should report the incident to their line manager or duty manager immediately.
Where staff are worried that they may be victimised because of their disclosure they should be made aware that the organisation has a Whistleblowing Policy in place which may mean that they are protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act
Upon receiving a report of suspected or alleged abuse the line manager should take immediate action to ensure the safety of the client concerned and begin an investigation, reporting the matter to a senior manager or to the registered person as necessary.
A staff member who is accused or suspected of abuse will be dealt with according to the disciplinary procedure which, subject to risk assessment, will usually mean the individual being suspended, without prejudice to that individual, pending investigation.
Any member of staff who has been dismissed for misconduct which harmed or placed at risk of harm a vulnerable adult will be reported to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
Staff and managers will work closely with partner organisations where required, including the police and local safeguarding boards, and will cooperate in any abuse investigations. They will follow any protection plan agreed through multi-agency procedures in order to reduce the risk of further abuse after an actual or suspected case of abuse.
Records will be kept of all adult protection issues and relevant decisions.

Management duties

Managers and supervisors in the organisation have a duty to:

Regularly revise policies and procedures to combat abuse, updating them with current good practice.
Operate systems of management, supervision, internal inspection, and quality control which are designed to reveal abuse if it exists and encourage a culture and ethos for the organisation which is hostile to any sort of abuse.
Operate recruitment policies and procedures which identify and exclude from employment in the organisation potential or actual abusers.
Provide training for staff in all aspects of abuse and protection, including their duties to protect clients from abuse and their rights to protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the organisation’s Whistleblowing Policy.
Investigate any evidence of abuse speedily and sympathetically in full collaboration and cooperation with all other relevant adult protection agencies.
Monitor cases and incidents, analysing trends and patterns and implementing improvements to procedures if an investigation into abuse reveals deficiencies in the way in which the organisation operates or loopholes which could be exploited by abusers.

Staff duties

Staff have a duty to:

Provide clients with the best possible care at all times and to never engage in any action or activity that could be construed as abusive.
Report any suspicions they might have that abuse is occurring.
Cooperate in every possible way in any investigation into an alleged abuse.
Participate in training activities relating to abuse and protection.

Applicability and scope

This policy applies to all staff, clients, visitors and contractors without exception. All staff have responsibility for ensuring that they work within the remit of this policy and in the manner in which they have been trained.

Date: January 2024

Version: 10 (Review)

Source: Expert Care Manager