Policy on suspected, alleged or confirmed instances of abuse

Definition: Abuse

“Abuse is a violation of an individual’s humans and civil right by another person or persons.”

Direct Medics Ltd. aims to provide a safe environment for children and adults within healthcare and for the healthcare staff we provide to care for our service users. All candidates will attend mandatory training on Safeguarding of Children and Young People and Safeguarding Adults.

Every candidate has a responsibility to ensure that children and adults at risk are protected and to know what to do if there are any concerns surrounding a child and adult’s welfare and safety.

It is important to:

Understand what constitutes abuse
Know different forms of abuse. Physical, emotional, neglect and sexual abuse.
How to recognise the signs of abuse
What to do if you have concerns of abuse
Familiarise yourself with local policies/procedures

Types of Abuse:

Abuse may be:

Physical, including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate actions. Sexual abuse, including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts without consent.
Psychological abuse, including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, intimidation, coercion, verbal or racial abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
Financial or material abuse, including theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Neglect and acts of omission, including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failures to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
Multiple forms of abuse may occur in an ongoing relationship or an abusive service setting to one person, or to more than one person at a time, making it important to look beyond single incidents or breaches in standards, to underlying dynamics and patterns of harm.
Abuse can be seen if an employee falls asleep on duty whilst caring for a vulnerable client.

Cases of suspected abuse of adults are dealt with in line with ‘Adult Safeguarding Prevention and Protection in Partnership July (2015)

The agency recommends that all cases of suspected domestic abuse are dealt with in line with NICE Public Health Guideline – PH50, “Domestic violence and abuse: multi-agency working”.

All cases of suspected abuse should be reported to our Nursing Manager (who can be reached on 02890590077; in the event that the Manager is not immediately available, speak with either the Recruitment Manager or Managing Director and make it clear that the Nursing Manager should get in touch urgently). The Nursing Manager will refer to and liaise with relevant departments and other appropriate agencies (including where appropriate but not limited to, the designated officer for the local HSC trust’s Gateway Team; the PSNI; RQIA) who will investigate to:

Ensure the safety of the service user
Establish matters to fact
Access the needs of the child or adult at risk for protection, support and redress
Decide what sanctions are necessary with regard to the perpetrator
Decide what action should be taken if the service or its management have been culpable, ineffective or negligent.

A properly coordinated joint investigation will achieve more than a series of separate investigations, it will ensure that evidence is shared, repeated interviewing is avoided and will cause less distress for the person who may have suffered abuse. Any relevant staff members at Direct Medics Ltd. are expected to participate fully in case reviews and meetings where required and the overall aim of the investigation is not only protecting a vulnerable person in one case but to take on opportunities for further staff training, reflection and learning.

When reporting an incidence of suspected abuse the following detail must be provided in writing:

Name and address of the child or adult at risk of harm or in need of protection
Information about the clients such as age, disability, environment, genders, ethnicity and living arrangements
Whether or not the person is already known to any agency, particularly social services, or whether it is a new referral (if known)
Information about the suspected abuse perpetrator
Type of suspected abuse
Setting in which abuse took place
Time and frequency of suspected abuse
Whether or not there is imminent danger to the victim

Bullying

Direct Medics Ltd. operates in the belief that all agency staff should be able to attend their assignments without fear of humiliation, intimidation, sexual or racial harassment, oppression or any form of bullying. It is the responsibility of management both at the agency and its client organisations to ensure that agency staff can work in a caring and protective atmosphere.

To achieve this, the company will do the following:

i. Ensure that there is a procedure to follow if there is an incident of bullying;

ii. Ensure that victims are given the required support in order to prevent a recurrence of the behaviour;

iii. Inform relevant staff of the action being taken, why it is being taken and what they can do to reinforce and support that action;

iv. Ensure the incident is handled sensitively at all times;

v. Assist the bullied person to record the event, in writing, with dates if appropriate;

vi. Ensure that the alleged bully has the opportunity to record their version of events;

vii. Encourage all agency staff to be aware of the danger signs of abuse and bullying amongst their colleagues and pass on any worries they may have about a colleague.

Agency staff should always:

i. Watch for signs of distress in their colleagues;

ii. Pass concerns to the Nursing Manager who will record all incidents

All instances of alleged harassment or bullying are investigated and if necessary, are dealt with under the company’s disciplinary procedure.