The Department of
Health has today launched four new sets of guidance to improve the
care of vulnerable people in NHS funded care. The documents remind
staff and managers across the health service of the importance of
personalised care and dignity and offers practical advice on how
to deliver this.
Recent reports such as the Health Ombudsman’s Care &
Compassion report have highlighted shocking examples of failings
in NHS and care services. While the vast majority of patients
receive a high standard of care, no failings are acceptable. That
is why the Department has been working with stakeholders including
the Care Quality Commission, ADASS and Royal Colleges of Nurses
and GPs as well as frontline staff to develop practical guidance
for staff across the NHS.
The four documents being launched today are:
Safeguarding adults: The role of health service
practitioners;Safeguarding adults: The role of health service
managers and their boards;Safeguarding adults: The role of NHS
Commissioners; andSafeguarding Adults: Self-assessment and
assurance framework for health care services.
By developing specific guidance for NHS staff, managers and
commissioners the Department is sending a clear signal that
safeguarding should be a priority for everyone in the NHS.
Practical help given in the guides includes:
A step by step advice for staff on how to investigate suspected
neglect;Six fundamental safeguarding actions for managers to take
and a list of questions they should ask themselves to ensure they
are meeting their responsibilities; andAdvice for commissioners on
how they can build safeguarding into commissioning and make this
part of their joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:
“Protecting the safety and dignity of vulnerable patients is the
responsibility of everyone in the NHS. That’s why today we have
published practical advice for all health service staff, from the
frontline to commissioners, on how to safeguard patients by
delivering personalised care that respects their safety and dignity.
“This guidance has been developed with staff and stakeholders to
ensure they address the day-to-day safeguarding issues facing
staff and managers. Small changes like ensuring all staff are
aware of the full range of all the safeguarding procedures in
place at their organisation can make a real difference to patients.”
Adi Cooper, Joint ADASS lead on safeguarding and Director of
Adult Social Services for the London Borough of Sutton said:
“ADASS welcomes this new guidance, which will support health
commissioners, providers and practitioners to improve their
safeguarding activity for adults who are at risk of harm or abuse.
We will continue to collaborate and work in partnership to achieve
independence, choice and control, and protection for adults at
risk of harm or abuse across the health and social care sectors.”
Chief Executive and Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery
Council Professor Dickon Weir-Hughes said:
“As the professional regulator for nurses and midwives we are
committed to strengthening the safeguarding of adults and welcome
this new material to further support the professionals who care
for them.
“Having contributed to the work of this health advisory group, we
are confident these newly published materials will be of interest
to a wide range of professionals and will support them in their
understanding, practice and decision-making in relation to
safeguarding adults.”
The Department of Health also recently announced that it would
not be seeking any exceptions to the implementation of the Age
Discrimination Ban, which is part of the Equality Act 2010. This
is intended to send a clear signal that there is no place for Age
Discrimination in the NHS.
Notes to Editors
For media enquiries please contact the Department of Health
press office on 020 7210 5221The guidance documents can be found
here:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_124882This
guidance was developed following agreement by the
Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Safeguarding last December
that good practice materials were needed to support agencies
involved in safeguarding including the NHS.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk