| Description | Prevention of abuse towards vulnerable patient population. |
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| ISBN | (Web Only) |
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| Official Print Publication Date | |
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| Website Publication Date | December 10, 1999 |
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Protecting the Vulnerable: Caring Enough?
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. A strategy for identification and management of vulnerability within specific patient groups should be established within the organisation. There should be commitment at Trust board level and a senior individual should be identified to co-ordinate the implementation of the strategy.
2. A proactive and systematic approach to monitoring should be established. This should include reviewing complaints, accidents and clinical incidents, reports from appropriate clinical audits and from relevant research into related professional practice.
3. Action plans to minimise or eliminate risk of abuse should be agreed in relation to different aspects of abuse. These include physical, emotional and sexual abuse and the prevention or breach of individuals' rights, including personal autonomy, financial concerns and ensuring rights to adequate information.
4. Policies should be established and/or reviewed across the organisation and should include human resource policies stressing the importance of suitability for practice, staff appraisal, personal development planning and occupational health services.
5. Awareness of the need to protect the vulnerable should be included within appropriate continuous professional development programmes, particularly at induction of new staff.
6. Clinical supervision for registered nurses which includes ongoing support for all staff should be established.
7. The implications of the 1998 Data Protection Legislation should be considered and appropriate policies and practices regarding the collection, storage and disposal of health care information developed.
8. The development of independent advocacy should be supported and access to such services facilitated.
9. Curriculum development at pre-registration level should acknowledge the need for education about protection of the vulnerable and potential breaches of care.