Safeguarding Policy

Training and Assessment in Healthcare (TIHC) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all our staff to share this commitment.

Purpose

The aim of this policy is to provide the employees of Training & Assessment in Healthcare Ltd (TIHC) with a simple framework through which the elements of Safeguarding will be met. This policy ensures that robust procedures are in place at TIHC to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities and accountabilities and gives assurance to individuals and our clients that safeguarding is understood as the right of the ‘individual’ to live a life free from harm where communities have a culture that does not tolerate abuse, work together to prevent harm and know what to do when abuse happens.

Scope

This policy covers all aspects of safeguarding within our organisation and applies to all staff working with adults, children or young people experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect. This policy describes how staff should respond if abuse is suspected, identified or disclosed.

Objectives

The objectives of safeguarding are to:

Stop abuse or neglect wherever possible
Prevent significant harm and reduce the risk of neglect to adults and children
Respond sensitively and in a constant manner to all concerns or reported incidents of abuse
Raise public awareness so that communities as a whole play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect
Provide information, support and training in accessible ways to ensure people understand the different types of abuse, know what to do to raise concerns and understand the importance of adhering to organisational policies and procedures

Safeguarding

Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board multi-agency policy states that all adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, ethnic, cultural, racial or national origin, religious belief/non-belief or sexual orientation have a right to live in safety, free from abuse or neglect. TIHC is aware of the need for all staff to comply with the Data Protection Act (and the General Data Protection Regulation), Human Rights Act, common law duty of confidentiality and the Freedom of Information Act. TIHC staff are to be aware of all relevant legislation (e.g. Health & Social Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, Human Rights Act, Equality Act 2010 etc)

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Managing Director to ensure that the policy and procedures are promoted and built into all TIHC processes. The safeguarding lead (Rachael Dittrich) for the organisation will be responsible for supporting the managing director to ensure processes are complied with and will report in a timely fashion to the managing director any concerns, issues that arise in relation to safeguarding. All staff whether, permanent or interim, temporary or contractors are responsible for ensuring that they are aware of the requirements incumbent upon them and for ensuring that they comply with this policy. All staff have a responsibility to adhere to all safeguarding standards. All TIHC staff are responsible for contacting the emergency services (999) where there is a likelihood of significant harm to an individual(s), they are also responsible for raising concerns appropriately and proportionally so that a situation is not made worse for the individual(s) concerned and so that issues can be dealt with constructively and in a way that is outcome and person-centred focused. Information sharing is the key to providing an effective response where there are emerging concerns. A decision will be made jointly as to the severity and appropriate response to any concern. Verbal and/or written feedback or a report to the appropriate manager at the care provision and to the NSAB/NSCP these reports will be made by TIHC staff with support from the managing director/safeguarding lead.

All TIHC staff are accountable for maintaining factual, accurate and clear records of any concerns in the correct systems at TIHC and the Managing Director will take ownership of and seek to improve the quality of information within this service. TIHC will promote information quality and effective records management through policy, procedures, supervision, audit and training.

Training/Awareness

Safeguarding training updates are mandatory for all staff. All staff delivering safeguarding training on behalf of TIHC are responsible for ensuring they are up to date and must continue their own professional development – utilising information from the NSAB and NSCP.

Monitoring/Audit/Review

The managing director and safeguarding lead will monitor and review this policy annually or earlier if appropriate, to take into account any national/local changes to legislation or statutory requirements.

Appendix 1

The government has established six principles that should underpin all adult safeguarding work and describe the individual outcomes that should result. These principles are set out in the Care Act (2014) and all signatories to this policy must adhere to them when delivering their adult safeguarding function.

These are:

1.Empowerment – Presumption of person led decisions and informed consent

2.Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs

3.Proportionality – Proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented

4.Protection – Support and representation for those in greatest need.

5.Partnership – Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.

6.Accountability – Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

Appendix 2 - The 10 Categories of Abuse

Physical: The non-accidental infliction of physical force that results or could result) in bodily injury, pain or impairment
Domestic: Incident or patterns of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or any abuse by someone who is or has been an intimate partner or family member, regardless of gender or sexuality. (e.g. honour abuse, forced marriage, FGM)
Psychological/Emotional: Acts or behaviour which impinges on the emotional health or causes distress or anguish to individuals. (e.g.trolling) This may also be present in other forms of abuse
Sexual abuse and exploitation: Direct or indirect involvement in any sexual activity without consent. This could also be the inability to consent, pressure or inducement to consent or take part. (e.g. internet grooming)
Neglect & acts of omission: Ignoring or withholding physical, social or medical care needs which result in a situation or environment being detrimental to the individual(s)
Financial & material: Unauthorised, fraudulent obtaining and improper use of funds, property or any resources (scams, cybercrime)
Discriminatory: Exists when values, beliefs or culture result in a misuse of power that denies mainstream opportunities to some groups or individuals (e.g. hate or mate crime, radicalisation)
Organisational: Organisational abuse occurs within the culture of the organisation, it places the needs of staff above the needs and care of the service users, could include neglect, poor practice, lack of training, lack of staff, lack of resources or as a result of the structure, frameworks, routines, policies, processes or leadership
Modern Slavery: Slavery, human trafficking, forced labour or domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment
Self Neglect (hoarding, self-harm) : Consideration for an individual’s right to choose their lifestyle, balanced with their mental health or capacity to understand the consequences of their actions. Self neglect is characterised as the behaviour of a person that may threaten their health or safety. Self neglect generally manifests itself as a refusal or failure to provide themselves with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated) and safety precautions

Appendix – Contact Numbers

Norfolk Safeguarding - 0344 800 8020

Norfolk Children's Advice & Duty Service (CADS) - 0344 800 8021

LADO (Local Area Designated Officer) – 01603 223473

Police - 101 or 999

Care Quality Commission – 03000 616161

Whistleblowing Helpline – 08000 724725

Modern Slavery Helpline – 0800 0121 700

NSPCC - 0808 800 5000

ChildLine - 0800 1111

https://www.norfolklscb.org/