Protection and Safeguarding in Health and Social Care

1.1: Key responsibilities, for example:

• safeguarding practices 
• relevant background checks and references
• induction programme to include information about safeguarding
• policies and procedures, including whistleblowing
• provision of staff training on safeguarding awareness

2.1: How health and social care services use workplace protocols, policies and guidelines to keep service users safe, for example:

• provides protection for service users and workers
• provides a standard to adhere to
• giving expectations of care to the service user
• giving confidence to all concerned

2.2 Practice of specific health and social care professionals, for example:

• more than one worker caring for the personal needs of the service user
• respecting the individual by giving a choice
• reporting any suspicious signs or symptoms

3.1: Forms of abuse, for example:

• physical abuse
• domestic abuse
• sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation
• emotional abuse, including bullying and cyberbullying
• financial abuse
• modern slavery
• neglect/self-neglect

3.2: Common signs or symptoms, for example:

• physical abuse:

1. physical harm to an individual, for example, untreated or unexplained injuries

• domestic abuse:

1. threats, violence and abuse between family members or people in an intimate relationship

• sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation:

1. unexplained pregnancy
2. unexplained gifts

• emotional abuse including bully and cyber bullying:

1. threats
2. humiliation
3. controlling behaviour
4. harassment

• financial abuse:

1. missing money/possessions
2. not having enough money for bills or food

• modern slavery:

1. always in the company of others with no or very few personal possessions
2. unable to interact with others

• neglect/self-neglect:

1. malnutrition
2. dehydration
3. dirty clothes
4. poor hygiene

3.3: Factors, for example:

• physical disability
• learning disability
• mental illness
• family conflict
• dependency
• poorly trained staff

4.1: Procedures, for example:

• discussing concerns with a line manager, who will refer the matter to social care services if needed
• accurately recording, including using body charts to document any marks or injuries
• if the concern involves the manager, reporting should be made to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• in emergencies, informing the police immediately and calling 999 if urgent medical attention is needed
• following whistleblowing procedures to report poor or unsafe practices confidentially and safely

4.2: How to respond, for example:

• listen and talk with the person
• do not make judgments
• make the person feel safe and secure
• take notes and document what is said, and preserve evidence
• involve relevant people as quickly as possible, for example, the named person in the centre

5.2: Support available, for example:

• internet sites/phone lines
• leaflets from charities
• support networks
• networks for specific groups, for example, male survivors of abuse, partners of survivors of abuse