Sensory_Loss

Unit 4222-204 Introduction to duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings. Outcome 1 Understand the implications of duty of care 1 Define the term ‘duty of care’. 2 describe how the duty of care affects own work role. Duty of Care means the extent to which a healthcare provider must reasonably ensure that no harm comes to a patient under the provider’s care. But a Duty to Care also means that governments, their bureaucracies, service organisations and individual service providers have a duty to take positive action to ensure the provision of health care services that are of a proper standard. This means that they comply with agreed upon written professional and generic standards of practice, evidence based practice, legislative obligations and appropriate government and organisational policies. In practice, a Duty of Care means that all clinical and non-clinical staff, collectively and individually, have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure mental health consumers are: - Safe; - Unharmed; - Protected from abuse; - Receive a standard of care and treatment that is evidence based; - Receive a quality of care and treatment that complies with profession-specific and generic standards of practice. If subject to the Mental Health Act, a duty of care exists to ensure that the above care is delivered, and that: - Consumers are treated with respect and dignity; - Consumers’ rights are protected and respected; - The standards of care and treatment are equal to that of patients in the general healthcare system; - Clinical compliance with all the provisions outlined under the Mental Health Act. Delivering a proper duty of care requires the provision of a transparent level of accountability. Accountability means being responsible for your actions or inactions. While clinical and non-clinical services have a legal duty of care, equally, all governments have a duty to care. Duty of Care affects my role as a support worker in many ways. Firstly, I must keep the service user safe and also make sure that I don’t come to any harm. I must make sure that the service user is treated with respect and dignity. And also treated fairly and without bias. I must see that service user’s nutritional needs are sufficient, and also their hygiene and clothing needs are met. I must also give support and advice when required. My training must be up to date and also my knowledge of a service user’s medical history.