Introduction to duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

Understand the implications of duty of care. Define the term ‘ duty of care’

Allhealthand social care organisations have aduty of caretowards any one that they may look after no matter what their age may be. This basically means that we must do what we can to keep a person of any age in our care safe from harm.

Describe how the duty of care affects own work role. I must at all times ensure that the person or persons that I look after are free from dangers within their care setting, this maybe from obstacles in the path that they walk that could cause a trip or fall. Make sure my hands are clean before the preparation of meals and drinks and to ensure person or person’s hands are clean before they start to eat their meal, this can prevent infections. To ensure person or person’s receive personal care, this can prevent urination burns, good hygiene to prevent infection to themselves and others.

Understand support available for addressing dilemma’s that may arise about duty of care.

2. 1 Describe dilemma’s that may arise between the duty of care and individual’s rights.

1 dilemma could be personal care whether they are capable of assisting with their own personal care or of in need of receiving assistance with personal care. We are here to help maintain good personal hygiene but sometimes a person will refuse to assist themselves or allow someone to assist them, if this happens then it is their right to refuse they cannot be forced into something they do not want to do or receive something they don’t want.

2. 2 Explain where to get additional support and advice about how to resolve such dilemma’s.

I would talk to the person whose personal hygiene was in question, to try and find out what the problem may be or look in their care plan to look at their background as there could be something within their past that could help. Also if a person in your care is prone to an illness such as UTI that can cause more confusion and change inpersonalityreport it immediately so necessary testing can be carried out. Talk to my team leader, sometimes an underlying illness can cause a person to react in a certain way, so possible G. P input maybe needed to rule anything out. Talk to the person’sfamilythey may be able to help, the person may feel more comfortable around their family. In some cases you may need to get input from social workers and CPN.

Know how to respond to complaints

3. 1 Describe how to respond to complaints.

First of all listen to the complaint and assess the right action to take. It all depends on what level of seriousness the complaint is. Once you have established this you should be able to either deal with the complaint yourself or advise which course of action to take and to whom to take the complaint to next.

3. 2 Identify the main points of agreed procedures for handling complaints.

Complaints procedure has different methods depending on type of complaint and if it is a complaint that has not been dealt with previously with the desired results. Firstly talk to manager of the home this may be via telephone, or personally usually this can get your complaint dealt with straight away. Put your complaint in writing or email to either the manager of the home or to the area manager. They would then have to write or email you with acknowledgement of your complaint, also details of how long it may take to deal with your complaint and why. If the complaint is of a very serious nature you can then go to the Care Quality Commission.