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Night Care in Supported Living (England) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy describes {{org_field_name}}’s approach to its night care provision. This can involve both sleeping in and waking night care depending on individuals’ needs.

{{org_field_name}} works on the basis that its night care forms an essential part of its total service provision, particularly for people who use the service who have complex needs. As with all our provision we provide night care in person-centred ways to meet individual needs.

{{org_field_name}} sources and organises its night care to comply with the relevant provisions on staffing and safe effective care of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and where relevant in line with the Care Quality Commission’s guidance for services for people with learning disabilities and autism. Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.

Principles

1. Night care is seen as a continuation of the care and support to a person provided throughout the day and is therefore person-centred.
2. People receiving care are helped to get a good night’s rest and sleep. The needs of any people receiving care who are wakeful at night are appropriately met.
3. Any care and support provided to a person during the night including monitoring is based on the individual’s assessed needs and as recorded on their care and support plan.
4. Night care plans are based on the need of people receiving care to have the minimum disturbance possible while also making sure that they are kept safe.
5. Any risks to a individual’s safety and welfare at night are always fully assessed and carefully managed.
6. Any medicines used to help a person to sleep or as otherwise required follow all prescribing guidelines and are given in line with {{org_field_name}}’s medicines administration policy and procedures.
7. Any interruption to a person’s patterns of sleep that might result in a need to monitor that person’s condition or to provide medication is carried out with the full consent of the person involved.
8. Where a person is unable to give consent to procedures that are considered necessary during the night because of lack of mental capacity are made in line with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
9. {{org_field_name}} is committed to avoiding the use of night time medicines solely for the purpose of restricting or controlling disturbing or disruptive behaviour that is not sleep related and which should be addressed through positive behavior management methods.
10. {{org_field_name}} always employs night care staff in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of people receiving care.
11. {{org_field_name}} employs night care staff who are qualified and competent to provide the levels of care and support required (either in terms of sleeping in duties or waking care).
12. {{org_field_name}} will offer the same opportunities for training, supervision and support to any staff whom it employs solely for night care duties as its other staff.
13. Any work in hat is carried out at night in the accommodation of the people receiving care is always done so that they are not disturbed by it.

Implementation

To put these principles into practice {{org_field_name}}:

• always has a full complement of competent and qualified night care staff who:
a) can communicate with people receiving care who need to be woken up or cannot sleep
b) know how to respond to the requests for attention of people receiving care and how to help and respond if they are distressed, confused or prone to wandering, appear lonely and bereft, or have illusions and delusions.
• fully communicates its standards and expectations to its night care staff through detailed briefing, monitoring and reviewing of their practice
• makes night care person-centred based on individual need and risk assessments, rather than uniform, routine practice
• develops a person-centred night-time care environment that promotes good sleep hygiene, using technological aids if suitable
• makes sure that intrusive practices such as checking and changing devices or clothes are done with minimal disruption and are sensitively carried out
• provides relatives with relevant information about night care practices and keeps them updated
• plans and follows through systematically all night care plans and recording practices, including identifying and managing risks, following correct medication and other agreed care procedures
• briefs staff undertaking night care duties clearly on a day-to-day basis about their tasks, duties and responsibilities
• trains and supervises night care staff to respond to emergencies and health and safety matters
• uses assistive technology appropriately and ensures staff are competent in using it
• supports night care staff to manage the risks of working at night, particularly if alone
• helps its staff to manage the stresses of night-time working and other occupational health issues
• includes its night care staff in its training, supervision and staff appraisal programmes
• manages any outsourced night care service so that standards are maintained (where applicable)
• appoints night-time key workers who are responsible for producing, implementing, co-ordinating and reviewing night care plans and providing a communication link between the people receiving care, their relatives and other staff (where applicable)
• regularly reviews and evaluates its night care provision to make sure that it continues to fully meet the needs of people receiving care and to make changes in line with the review findings.

[{{org_field_name}} might wish to expand on any of the above by describing its night-time provision in the detail it requires.]

Training

All night care staff are provided with the same training opportunities as their daytime colleagues and specific arrangements will be made to ensure their attendance. {{org_field_name}}’s policies and procedures on night care have important implications for induction training in line with the Care Certificate Standards Framework, particularly:

• 3. Duty of Care
• 4. Equality and Diversity
• 5. Work in a Person-centred Way
• 6. Communication
• 7. Privacy and Dignity
• 8. Fluids and Nutrition
• 10. Safeguarding Adults.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}

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