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Code of Conduct Policy

Policy Statement

This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning this service’s approach to the conduct of its staff.

The service considers that all staff should always act competently and professionally in line with the applicable service standards and regulations, the respective occupational codes of conduct, and the service’s own standards.

The Codes of Conduct

Healthcare assistants and care workers

The service expects any healthcare assistants and care workers it employs to comply with their code of conduct for their occupation or profession as produced by their respective national workforce development body (Skills for Care, England, Social Care Wales or the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)). These staff are provided with copies of the code on appointment and are provided training on it in their induction.

In line with the general requirements of the respective codes, these staff must:

• be accountable by making sure they can answer for their actions or omissions
• always promote and uphold the privacy, dignity, rights, health and wellbeing of people who use health and care services and their carers
• work collaboratively with their colleagues to deliver high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare, care and support
• communicate in an openly and effectively way to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of people who use services
• respect a person’s right to confidentiality
• strive to improve the quality of healthcare, care and support through continuing professional development
• uphold and promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

Registered nurses

The service expects anyone it employs in a registered nursing role to maintain their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in line with the council’s revalidation procedures, and to comply with the current Code for Nurses and Midwives (available at www.nmc.org.uk). Registered nurses must base their practice on the need to:

• prioritise people
• practise effectively
• preserve safety
• promote professionalism and trust.

The service recognises that it has a duty to notify the NMC if it has evidence that any registered nurse it employs has breached any parts of the code, which the NMC will then investigate in line with its misconduct procedures. The service will act in line with the outcomes of any such investigation.

Code of Conduct Policy

The service recognises that it has a duty to ensure that its staff always act professionally and competently with the best interests of people who use the services in mind. Therefore, in this service, all employees, in addition or as reflected in their respective occupational Code of Practice, must:

1. treat people who use the services, other staff, relatives, friends and other visitors with respect and courtesy
2. treat the accommodation and property of people who use the services with respect
3. behave honestly and with integrity
4. act with care and diligence
5. comply with all applicable UK laws, health and safety legislation, employment law legislation and other relevant codes of conduct
6. comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by a superior or member of the service’s management
7. maintain appropriate standards of confidentiality and data protection
8. take reasonable steps to avoid any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with their employment
9. use {{org_field_name}}’s resources in a proper manner
10. not provide false or misleading information in response to a request for information that is made for official purposes in connection with employment
11. not make improper use of the employee’s duties, status, power or authority, in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the employee or for any other person
12. at all times behave in a way that upholds the service’s values, integrity and good reputation
13. not give or disclose, directly or indirectly, any information about the service’s business interests
14. comply with the service’s Gifts and Legacies Policy
15. show no favouritism in awarding contracts (eg to businesses run by employees, ex-employees, friends or relatives)
16. ensure that acceptance of commercial sponsorship does not influence work at the service.

Staff Whose First Language is Other than English

1. It is important that staff whose first language is other than English should not cause offence to others by communicating with one another in the presence of colleagues and people who use the services (whose first language is English) in languages other than English.
2. Where staff members’ first language is other than English they should only carry out conversations in their own language as private conversations away from colleagues and people who use the services. Persistent use of other than English when carrying out the work of {{org_field_name}} will be regarded as uncourteous and disrespectful to people who use the services and colleagues, who are accustomed to being communicated with in English.
3. As English is the standard language for communicating all aspects of a person’s care and treatment, the use of foreign languages could in certain circumstances have other consequences, compromising the health and safety of people who use the services and others. Where there is evidence that such means of communication are responsible for any of the following, the service will treat it as a disciplinary matter:
   a. causing offence, as described above
   b. showing lack of respect and not meeting the needs of people who use the services to be treated with dignity at all times, and/or
   c. putting the safety of people who use the services at risk

The staff involved in these incidents could be made subject to formal disciplinary proceedings because they will be breaching this code of conduct and are not achieving the standards of care and diligence that we expect of them.

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

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

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