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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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First Aid and Emergency Response Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear and legally compliant framework for the provision of first aid and emergency response within {{org_field_name}}. It sets out how we respond to medical emergencies and accidents in the community, ensuring the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of the people we support, staff, and the public.

Our home care staff often work in isolation, delivering personal and sometimes complex care in people’s homes. The nature of domiciliary care means that staff may be the first and only responder during a medical or safety emergency. Therefore, it is vital that robust first aid training, clear emergency procedures, and ongoing managerial support are in place to manage such situations effectively.

This policy is informed by:

• The Health and Social Care Standards (in force since 1 April 2018).
• The Care Inspectorate Quality Framework for Support Services (care at home, including supported living models of support).
• The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210), including Regulation 4 (welfare) and Regulation 5 (personal plans).
• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated risk-management duties (including lone working considerations).
• The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and HSE guidance (including the requirement to complete a first-aid needs assessment).
• RIDDOR 2013 (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) for reportable work-related incidents.
• Organisational Duty of Candour: Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 and the Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018.
• Care Inspectorate guidance on notifications and record keeping for adult services (current version, including updates effective 7 April 2025).

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All care and support staff delivering services in the community
• Coordinators, team leaders, and managers who support lone workers
• Staff responsible for training, supervision, and emergency planning
• Volunteers and contracted professionals engaged in delivering personal care

The policy covers first aid procedures, staff training, incident reporting, emergency medical response, and contingency planning for unexpected events in the field.

3. Related Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with:

• Health and Safety Policy
• Risk Assessment and Management Policy
• Medication Management Policy
• Lone Working Policy
• Safeguarding and Protection from Abuse Policy
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy
• Incident Reporting and Notification Policy
• Business Continuity and Emergency Planning Policy

4. Policy Statement

{{org_field_name}} is committed to ensuring that all care is delivered in a safe, effective, and responsive manner. This includes being well-prepared to manage medical emergencies, accidents, sudden illness, or unexpected incidents involving people we support, staff, or others present during service delivery.

All staff must be equipped with the necessary training, tools, and decision-making support to respond appropriately to an emergency until professional medical help arrives. We also ensure that our emergency response protocols are clearly communicated, regularly tested, and updated in line with legislation and best practice.

We view every emergency response as an opportunity to review, learn, and improve the safety and quality of care.

5. Legal Responsibilities and Standards

As a care provider regulated by the Care Inspectorate, {{org_field_name}} has a duty to ensure that:

• We maintain adequate and appropriate first-aid arrangements based on a documented First Aid Needs Assessment, reviewed at least annually and whenever risks change (for example, new packages of care, higher acuity clients, new equipment, or significant incidents).
• Our needs assessment explicitly considers lone working, travel between visits, remote locations, access to emergency medical services, clients’ environments, history of incidents, and staff wellbeing/mental health support needs.
• We ensure staff have access to suitable first-aid equipment and clear instructions for use, and that equipment checks are risk-based (minimum quarterly unless risk indicates more frequent checks).
• We ensure all staff know the first-aid and emergency arrangements, including how to summon help, escalation routes, and what to do if they cannot safely remain at the scene.
• Emergency procedures are documented, communicated, and followed in the event of an incident
• All incidents are recorded and escalated according to internal procedure. External reporting (Care Inspectorate notifications, RIDDOR, police) is completed when the incident meets the relevant reporting criteria and timescales.

5.1 First Aid Needs Assessment and Governance

{{org_field_name}} will complete and maintain a First Aid Needs Assessment to determine what first-aid provision is “adequate and appropriate” for our service delivery model.

The assessment will consider, as a minimum:

• lone working and staff working in isolation in people’s homes;
• travel risks (driving, slips/trips in unfamiliar environments, adverse weather);
• client acuity (for example, frailty, falls risk, epilepsy, diabetes, oxygen use, choking risk);
• foreseeable hazards in home environments and when moving/handling;
• proximity and access to emergency medical services;
• staff wellbeing, including how staff can access support where someone may be experiencing a mental health issue.

The Registered Manager is responsible for ensuring:

• the needs assessment is completed, recorded, implemented and reviewed at least annually;
• learning from incidents, complaints, audits and inspections is reflected in updated arrangements;
• staff competence is monitored through supervision, observation and refreshers.

6. First Aid in the Community

Due to the nature of domiciliary care, our staff often operate as lone workers in private homes and may be the only person present during an emergency. To manage this safely, we have put in place the following practices:

First Aid Training

All care staff receive certified Emergency First Aid at Work training as part of their induction. This training is provided by accredited trainers and includes:

• Basic life support and CPR
• Managing unconsciousness
• Recognising the signs of stroke, heart attack, or diabetic emergencies
• Handling choking, falls, bleeding, or seizures
• Responding to allergic reactions and administering emergency assistance

Training is refreshed in line with training provider certification and earlier where the First Aid Needs Assessment, incident learning, changes in guidance, or role requirements indicate a need. Where trained first-aid personnel are temporarily unavailable, a designated appointed person will take charge of first-aid arrangements for that period, including summoning emergency assistance and managing equipment and reporting requirements.

Additional Clinical Support

For individuals with higher medical needs, such as those receiving PEG feeds, oxygen therapy, or palliative care, we ensure that care staff have appropriate clinical support from district nurses or NHS partners, and understand what constitutes an emergency under each care plan.

Emergency Supplies

Each staff member is issued with access to a basic first aid kit, suitable for minor cuts, burns, or personal injury. These are checked quarterly, and replenished by the service office as required.

Where an individual requires specific emergency equipment (such as rescue medication or oxygen), this is kept in the person’s home, stored safely and in line with our Medication Management Policy.

7. Emergency Response Protocol

When an emergency occurs, staff must remain calm, prioritise safety, and act in accordance with the following structured response:

1. Assess the situation for immediate danger to self or others.
2. Call 999 for ambulance, police, or fire services as required.
3. Check the person’s personal plan and any documented anticipatory care arrangements (for example, ACP/DNACPR information) without delaying emergency help, and share relevant information with emergency responders.
4. Provide first aid or comfort until professional help arrives – only within the limits of your training and without administering unauthorised medication.
5. Inform your line manager or the on-call manager via {{out_of_hours}} as soon as safe to do so.
6. Notify the family or representative of the person, where appropriate and with respect for confidentiality and consent.
7. Record the incident accurately and in detail, using the organisation’s Incident Report Form.
8. Preserve the scene if the incident may require investigation (e.g. a fall with serious injury).

The Registered Manager (or on-call manager) will make required notifications to the Care Inspectorate via the Digital Portal/eForms within the required timescales in line with the current “Notification guidance for adult services” (including the updated “protection concern” notification requirements effective 7 April 2025).

Where the circumstances indicate potential harm, neglect, abuse, exploitation, or unexplained injury, staff must follow the Safeguarding and Protection from Abuse Policy and escalate to the manager immediately so that appropriate safeguarding referrals and regulatory notifications can be made.

8. Working in People’s Homes

Supporting someone in their home brings unique challenges. Our staff are trained to be aware of the environment and potential hazards such as:

• Inadequate lighting or clutter that could contribute to falls
• Faulty appliances or utilities
• Poor hygiene that could present infection risks
• Behavioural emergencies or aggression

Staff are taught to carry out dynamic risk assessments upon entering every home. If at any point they feel unsafe or unable to manage a situation, they are instructed to withdraw, seek help, and escalate to their manager or emergency services as appropriate.

9. Supporting People with Emergency Health Needs

Some people we support may have chronic or degenerative conditions that present sudden health risks, such as epilepsy, diabetes, or severe allergies. These needs are clearly documented in their personal plan and discussed in team briefings.

We work closely with GPs, district nurses, and hospital discharge teams to ensure all staff understand:

• What constitutes an emergency for that person
• What rescue medication may be required
• When to escalate to 999
• What not to do (e.g. moving someone following a fall if not trained)

Staff are not permitted to administer any invasive emergency medication (such as midazolam or insulin) unless they have received specific, approved training and it is agreed in the care plan.

10. Incident Reporting and Post-Emergency Review

All first aid and emergency incidents must be reported to the Registered Manager immediately after the event. The staff member involved must complete an Incident Report Form, including:

• Date, time, and location of the incident
• A clear description of what happened and who was present
• The actions taken, including any medical intervention
• Details of follow-up communication with families, managers, or professionals

Each incident is reviewed by the management team to identify any learning, potential safeguarding concerns, or necessary changes to care plans or training. Serious incidents are escalated in line with regulatory and legal obligations.

Where an incident is work-related and meets the reporting thresholds, {{org_field_name}} will report it under RIDDOR 2013 to the relevant enforcing authority (HSE), and maintain appropriate records.

Where an unexpected or unintended incident occurs in the course of providing care and results in harm that meets the Duty of Candour criteria, {{org_field_name}} will activate the Organisational Duty of Candour procedure, including notification, apology, review, and record keeping in line with the 2016 Act and the 2018 Regulations.

11. Emotional Support and Debriefing

Emergencies can be distressing, particularly for lone workers dealing with sudden illness, injury, or death. We ensure that all staff involved in an emergency are offered a confidential debrief session, with the option of ongoing support through supervision or external counselling where needed.

The emotional wellbeing of our staff is just as important as their physical safety, and we take proactive steps to ensure trauma is acknowledged, processed, and responded to with care.

12. Business Continuity and Major Events

In the event of large-scale emergencies such as pandemics, power outages, or severe weather affecting service delivery, our Business Continuity and Emergency Planning Policy is activated. This includes prioritising essential visits, reallocating staff, and maintaining communication with local authorities and health services.

Care plans include contingency arrangements for individuals most at risk in such situations. Managers ensure that vulnerable clients are checked on first, and emergency numbers and procedures are accessible to all team members.

We keep an up-to-date written emergency procedure, including emergency staffing and visit-prioritisation arrangements, and ensure staff can access it when working in the community. This aligns with Care Inspectorate expectations on records and emergency procedures.

13. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis or sooner if:

• There are changes in legislation or regulatory guidance
• The Care Inspectorate updates notification/record-keeping guidance or relevant quality frameworks (for example, notification category changes or timescale changes)
• An incident highlights the need for revision
• Feedback from staff, families, or regulators suggests improvement

The Registered Manager and Nominated Individual are responsible for ensuring the policy remains up to date and that any updates are cascaded across the team. All staff are required to read and acknowledge the policy during induction and when revised.

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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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