S151. Responding to Accidents and Emergencies
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{{org_field_name}}
Responding to Accidents and Emergencies Policy
Policy Statement
{{org_field_name}} recognises its responsibility to ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken to provide working conditions which are safe, healthy and compliant with all statutory requirements and Codes of Practice. However, {{org_field_name}} recognises that accidents are, even in the safest of working environments, from time to time inevitable, despite the best efforts of staff, people who use services, relatives and other professionals to prevent them. Such occurrences must be handled by {{org_field_name}} and by its staff so as to minimise threat and injury to all, including people who use the services, relatives and the general public. They must also be reported and the reports acted upon by {{org_field_name}} so that accidents can be minimised in the future and {{org_field_name}} and staff can learn from their experiences.
{{org_field_name}} understands “accidents and emergencies” to cover an accident or injury to a member of staff or a person or relative, including health and safety accidents such as trips, falls and cuts. Fires are dealt with in a separate Fire Safety Policy. The rendering of first aid is dealt with in a separate First-aid Policy.
Aim of the Policy
This policy is intended to set out the values, principles and policies underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to an accident, emergency or crisis.
The goals of {{org_field_name}} are to ensure that:
- all accidents and incidents are appropriately dealt with
- all accidents and incidents involving injury to staff or people receiving care are reported and recorded, no matter how minor
- all reported accidents or incidents are fully investigated
- the results and recommendations from investigations are fully implemented to prevent any reoccurrence of such incidents
- {{org_field_name}} complies fully with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).
Action to be Taken in the Event of an Accident or Injury
In the event of an accident, incident or emergency staff should take the following action.
- In the event of a minor injury or health-related incident, the First-aid Policy should be followed and first-aid care rendered according to the situation and the member of staff’s capabilities and training. Following such an incident, an incident or accident form should be completed and the person’s GP informed.
- In the event of an injury where medical attention is considered advisable or necessary, the person’s GP or an ambulance should be called as appropriate. If there is any doubt about the need for medical attention, an ambulance should be called immediately and arrangements should be made to take the casualty to hospital.
If the first aider, or home care worker, decides that an ambulance is appropriate, they should follow the procedure below.
- Call 999 and make arrangements for an ambulance to be sent immediately. It is essential that the precise location of the occurrence is given and the nearest point of access for the ambulance suggested.
- Make arrangements for the ambulance to be met by a relative or other person as appropriate and if available.
- Ensure that the person is accompanied to hospital, when appropriate, by a responsible person and that they contact {{org_field_name}}’s main office soon after arrival at the hospital, to give updated information on the condition and location of the casualty.
- Contact the main office or a line manager to report the incident and make arrangements for the appropriate forms to be completed.
Note:
If a home care worker is unsure about the course of action to take, or in the event of complications (such as having to accompany the individual themselves) then they should contact their line manager or the main office for advice.
The home care worker, or first aider, attending to the casualty should then ensure that the line managers/head office are notified of the accident/illness, as appropriate.
The responsible line manager should then ensure that arrangements are made for relatives or friends of the casualty to be advised fully of the situation, if necessary, and to ensure that an incident report form and any other relevant paperwork is completed as soon as possible.
In the event of an injury requiring first aid, where a fire is reported, where there is violence or aggression or where a person goes missing, then the appropriate policy should be followed.
Accident or Incident Reporting
In {{org_field_name}}, all accidents, incidents, emergencies and “near misses” must be recorded and reported to the management using a standard incident form. Accident and incident reports should then be dealt with according to the Accident Reporting Policy. Employers must by law notify certain categories of accidents, specified cases of ill health and specified dangerous occurrences to the Health and Safety Executive or the local authority to comply with the RIDDOR.
A written record should be kept of any accident or incident, however minor, which occurs in {{org_field_name}}.
See separate Accident Reporting Policy.
Training
All staff receive induction training in {{org_field_name}}’s policy for dealing with accidents and emergencies. Basic first aid and dealing with aggressive or potentially violent patients are included in the induction training for all new staff. Training sessions are conducted at least annually and all relevant staff should attend. These sessions should cover the drill of how staff should act in an emergency situation. All employees of {{org_field_name}} are given adequate training and information on accidents at work and how to avoid them.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.
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