Staff Supervision Policy

Policy Statement

{{org_field_name}}’s supervision policy is in line with Regulations 17: Good Governance, 18: Staffing, and 19: Fit and Proper Persons Employed of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and best employment practices.

This supervision policy applies to all staff members including care, management, catering, domestic and maintenance staff. Registered nurses employed by {{org_field_name}} are expected to receive clinical supervision to meet their Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) post-registration revalidation requirements.
{{org_field_name}} is committed to providing its care staff with formal supervision at least six times a year [or whatever is decided as reasonable], which will complement the informal supervision that carries on continuously. A meeting agenda will cover all aspects of practice, philosophy of care on the service and career development needs. Our policy also states that other non-care staff should be supervised in ways that are consistent with their roles and responsibilities.
{{org_field_name}} works to a model of supervision that integrates management, educational, advisory and support functions to:
a. achieve optimum outcomes for people receiving care
b. ensure best practice and attainment of required standards of care
c. ensure compliance with stated policies and procedures and other organisational requirements
d. enable staff to feel valued and well supported
e. enable staff to continuously develop and improve their knowledge and skills.

Supervision Arrangements for Care Staff

Every member of the care staff has a designated supervisor, usually a senior care assistant, though it could be another senior staff member or experienced and qualified staff member who is competent to act as staff supervisor.
On appointment or following their induction programme, care staff members meet a nominated supervisor to plan or take part in a schedule of supervision meetings. These schedules ensure that if working full-time they attend a minimum of six sessions per year. (Pro rata for part-time staff.)
The programme could include group or team supervision meetings in addition to one-to-one meetings depending on the staff needs and the current situation of {{org_field_name}}. {{org_field_name}} uses one-to-one supervision meetings to discuss issues relating to the individual’s work practice. It uses group supervision to address common organisational and team practice issues.
The outcome of this planning meeting is a supervision agreement, which outlines the frequency, location, length and typical agendas to be followed in the supervision meetings.
Participants are expected to agree jointly the specific priority issues and concerns to be discussed at any particular meeting. Meetings typically cover the following areas:
a. review of the individual’s care practice and issues arising
b. joint assessment of the care staff member’s personal development, training and support needs
c. other matters relating to the work situation that have an impact on standards of care.
At the end of a meeting, the care staff member(s) and supervisor are jointly responsible for agreeing what should be included on the supervision record for the meeting.
The supervisor and care staff member(s) are jointly responsible for ensuring that discussions and meetings occur regularly and are given high priority. All reasons for deferring or cancelling planned supervision meetings or non-attendance at group supervision meetings must be recorded.
All supervision meetings are held in private and as far as possible should be free from interruption.
Each care staff member has an annual staff appraisal with their supervisor, which forms part of the supervision programme. By agreement with all concerned this could also include another senior staff member, who might be present to chair the meeting. (See separate Staff Appraisal Policy.)

Supervision Arrangements for Management and other Support Staff (eg Administrative, Domestic or Catering Staff)

Every support staff member has a designated supervisor on appointment, eg the housekeeper (if there is one) is responsible for domestic staff, catering manager for kitchen staff, etc.
The supervision arrangements for support staff are similar to those for care staff tailored to their specific roles and responsibilities and typically consist of a combination of one-to-one and group supervision opportunities.
Supervision agendas similarly reflect respective staff roles and responsibilities. For example, in catering and domestic staff supervision meetings, health and safety issues as well as practical matters usually feature prominently.
Support staff supervision meetings are recorded in the same way as those for care staff.
There is a similar pattern of supervision for all senior care and management staff. Each member of the senior staff or management team receives supervision at the appropriate level in relation to their respective work programmes in accordance with the principles described in this policy.

Supervision Arrangements for Volunteers (Where Applicable)

Any volunteers who work in {{org_field_name}} are allocated an experienced staff member to whom they can turn for advice and guidance and with whom they can regularly discuss their progress.

Clinical Supervision for Nursing Staff (Where Applicable)

The NMC now operates a revalidation process involving re-registration every three years in which registered nurses must provide evidence of their continuing fitness to practise, which will be gathered through a portfolio approach describing their continuing professional development. Revalidation has absorbed the previous clinical supervision requirements.

As a care service employing registered nurses, we are committed to supporting them with their continuous professional development to achieve revalidation in line with NMC requirements using appropriate forms of clinical supervision where applicable.

Confidentiality of Information

All supervision meetings observe {{org_field_name}}’s policies on confidentiality of information. Participants must be clear from the outset of a supervision session what information should be treated in confidence and what cannot and what will be recorded or may be disclosed “off the record”. Any information that cannot be treated in confidence in the supervision context may be disclosed to a third party/parties only on a need-to-know basis.
Where matters need to be taken beyond the supervision context, actions are taken openly with everyone involved informed of what is to happen. (For example, if the discussion raises issues about protection and safety of people receiving care.)

Supervision Recording and Access to Records

All formal supervision meetings for care and non-care staff are recorded in an agreed format which includes the following:
a. details of key discussion points
b. agreed actions to be taken
c. targets and timescales for any actions to be taken.
All taking part in the meeting sign the record, which must indicate agreements and disagreements over every aspect. Staff must be aware that formal records will need to be available to CQC inspectors.
Signed supervision records belong to {{org_field_name}} and are kept in a safe place. Access is allowed by authorised persons only. This normally means the immediate supervisee(s) and their supervisor, with others being allowed access for specific, stated purposes and only with the agreement and knowledge of those involved.
Recording and access to records policies do not prevent people from making their own informal notes of meetings and discussions, containing personal reflections, learning points, etc. These will not be used as substitutes for formal records required for compliance purposes.
{{org_field_name}}’s management reviews all supervision arrangements as part of its annual quality review and obtains feedback from all involved on its value and effectiveness.

Training

{{org_field_name}} has a policy of ensuring all members of staff employed as supervisors receive appropriate training. Care staff also receive training as part of their induction programme on what they can expect from supervision.

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.

S186. Staff Supervision