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Risk Assessment and Management for People Using a Care Service (Scotland) Policy

Introduction

This policy, sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning this care provider’s approach to assessing and managing the risks to the people using our care service from coming to harm. It applies to all care services.

The policy is in line with the national health and social care standards set out in My Support, My Life, particularly Standard 2: “I am fully involved in all decisions about my care and support”, which includes:

• 2.24: I make informed choices and decisions about the risks I take in my daily life and am encouraged to take positive risks which enhance the quality of my life
• 2.25: I am helped to understand the impact and consequences of risky and unsafe behaviour and decisions.

Policy Statement

1. This care provider service works on the basis that its people who use {{org_field_name}} lead their own lives as they wish and choose, which means that from time to time they will take different kinds of risk, and they have the right to do so.
2. At the same time, {{org_field_name}} recognises that it has a specific duty of care to see that people who use {{org_field_name}} are kept safe from harm and injury from its service provision and a general duty to ensure that they are protected from harm and risk of harm because of neglect or abuse.
3. As part of the process of planning care, the service helps each potential person using care services assess the risks involved in any of its proposed activities, weighing the benefits and possible adverse effects, and coming to a measured conclusion.
4. Such risk assessments are recorded on the person’s plan of care together with any plans to manage significant risks that are identified from the assessments.
5. The service thus routinely carries out assessments in respect of risks to people who use {{org_field_name}}s’ personal safety, their level of nutrition and vulnerability to falls and pressure sores, and use of medication, where indicated from the personal plan.
6. The results of these risk assessments together with any risk management plans are also included on the personal care and support plan.
7. People who use {{org_field_name}} who might lack the mental capacity to assess and manage their risky behaviour will have their rights protected through the carrying out of risk assessments in line with mental incapacity law and procedures.
8. Risk assessments are also carried out for people who use {{org_field_name}} who are responsible for their own medication, where the service is required to assist in some way.
9. The service will carry out all risk assessments relating to potential outbreaks of infectious illness such as Covid-19 in line with national and local public health guidance, and put in place all risk control measures required of it.

Summary of Key Risk Assessment and Management Areas

The service might carry out risk assessment and management plans in relation to the following areas in which people who use {{org_field_name}}’s personal safety might be threatened in some ways and to some significant level or degree.

NB The list is not exhaustive and will require adjusting to service requirements.

Risk area for assessment	Key risk assessment methods	Actions taken to manage any assessed risks
Nutritional status.	Where involved in helping with a person’s nutrition and hydration, the service assesses all risks to the person’s nutritional status, including choking risks, typically in partnership with GP and dieticians.	Nutritional management plans are developed with advice from GP and dietician.
Risks from care and treatment, including from equipment and aids and appliances.	Assess risks from moving and transferring, including equipment where used, wound care and from use of medical devices such as catheters.	Describe all risk control measures to be followed on individual care plans.
Risks of falls and other injuries from difficulties with mobility.	Falls and general mobility risk assessments are made wherever needed.	Falls prevention and management plans developed as required.
Risks from activities of daily living and environment, including nighttime risks.	Risks to personal safety from hazards within the daily living environment are routinely assessed from observation and understanding the individual’s needs.	Individual support plans to manage any risks are put into place with specialist, eg occupational therapist, advice and guidance where indicated. Technological aids and changes to the person’s environment will be used as appropriate to reduce risk.
Gardens and outside areas (where applicable).	Regular checks are made to ensure the safety of paths, furniture, ponds and other features that could be hazardous; all high-risk areas are protected, eg with fencing for ponds, non-slip surfaces, etc.	Individual support plans for anyone who might be at risk of injury from outside areas, eg falls/wandering into unsafe areas. Premises will be made safe to minimise risks.
Skin health and tissue viability, including vulnerability to pressure sores.	Risk assessments are made using a validated professional tool and in line with current best practice guidance.	Care plans are put into place with appropriate medical advice and guidance depending on the individual needs; development of high-grade pressure sores without a satisfactory explanation could be a protection issue as neglect.
Behavioural and emotional risks from aggressive or challenging behaviour and situations including self-harm	Risks are assessed to ensure the personal safety of a person using care services and others involved in their care, including care workers for whom the service has a duty of care	Behavioural and emotional risk management plans are used to reduce all risks to anyone’s personal safety from challenging behaviour and situations.
Protection from harm.	Any person who uses care services who is vulnerable to being harmed is assessed in line with local adult protection from harm policies and procedures.	A risk management plan is put into place to comply with protection of vulnerable adult procedures.
Administering medicines, including self-medication.	Where the service is involved in administration of medication, it: assesses all risk from the taking of the medicine including possible administration errorsassesses people who use {{org_field_name}}s’ capacity to be responsible for their own medication and any risks from self-administrationrecords and reports any risks to responsible medical staff and avoids possible errors.	Plans to monitor and supervise any identified risks from administration of medicines and self-medication, particularly with PRN medicines, multi-prescribing and use of non-prescribed medicines, and ensuring full reporting.
Additional health and other risks such as from smoking habits.	These are assessed on an individual case-by-case basis.	Appropriate risk management plans are put into place based on the risk assessment.
Needs for positive risk-taking.	These are also assessed on an individual case-by-case basis and recorded on the personal plan.	Appropriate risk management plans are put into place as indicated from the assessment (see separate Positive Risk Taking for People Who Use {{org_field_name}} Policy).

Wherever an area of risk is identified, it is systematically assessed and management plans made as an outcome of the assessment. All risk management plans are reviewed as part of the regular reviewing of the personal care and support plan and re-assessments made as needed.

(See also the service’s policies and procedures on Personal Plans and Support Arrangements (Scotland).)

Expectations on Staff

The service expects its employees to:

• be constantly aware of any identified risks to the personal safety of the people who use {{org_field_name}} with whom they work
• receive training and ongoing supervision in all aspects of assessing and managing risks, and in reporting procedures
• be aware of what support is available to them and how to summon it, if they require it in situations that threaten people and their own personal safety
• protect anyone as far as practically possible from harm or abuse and in doing so follow agreed procedures, including anyone who is at clear risk of causing undue harm to themselves from their behaviour and actions
• make sure that by their own actions they do not deliberately increase the risks to the personal safety of people who use care services.

Training

All new staff receive training in all aspects of assessing and managing risks as part of their induction programme.

Further specialised training in different areas of risk assessment and management is provided as required by individuals’ roles and responsibilities.

Needs for refresher training are assessed during supervision and appraisals.

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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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