Service Specification Homecare · Web viewVision . A homecare offer that will focus on delivering excellent outcomes for individuals. The Provider will have a key role in delivering

London Borough of Havering

Schedule 2

Service Specification

Provision of Homecare

Service Specification Homecare

2016

Contents

1 Introduction and Context...............................................................................................4

2 Key Drivers....................................................................................................................4

3 The local picture............................................................................................................4

4 Vision.............................................................................................................................5

5 The Active Homecare Framework.................................................................................5

6 Aims and Objectives......................................................................................................8

7 Coproduction.................................................................................................................9

8 Outcomes....................................................................................................................10

9 The Teams Supporting Social Care in Havering.........................................................11

10 Who is the service for?................................................................................................12

11 What support will be offered?......................................................................................12

12 How will the service be delivered?..............................................................................13

13 Managing Capacity......................................................................................................19

14 Valuing Care Staff.......................................................................................................19

15 Localities.....................................................................................................................20

16 Reviews.......................................................................................................................21

17 Reablement.................................................................................................................22

18 Dementia.....................................................................................................................22

19 Personalisation............................................................................................................23

20 Advocacy.....................................................................................................................23

21 Feedback.....................................................................................................................23

22 Medication...................................................................................................................24

23 Key Safes and Access Arrangements.........................................................................25

24 Equalities and Diversity...............................................................................................25

25 Financial......................................................................................................................26

26 Record Keeping...........................................................................................................26

27 Social Value................................................................................................................27

28 Performance Framework.............................................................................................27

29 Dignity Standards........................................................................................................28

30 Service Standards.......................................................................................................28

31 Individual Risk Assessment.........................................................................................29

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32 Contract Liaison..........................................................................................................29

33 Safeguarding...............................................................................................................29

34 Staffing and training....................................................................................................32

35 Business Continuity.....................................................................................................36

Appendix A - Homecare Service Pathway.............................................................................38

Appendix B – Homecare Packages by Post Code District.....................................................39

Appendix C – Key Safe Protocol............................................................................................40

Appendix D – Guidance on Suspension of Placements........................................................42

Appendix E – Medication Policy Guidelines...........................................................................46

Appendix F – Safer Recruitment Requirements.....................................................................48

Appendix G – Safeguarding Policies & Procedure Requirements.........................................60

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1 Introduction and Context

The Service1.1 This document describes the parameters for the delivery of enabling

outcome focussed care and support for residents of Havering and provides a guide to the quality and standards required by the Council.

Context1.2 In the future it is expected that there will be greater demand on the Council

from residents for care and support due to the expected population growth, increase in older people and more people with complex conditions living longer. This will need to be balanced against reduced resources due to pressures on Government spending.

2 Key Drivers

2.1 This service specification has been developed with the following principles and guidance embedded:

The Care Act The Provider will be expected to promote and maintain people’s

wellbeing and contribute to the prevention/reduction and delay of a person’s needs.

Genuine involvement of individuals to define how care and support is delivered to meet chosen outcomes.

A move away from prescriptive commissioning to more openness, partnership work and innovation.

The Provider will develop care and support plans to deliver agreed outcomes.

2.2 The Havering Adult Social Care Market Position Statement 2015, states the Council’s commitment to work with Providers to develop homecare that provides:

‘…Positive outcomes for adults with care needs in preventing the worsening of their condition, looking to reable and rehabilitate individuals where it is possible.’

2.3 Havering Safeguarding Adults Board Protect vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and significant harm Bring about positive outcomes for the vulnerable adults who live in

Havering

3 The local picture

Havering

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3.1 Havering is the third largest London borough, covering 43 square miles. Currently Havering’s population is estimated to be 245,974 - Havering Market Position Statement 2016. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large areas of protected open space including green belt areas. Generally, Havering is an affluent area but there are significant pockets of deprivation and a low wage economy for residents who work within the borough.

3.2 Havering has a significantly higher proportion of residents from white ethnic groups than other outer London boroughs (87.7% – 2011 census). However, Havering has seen the highest percentage increase in minority ethnic groups (including non-British white groups) doubling from 8% to 17% between the 2001 and 2011 census. Therefore there is an increasing need for ethnically appropriate services. Havering has the oldest population in London, 32% of the population aged 65 years and above are living in one-person households. In recent years there has been a growth in the 85+ age group of (43%) which is higher than for London and England. This is of particular importance as this age group are the most likely to require both social care and health services.

4 Vision

4.1 A homecare offer that will focus on delivering excellent outcomes for individuals. The Provider will have a key role in delivering care and support in a manner that enables people to continue to improve the skills they need to maintain their independence in their own home, including reducing the level of support they require where ever possible.

4.2 Providers that are part of Havering’s Active Homecare Framework will deliver care and support that is innovative and creative both in terms of direct delivery and the use of community resources. This will mean helping people to participate in the community if that is their wish.

4.3 Providers of homecare will take a person centred approach to develop service plans with achievable outcomes that can be delivered in a cost effective manner. This will mean a move away from a focus on time and task.

4.4 We want to build long-term sustainability and a market that respects the key service that homecare staff provide.

5 The Active Homecare Framework

5.1 Active Homecare Framework is the name for a new type framework (a dynamic purchasing system) which is similar to a standard framework agreement. It allows a number of Providers to be appointed to deliver services of a similar nature by successfully completing an evaluation process. It is active in that Providers can easily join the framework at any

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time by successfully completing the evaluation process. It is also active in that we can modify how the Active Homecare Framework is applied in the future, providing this has been made clear to all. The Active Homecare Framework concerns the provision of homecare support only. The Active Homecare Framework Entry Guide contains more detail on how the Active Homecare Framework will work.

5.2 The Council will not guarantee the level of work awarded to any Provider appointed to the Active Homecare Framework. The Provider shall not provide any element of the service unless and until the Provider successfully completes the quality evaluation and is awarded an individual care package via the Active Homecare Framework. Providers that are part of the Active Homecare Framework will be invited to bid for individual packages of care. Following award of an individual package to the Provider, the Provider shall be bound to deliver the personalised outcomes set out in the service plan in accordance with all terms of the Contract.

Joining the Active Homecare Framework5.3 A Provider wanting to join the Active Homecare Framework will be

required to apply to join through the Council’s procurement-tendering portal; capitalEsourcing. The Provider will be required to supply information about their business, their experience, business probity and insurances. The Qualification Envelope covers areas for discretionary and mandatory exclusion and clearly explains what those are.

5.4 If the Provider meets the Standard Selection Criteria they will have their responses to the evaluation questions assessed. This is where the Council will determine whether the Provider has the required skills and ability to deliver the service as specified within the Contract documents. Following the successful evaluation of quality, the Provider will be informed that they are part of the Active Homecare Framework and will be able to bid to deliver any package of homecare advertised.

5.5 Once established, additional Providers can apply to join the Active Homecare Framework at any point in the future. All applications will be evaluated in the same way, using the same selection criteria.

New packages of Care and Support5.6 The Council’s Brokerage team will seek bids for all new packages of

homecare to all eligible Providers on the Active Homecare Framework. This will detail each individual’s care and support requirements, outcomes and when the care package needs to start. The first Provider to positively respond to the bid will be offered the package. In the future other methods of selection might be considered to determine which Provider is successful with their bid. Further details about the package of homecare will be sent to the successful Provider and the Provider will be required to confirm their acceptance of the package, known as an Individual Placement Agreement.

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5.7 All packages of homecare on the Active Homecare Framework will be paid at Havering Council’s usual hourly rate, as stated in the Contract, for care delivered.

5.8 Providers that are not performing to the required standards or who no longer meet the quality requirements will be excluded from the Active Homecare Framework.

Suspension from referrals from the Active Homecare Framework5.9 The Council may suspend the Provider from receiving referrals from the

Active Homecare Framework for a period of time (the duration of which will be assessed by the Council acting reasonably) if any of the following events occur:

the Provider has not satisfactorily complied with its safeguarding requirements (as set out in the Safeguarding section of the Service Specification);

the Provider has not delivered the Services to the standard required by the Council;

following a CQC inspection the Provider has an overall score of ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’;

the Provider has failed to meet the Council’s Quality Criteria (as set out below) to a significant extent;

the Provider has unreasonably terminated a service to an individual; the Provider has failed to respond to communications from the

Council (not responding to requests for new packages within the agreed timescales, or at all, is an example;

the Council reasonably believes that the Provider is encountering financial difficulties;

the Provider is otherwise in significant breach of its obligations under the Service Contract.

5.10 If the Council suspends the Provider from the Active Homecare Framework, the Council will notify the Provider in writing immediately.

Improving Quality5.11 Our approach to assessing and improving quality will be developed during

the life of the framework. We are looking as a minimum to be able to rank Providers in relation to the quality of their service provision and to develop supporting measures by which we can evaluate and identify good Provider performance.

5.12 We will share our evaluation with individual Providers (any representation of comparative performance will be anonymised) and look to address areas where there appears to be a deficit in performance and promote organisational performance where it is achieving at a high level.

5.13 Ultimately we will be looking for independently collected customer feedback to be a significant element of our overall evaluation of quality.

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We acknowledge the challenge of obtaining consistent and fair feedback however we are determined to develop a mechanism which enables us to understand and measure the outcomes that are being delivered. We will work closely with Providers to continuously improve services, to our mutual benefit, as a progressive feature of the Active Homecare Framework.

What changes might we consider in the future? 5.14 As described above, we are looking to develop our quality criteria over the

duration of the Active Homecare Framework. We will be looking at a way to increase a Provider’s quality rating based on their level of pay for care staff and remuneration for travel between appointments. Other areas for consideration include:

varying the price paid for homecare in areas of the borough where travel is difficult or for complex needs;

including customer feedback scores as part of quality evaluation; moving to outcomes rather than solely time and task based

evaluation; introducing electronic systems to evaluate bids; and personal budget holders using the Active Homecare Framework to

purchase homecare.

5.15 This is not an exhaustive list. We will be looking to make changes and improvements to the Active Homecare Framework over its duration.

6 Aims and Objectives

Aim6.1 The main aim of this service is for Providers to support residents to keep

well and maximise their independence by providing the best support to meet their individual outcomes.

6.1.1 Maximising Independence - Promoting the independence of individuals to lead the life they wish and reducing their dependency on support packages through rehabilitating people and seeking innovative solutions to support and increased levels of ‘self-care’. Providers will be expected to help individuals to reduce their dependency on care and support by developing their confidence and self-care skills.

6.1.2 Strong relationships - We want to build a trusting working relationship between the customer, Provider and the Council.

6.1.3 Making effective use of community resources – Encouraging active involvement of the voluntary and community sector as contributors to service plans and maximising the use of and involvement of community resources that are used by everyone such as shops, leisure centres and libraries.

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6.1.4 Skilled workforce - Ensuring skilled, competent workers, with the appropriate characteristics, are available in the delivery of the service(s).

6.1.5 Choice and control – The Provider will be expected to listen to the views and wishes of the person they are supporting and, within reason, use these to shape the service delivery. The individual shall be consulted on how and when their service is delivered.

6.1.6 Avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions – To reduce the number of residents unnecessarily admitted to hospital by helping to manage their long term and sometimes multiple conditions.

Objectives6.2 The main objective of the service is to provide the best care and support to

individuals. This will be achieved by:

Creating and delivering a personalised care and service plan with the customer’s involvement that helps them achieve their outcomes.

Ensuring customers receive continuity in the care they receive and who supports them.

Reviewing at early phases in the customer support journey more frequently than currently occurs. Providers will regularly review and amend care and support to reflect changes in a customer’s abilities, with an aim to reduce care and support wherever possible and not build dependency.

Recognising and supporting the role of carers Where appropriate, the Provider to involve families, friends and

carers in the assessment of the person they look after, the service planning process and recognising their roles in the final service plan.

Ensuring staff are trained and supported to deliver this service. Maximising the use of and involvement of community resources that

are used by everyone (e.g. shops, leisure centres, libraries). Working collaboratively with Health and other community services

to ensure a co-ordinated service.

7 Coproduction

7.1 To ensure this service best meets the needs of people in Havering we have developed the service model in partnership with Providers, key stakeholders in the Council and we have asked current users of homecare what they value most.

7.2 When the service commences we will work closely with the successful Providers and customers to understand what is working well and what needs to be developed to continuously improve the offer. The Feedback

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section below provides further detail on how we will go about collecting themes and issues about the service.

8 Outcomes

The main determinant of the success of the service is the meeting of individual outcomes specified in the service plan.

Individual outcomes8.1 We expect individuals to achieve outcomes in the following areas which have

been developed in partnership with current users of homecare, Providers and the Council.

Areas of quality of life

Wellbeing statements

Accommodation cleanliness and comfort

I feel my home environment, including all the rooms is clean and comfortable

Control over daily life I choose what to do and when to do it, having control over my daily life and activities

Dignity I am treated with dignity and respect by those who care for me. I am listened to and can voice my personal preferences

Meals and nutrition I feel I have a nutritional, varied and culturally appropriate diet with meals enjoying at regular and timely intervals

Occupation I feel I am sufficiently occupied in a range of meaningful activities whether it be personal or leisure activities

Personal cleanliness and comfort

I feel clean and comfortable and am groomed in a way that reflects my personal preferences

Safety I feel safe and secure without fear of being harmed in my home environment

Social participation and involvement

I feel content with their social situation and am happy with the level of social contact with family, friends or the community

8.2 Feedback on the achievement of outcomes for individuals will be collected from customers through a variety of methods including face to face meetings, reviews, telephone calls, surveys and possibly through electronic care monitoring systems.

Provider outcomes8.3 All those receiving homecare at a minimum will:

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be empowered to make their own choices, contribute and participate be supported to participate in the community be supported to access a range of support be supported to avoid crises (e.g. hospital admission)

9 The Teams Supporting Social Care in Havering

Community Assessment Team9.1 The community assessment team focus on providing joined up

assessment, care planning and care co-ordination. The teams are based in Havering’s GP cluster-based localities and are in the process of integrating with Health to provide a multi-disciplinary offer across the borough.

The Preventative and Assessment Team9.2 The Preventative and Assessment Team is comprised of social workers,

care assessors, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. The team completes assessments for those who have not been assessed previously by social services and who do not have any services in place.

9.3 The team completes assessments for care packages including carers’ needs, respite, social inclusion, equipment, minor and major adaptions. The team works closely with the reablement service and reviews those who are reaching the end of reablement to determine any ongoing needs.

The Hospital Joint Assessment and Discharge Team (JAD)9.4 The service is accountable for the safe and timely discharges of adults

with health or social needs within Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals. The JAD Service is made up of qualified nurses and social workers.

Social Isolation9.5 It is recognised that social isolation is intrinsically linked to social care and

instances will impact on a person’s quality of life, wellbeing and health.

9.6 A project has been initiated to respond to the increasing issue of social isolation and loneliness in Havering’s older adult community. The project has a small team of Community Navigators who visit the older adult at home and spend time finding out about the older adult’s life and interests. The Community Navigator can then provide practical advice and support to help the older adult overcome issues around leaving their home. The aim of the project has been to support older adults to overcome their social isolation and develop new networks in the community. This has proven to have a positive effect on older adults’ feelings about their social situation and has provided an insight into community needs.

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9.7 We see the homecare service working to reduce social isolation by supporting residents to become more involved in their community. This will be through both identifying and referring socially isolated residents to Care Point (the local information and advice service) and the Community Assessment team and in obtaining up to date information about community activities so that care staff can effectively sign-post those that they are supporting.

10 Who is the service for?

10.1 This service is for people who meet the minimum threshold of the national eligibility criteria who are aged 18 and over. Specifically those:

over 18 years old; who live in their own home; eligible to receive the service (funded by London Borough of

Havering) and want a service commissioned by the Council.

10.2 The service will predominantly support older people but is also a key service for people with mental health needs, those living with dementia, and those with physical or learning disabilities.

10.3 In order to identify and deliver outcomes to individuals with a range of needs, Providers will be required to ensure that they have appropriate numbers of staff who are trained and skilled to provide the services defined. Whilst not exclusive, some of these areas include:

Supporting and working with people living with dementia, particularly those who have complex needs

Implementation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, with appropriate use of mental capacity assessments and best interest decision making

Care and support to those at the end of life Managing challenging and difficult behaviour Prompting and administering medication Identifying, supporting and working with carers Reabling approach to service delivery Rehabilitation of people discharged from hospital Supporting people with long term conditions Enabling care and support planning and delivery Supporting positive risk taking Safeguarding awareness, including – adults and children Maximising use of community resources

11 What support will be offered?

Personal care

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Assistance with dressing, feeding, washing and toileting, as well as advice, encouragement and emotional and psychological support.

Domestic supportSupporting people to maintain their domestic environment. This could include practical support to assist people who hoard and have an unsafe home environment to manage and reduce the risks to themselves and others.

ReablingMinimising the effect of deterioration by supporting people to regain skills and reduce need where possible.

Care and Support planningCreative individual service planning that is outcome focused.

Home from hospitalSupporting people discharged from hospital, enabling their prompt discharge and effective individual service planning upon their return home. Working with the ‘Help not Hospital’ home from hospital service.

Support accessing community resourcesAssistance and signposting with accessing community services where agreed in the individual service plan.

MedicationSupport with both prompting and administering medication through appropriately trained staff.

Use of assistive technologySupporting people to utilise products or services that maintains or improves the ability of individuals with disabilities or impairments.

12 How will the service be delivered?

Service pathway12.1 Appendix A contains a flow chart describing the homecare service

pathway in Havering. Adult Social Care will carry out the statutory assessment, identify the personal outcomes and the budget required to meet the outcomes. The care package will then be circulated via the Active Homecare Framework.

12.2 The Provider who accepts the package will visit the customer and carry out a risk assessment. The attitude towards risk shall be proactive and supportive with emphasis on minimising risk and contingency planning. The Provider will develop a individual service plan within 7 days, in partnership with the customer and family, utilising the indicative budget. Until the individual service plan is agreed the Provider would be expected to provide care based on the high level outcomes illustrated on the individual service plan produced by the social work professional.

12.3 If an immediate service is required an interim care plan will be given to the Provider which the Provider will be expected to work to this plan until the

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full service plan is developed. This is described in more detail ‘Hospital Admission’ section.

12.4 The service plan, once agreed by the individual and/or their representative, will be submitted to Adult Social Care for agreement and sign-off. Once agreed the Provider will deliver care and support to meet the individual’s needs, flexing where required within the agreed parameters.

Accepting referrals12.5 The Council’s Brokerage team will seek bids for all new packages of

homecare to all eligible Providers on the Active Homecare Framework. This will detail each individual’s care and support requirements, outcomes and when the care package needs to start. The first Provider to positively respond to the bid will be offered the package. Providers will be expected to respond within one hour as to whether they are able to take on the package or not. If the Provider is not able to take on the package then the reason why must be submitted at the same time. The Council will monitor Provider responses and reasons for non-acceptance. In the future this could form part of the Provider quality score. Further details about the package of homecare will be sent to the successful Provider and the Provider will be required to confirm their acceptance of the package, known as an Individual Placement Agreement.

12.6 It is imperative that once the Provider has agreed a new referral for a package of care and support that they are in a position to commence delivery. This will be in a timely, planned manner, but on occasions there will be requirements for a new care package to commence at short notice. The Provider shall provide a service (upon request) to an individual at risk of admission to hospital or requiring discharge from hospital within 4 hours where requested to do so. In other less urgent cases where discharge is subject to normal discharge planning the expected response time will be within 24 hours. The Council and the service Provider shall monitor the number of such urgent requests for support and discuss these at review meetings.

12.7 For those requiring on-going support following the completion of reablement, a less urgent response will be required as there will be more time to plan.

12.8 The Providers must ensure that their staff are able to receive referrals out of standard working hours.

Operating times12.9 Services must be available from 07:00 to 22:00 seven days a week with

flexibility to provide support outside these hours on some occasions. Priority must be given to ensuring customers receive continuity in service.

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12.10 The Provider must have appropriate office staff who are available to contact between the hours of 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday via telephone and e-mail.

12.11 The Provider will provide the customer with contact telephone number(s) that can be rung in the event of a problem with the Service delivery. Any such telephone numbers must not be covered by an electronic answering facility during normal office operating times of 08:00 to 18:00 except where the voicemail is as a result of the caller otherwise reaching an engaged tone. Any call answering system that is utilised, such as voicemail, must be closely monitored and responded to in a timely manner as the nature of the service requires rapid response on many occasions.

Service visits12.12 The needs of individuals will vary greatly so packages of care and support

shall be designed to meet individual circumstances. Customers will be visited at various times of the day; the timing of which will be agreed between Providers and the individual, based on the individual’s needs and requirements.

12.13 A care worker is expected to attend within 15 minutes before or after the agreed time. If in exceptional cases, the care worker cannot attend in this timeframe, the Provider must ensure arrangements are in place to inform the individual. In some instances the individual may request a different time to that originally agreed. The Provider shall aim to accommodate the customer wherever possible. Where a new time has been agreed the electronic care monitoring schedule should be updated accordingly.

12.14 A log of all visits and tasks undertaken shall be held. These documents shall be kept in the individual’s home and returned to the Provider for archiving. It is the provider’s responsibility to collect and store these records securely.

12.15 Providers will be responsible for ensuring that the delivery undertaken is managed within the allocation of funds for each individual requiring support. Variations agreed between Provider and individual must be achievable within the amount designated through the resource allocation process unless there has been a significant change in need that requires reassessment.

Local presence12.16 There is no requirement that Providers operate an office within, or close to

the boundaries of, the borough, however Providers must ensure that front line staff are located such that their travel times to individuals within the borough are minimised as far as is practicable and, furthermore, that management administrative staff are capable of rapid and reliable communication with such workers. Furthermore Provider staff must be able to attend meetings with authorised Council officers at short notice.

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Frustrated visits12.17 A ‘frustrated visit’ is deemed to have occurred where a member of staff

attends a scheduled visit and there is no reply, the customer or their representative refuses the provision, and/or the Provider is informed of a hospital admission or delay in hospital discharge (or other unplanned absence).

12.18 In many instances the reason for refusal of service may be easily understood or resolved but where there is a lack of clarity the Provider shall seek the input of the relevant social worker in trying to resolve the issue.

12.19 The Provider must inform the Adult Social Care Front Door, the first point of contact for adult social care, and the Brokerage team (or the Emergency Duty Team if out of hours) of the individual’s absence at the earliest opportunity in all instances including refusal of care (as this could have serious safeguarding implications) and make all reasonable efforts to determine the individual’s whereabouts, if not already established. If the Provider fails to notify the Council of the frustrated visit, payment will not be authorised.

12.20 Where the absence is due to a hospital admission the package of care must be suspended immediately on learning of the hospital admission.

12.21 The Provider must give at least 24 hours notice to the customer of any change to agreed visit times, save in an unforeseeable emergency when every effort must be made to contact the customer at the very earliest opportunity.

12.22 The Provider must have procedures/protocols in place to specify actions in the event of no response. These shall ensure that staff make all reasonable efforts to locate the individual, or failing this their carers/relatives, and understand the reason for non-admittance. Should this fail, then emergency services shall be called.

12.23 The Provider must ensure that staff are aware of procedures for summoning assistance in an emergency, including a medical emergency, and that any concern for the safety or wellbeing of the individual is reported without delay to the Adult Social Care Front Door or, if out of hours, the Emergency Duty Team.

12.24 At their discretion the Council will pay the Provider for frustrated visits, and will notify Providers from time to time the arrangements that they put in place for this. The Council will only pay the Provider if they have been notified of the frustrated visit at the earliest opportunity.

Electronic Care Monitoring12.25 The Provider will be required to utilise electronic care monitoring systems

as specified by the Council which will need to be implemented before

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being able to receive a package of care on the Active Homecare Framework. Providers should ensure that any electronic rostering system they use is compatible with Council specified electronic care monitoring system.

12.26 The Provider will bear their appropriate share of the costs associated with the introduction and development of the electronic care monitoring system.

12.27 The Provider will put in place procedures to ensure that all visits to customers can be suitably monitored and electronic care monitoring can assist Providers with this need. The procedures shall be aimed at preventing missed calls and the Council will utilise this information to monitor unacceptable levels of missed calls.

Hospital admission12.28 The Provider is expected to be responsive to the needs of those coming

out of hospital to facilitate smooth and timely discharge. The Provider will work with the JAD team to facilitate smooth and timely discharge and deliver interim care plans at short notice, often on the same day but within 24 hours as a maximum. The Provider shall accept the assessment and interim care plan completed by the JAD team.

12.29 If the Provider supported the customer prior to a hospital visit then the same Provider shall aim to continue supporting that individual upon discharge wherever possible to ensure continuity of care. In rare circumstances where the Provider can no longer support or meet the needs of the individual, the Provider will notify the Council as soon as possible explaining the rationale for no longer being able to provide care for the individual.

12.30 Once the individual has been discharged and is settled, the Provider will develop the interim care plan with the customer into a full service plan in the usual timescale as set out in appendix A.

12.31 If there are problems with the package the relevant social worker should be contacted immediately. Providers shall notify the JAD and the Council’s Brokerage team when there has been an inappropriate discharge and complete the Discharge Alert form.

12.32 Upon admission into hospital the Provider will inform: the individual’s next of kin/a named representative as soon as

possible the Council verbally via email within 24hours

12.33 The Provider will remain in contact with the hospital throughout the duration of the individual’s admission.

Communication

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12.34 The Provider will ensure that their staff possess the language and communication skills to effectively engage with the individual and their representatives.

Flexibility 12.35 We aim to build a trusting working relationship between the customer,

Provider and the Council. To reflect this there will be flexibility in the amount of service provided to a customer within defined parameters and which must be agreed by the customer. These parameters are that, with the consent of the customer, the Provider can make small increases or decreases to the service provided for a customer on a weekly basis to reflect their needs and wants. It is expected that during the phase between reviews the amount of service required from the Provider will alter on a weekly basis but will ultimately balance out. The balance being that the total amount of service received by a customer within a phase of support will not exceed the total cost of their individual service plan. Where the cost is not sufficient to meet their needs, the Provider will identify this as an exception and report this to the Council. Equally if the Provider or customer feel they regularly require less support than has been initially allocated then this shall be raised with the Council.

12.36 We will expect the Provider and customer to view the cost of the service plan as being the ceiling which cannot be exceeded and for the majority will reduce over time. In order to achieve this we expect the Provider to work in an innovative way that makes best use of community resources, family and social networks.

12.37 The Council will expect the Provider to be able to meet the outcomes of the customer, within the levels of the agreed individual service plan amount.

12.38 Providers will continually review progress against individual service plan outcomes informally through their front line staff that will have regular contact with the customer. Providers will carry out reviews at agreed intervals, normally the end of phases of support, and make any adjustments that are necessary for the next period of support in agreement with the customer. Where this review identifies a significant change in the customer’s circumstances, a re-assessment of need will be undertaken.

12.39 Underpinning this is the culture we want to promote of continuous review and monitoring of individual service plans so that they adapt and change as customers’ needs increase or decrease.

12.40 This is supported by the Care Act guidance which describes occasions when a change to a plan is required but there has been no change in the levels of need (for example, a carer may change the times when they are available to support if that fits with the needs of the customer). In addition, there can be small changes in need, at times temporary, which can be accommodated within the established budget. In these circumstances, it

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may not be appropriate for the person to go through a full review and revision of the plan. The Council and Provider should respond to these ‘light-touch’ requests in a proportionate and reasonable way.

13 Managing Capacity

13.1 Adult Social Care occasionally experiences difficulties in setting up a package of homecare. This happens because the homecare Providers currently operating in Havering, sometimes, do not have the capacity to provide the support in the timescales required.

13.2 To resolve these capacity issues and ensure residents receive care and support in a timely manner we have commissioned an emergency homecare service that is able to support both discharges and community packages of care. This service will guarantee acceptance of all packages of care seven days a week at an agreed retainer rate. Most people will require ongoing support and will therefore likely transfer over to homecare Providers on the Active Homecare Framework following a short spell of emergency support.

13.3 We require Providers to work with us to help meet the demand for care and support reducing the need for an emergency homecare service. This would include regularly reporting back to the Council with updates on the current issues Providers are facing.

14 Valuing Care Staff

14.1 The Council listened to some of the Havering specific issues raised by Providers regarding recruitment and retention of care staff and responded by offering a significant uplift of 10% to the hourly rate for care. This is a serious commitment from the Council to make the homecare market more sustainable in Havering.

14.2 There is a legal requirement for care staff to be remunerated at a rate which is equal to or above the appropriate National Living Wage (NLW) or National Minimum Wage (NMW). There is also a legal requirement that care staff get paid for expenses (for example mileage) as well as time spent travelling between appointments. The uplift agreed has been calculated to allow Providers to meet these requirements and go beyond the minimum payment.

14.3 The Council have demonstrated a commitment to building long term sustainability and a market that respects the key service that homecare staff provide.

14.4 In return, and specifically to address local recruitment and retention issues, we expect this money to be passed on to homecare staff working in Havering in the form of a ‘Havering Premium’. We also want this money

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used to improve terms and conditions for staff and improve training to support a skilled career.

14.5 Providers will be required to regularly evidence how much front line care staff are paid for both delivering care and for travel between appointments.

14.6 As part of our developing quality criteria we will be looking at level of pay for care staff and remuneration for travel between appointments with those offering more gaining additional ‘quality points’, unless they can demonstrate that that their overall package compensates in different clearly expressed ways for their staff.

15 Localities15.1 Providers can choose to provide care across the borough or focus on

particular geographic locations. As part of joining the Active Homecare Framework we will ask Providers to indicate which geographic areas they would prefer to concentrate their business. This will help the Council better understand the spread and identify any gaps. This information will be shared back with Providers so they are aware of areas that have a high concentration of Providers and those that have less as this might help inform future strategy.

15.2 Providers will not be held to only accepting packages in the areas they have indicated as we recognise how staff availability is fluid. It will help the Council in targeting packages of care and making future adjustments to the Active Homecare Framework.

15.3 Appendix B shows the current (September 2016) spread of those in receipt of homecare across Havering divided by postcode. The table below provides figures for the number of homecare users and hours in each postcode.

Post code Number of homecare usersRM12 214RM13 173RM3 164RM14 137RM11 114RM7 102RM1 88RM5 85RM2 56RM4 6

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Post Code Sum of Total Weekly HoursRM12 2575RM13 2072RM3 1803RM14 1608RM7 1247RM11 1204RM1 1009RM5 955RM2 643RM4 61

16 Reviews

16.1 We want to review care and support plans at early phases in the individual’s journey and more frequently than currently occurs. Providers will regularly review and update support to reflect changes in an individual’s abilities.

16.2 The Care Act guidance refers to the different routes to reviewing a care and support plan including:

a planned review (the date for which was set with the individual during care and support or support planning, or through general monitoring);

an unplanned review (which results from a change in needs or circumstance that the local authority becomes aware of, e.g. a fall or hospital admission), and;

a requested review (where the person with the care and support or support plan, or their carer, family member, advocate or other interested party makes a request that a review is conducted. This may also be as the result of a change in needs or circumstances).

16.3 The first planned review shall be an initial review of the planning arrangements 6-8 weeks after sign-off of the personal budget and plan. This will be followed with a planned review, the date of which will be agreed with the individual.

16.4 We would like the Provider to involve an appropriate representative from the organisation in the planned review to jointly discuss the achievement of outcomes and whether the service plan has achieved the goals and wishes of the individual. The Provider will need to balance how to facilitate this. The customer must be in agreement with care staff being involved in the review.

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17 Reablement

17.1 It is expected that the Provider will work with all of their Customers in a reabling manner.

17.2 Working in a reabling way means helping people to do things for themselves rather than having things done for them. Outcomes shall be based on this principle and shall also be time limited with clear goals to achieve within the allotted time scale. By working in a reabling manner, the Provider will focus on the requirements of the individual customer rather than delivering a ‘one size fits all service’. This is because reabling is about building on the skills and abilities of the customer and helping them to achieve their maximum potential.

17.3 The Council commissions a separate reablement service. There will be some occasions where this service does not have capacity and therefore we might look to Providers on the Active Homecare Framework to provide reabling support to help individuals achieve their reablement potential. Through the Active Homecare Framework it will be made clear if a new package of support is likely to be short term and predominantly reablement focused.

17.4 In order for the Provider to deliver support in a reabling manner it is important that on-going monitoring of the customer is implemented rather than relying on a service plan that provides a snapshot of the customer’s requirements. Monitoring will be dynamic so that changes in the customer’s circumstances and abilities are picked up and acted upon.

18 Dementia

18.1 Given the high number of older people accessing homecare, those living with dementia are likely to be a daily feature of carers’ work. Providers shall therefore ensure that carers are trained to work with people living with dementia

18.2 Recent research undertaken by Personal Social Services Research Unit has identified key features of an excellent service. These are:

The importance of flexibility in the provision of services. Staff trained and aware of dementia and able to recognise the

particular nuances of expression and unique features characteristic of dementia and able to respond appropriately.

The value of using life stories and other memory aids. Being able to recognise when specialist care and support is

required. The importance of consistency in care workers. Recognising when someone is developing dementia type

behaviours and ensuring they are referred for assessment.

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19 Personalisation

19.1 Central to the wellbeing principle is the ethos that the individual is best placed to make decisions about their care and support, and that a person-centred system takes account of the individual’s views, wishes and beliefs. Engagement with the individual and their participation in the assessment and planning processes is key. Equally important is the customer’s dialogue with the Provider about how their care and support is delivered to meet their chosen outcomes.

19.2 The Provider will need to be flexible and adaptable in how it tailors its service to meet individual needs and to support people to live the life they want.

20 Advocacy

20.1 “Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need.” – Support Empower Advocate Promote (SEAP), Advocacy code of practice.

20.2 The Provider will take a positive and co-operative approach and support individuals to access independent advocacy where required. At the service planning stage it is particularly important that if the customer does not have an appropriate individual to assist them, and if the individual has ‘substantial difficulty’ in being involved and at the centre of the decision making process, that an advocate is found for the individual.

21 Feedback

21.1 The Provider will assist in identifying customers to attend formal Customer Reference Groups convened by the Council. The purpose of which will be to meet the customers and obtain feedback. The Provider will also establish groups of its own customers to assist with continuous improvement.

21.2 The Council will be collecting feedback independently directly from the individuals the Provider is supporting. This will be under the key outcome areas identified in the outcomes section of the specification. Feedback will be collected from customers through a variety of methods including face to face meetings, reviews, telephone calls, surveys and possibly through electronic care monitoring systems.

21.3 The Provider will support a ‘care staff group’ by making employed carers available at forums where we can seek the views of frontline care staff. The gap between such forums will be at least 6 months, ensuring that this does not affect operations adversely.

21.4 The Provider will be required to attend and contribute to Provider forums. Attendees and their role will be named by the Provider at the outset of the

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Active Homecare Framework. It is expected that at least one named attendee will be at a senior level, where messages between Provider and the local authority can influence improvement and change where necessary.

21.5 Our approach to assessing and improving quality will be developed during the life of the framework. We are looking as a minimum to be able to rank Providers in relation to the quality of their service provision and to develop supporting measures by which we can evaluate and identify good Provider performance as described in the ‘Active Homecare Framework’ section.

21.6 We will share our evaluation with individual Providers (any representation of comparative performance will be anonymised) and look to address areas where there appears to be a deficit in performance and promote organisational performance where it is achieving at a high level.

21.7 Ultimately we will be looking for independently collected customer feedback to be a significant element of our overall evaluation of quality. We acknowledge the challenge of obtaining consistent and fair feedback however we are determined to develop a mechanism which enables us to understand and measure the outcomes that are being delivered. We will work closely with Providers to continuously improve services, to our mutual benefit, as a progressive feature of the Active Homecare Framework.

22 Medication

22.1 Providers must protect individuals against the risks associated with unsafe use and management of medication by making appropriate arrangements for obtaining, recording, handling, using, safe keeping, dispensing, safe administration and disposal of medicines for the benefit of individuals.

22.2 Medication assistance and administration must be carried out in compliance with the Relevant Regulatory Authority Standards and Providers must ensure that staff training is kept up to date.

22.3 Providers must ensure that staff handling medicines have the skills and competencies needed and there are clear procedures in place which are followed in practice and regularly monitored and reviewed. The written medication policy and procedure must include:

When the care worker may assist a customer with medication or administer medication.

The limitations of assistance with prescribed and non-prescribed medication and which healthcare tasks the care worker may not undertake without specialist training.

Detailed procedures for safe handling of medication, including requesting repeat prescriptions; collecting prescriptions and dispensed medication; procedure for administration, including action should the

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person refuse the medication; records of medication procurement, administration and disposal (return); procedure for removal of unwanted medication; procedure to deal with a medication error.

22.4 Providers must ensure that they make a record of medication taken or any prompts to take medication given and must check with the individual or any other carer involved that medication is being taken in accordance with the prescribers’ instructions (this is particularly relevant where the Provider’s staff are ‘taking over’ from another caring individual or organisation where record keeping may not be reliable).

22.5 Providers must ensure that they have appropriate systems in place for reporting any errors to the appropriate regulatory authority and the Council’s Safeguarding Adults Team and/or the Council’s Authorised Officer (the Council’s nominated lead for the contract).

23 Key Safes and Access Arrangements

23.1 Where a key safe has been fitted, Providers and their staff must adhere to the Key Safe Protocol attached to this specification as Appendix C.

24 Equalities and Diversity

24.1 The Council’s obligations and core commitment to equality and diversity are highlighted in its Corporate Equality in Service Provision policy. The service Provider will adhere to this policy and ensure that it complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty, as set out in the Equality Act 2010. The service Provider will not treat any customer less favourably than others on grounds of their age, colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

24.2 The general population of Havering is diverse and changing rapidly in terms of faith, ethnicity, culture, language, gender and sexuality. This service is expected to develop a diverse workforce and promote sensitive and appropriate delivery. The service Provider will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that their services meet the diverse needs of the local community.

24.3 The service must be inclusive and diverse in its make-up and will need to operate in different formats and methods of involvement and communication. The service must provide appropriate care to people’s needs and shall not discriminate under any grounds.

24.4 As a minimum the Council expects the service Provider to ensure that:

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A written statement of equal opportunity policy covering anti-discriminatory practice, harassment and bullying and anti-social behaviour is in place, along with a documented plan for implementing it. The effectiveness of the policy and plan is periodically reviewed and updated in line with any legislative or good practice changes and staff and residents are made aware of the policy;

This statement must refer to the duty to provide accessible and inclusive services and not to treat residents and customers unfavourably on the grounds of one or more protected characteristics;

Staff must be sensitive to the particular needs of residents with protected characteristics and will undertake relevant Equality and Diversity or Cultural and Disability awareness training to ensure this.

24.5 The service Provider will be required to demonstrate that it actively seeks to ensure fair access to the service and to regularly monitor and report on resident take up, satisfaction, complaints, referrals, acceptances and rejections broken down by relevant protected characteristics.

25 Financial

25.1 Payments will be made to the service Provider four weekly in arrears based on the level of care delivered. The Council will pay for the actual care delivered at the agreed Council hourly rate, which is currently £16.43

25.2 Providers will be required to submit invoices four weekly to the Council. Payment shall be made within 28 days of a valid undisputed invoice.

25.3 The Council is currently looking to develop an automated system for payments in the future.

25.4 The service Provider will maintain an accurate record of accounts and will provide a detailed annual report of all income and expenditure relating to this service.

25.5 It is a contractual requirement that the service Provider operates on an ‘open book’ basis so that the Council has access to financial information in relation to the contract at all times.

26 Record Keeping

26.1 Providers shall have clear procedures which are followed in practice and are monitored and reviewed to ensure that individuals’ personal information is accurate, up to date and held securely and Providers shall have clear procedures in place which ensure that shared information is transferred securely.

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26.2 A log of all visits and tasks undertaken shall be held. These documents shall be kept in the customer’s home and returned to the Provider for archiving. It is the Provider’s responsibility to collect and store these records securely.

26.3 The Provider shall maintain such records as required by CQC and National Minimum Standards in maintaining registered status and, in addition, will supply the Council with all products of reasonable requests for information, including financial or corporate information and/or any other such records, as requested or required by the Council, regarding the delivery of the Service.

26.4 All records kept by the Provider relating to this Agreement and any individual shall be held and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

26.5 Providers will be required to grant Council’s Authorised Officers access to records when requested.

27 Social Value

27.1 When delivering this service the service Provider shall consider any additional social value that they are able to provide to communities in Havering.

27.2 The service Provider will be expected to demonstrate any additional social value it is delivering as part of regular contract monitoring.

28 Performance Framework

28.1 Providers will be expected to submit a range of performance and monitoring information in line with the Council’s requirements.

28.2 Providers will have appropriate systems in place for gathering, recording and evaluating accurate information about the quality and safety of the care and support the service provides.

28.3 This information will be made available periodically to the Council in the form of a performance report. In addition to the collection of information on outcomes described earlier the Council will also require the Provider to supply performance data such as:

Appropriate referrals accepted Appropriate referrals declined due to service capacity Risk assessment to be completed Individual service plans completed within agreed timescale Number of customer compliments, quality alerts and complaints

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Service activity and volumes Staff information such as training and sickness levels

28.4 This is not an exhaustive list. Performance measures and the frequency of collection will be agreed by the Council when the Contract commences.

28.5 The National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) is an online workforce data collection system for the social care sector. It is a source of robust workforce intelligence for adult social care.

28.6 Adult social care Providers can use the NMDS-SC to enter workforce information to support their business and for workforce planning. Providers can register, maintain and access an online account containing workforce information and use it to track staff retention rates and qualifications and produce personalised reports. The Council would encourage Providers to sign-up up to NMDS-SC and submit their workforce data.

29 Dignity Standards

29.1 Providers will be expected to adopt the 10 Dignity Standards as follows:

Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse. Support people with the same respect you would want for yourself

or a member of your family. Treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised

service. Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of

independence, choice and control. Listen and support people to express their needs and wants. Respect people’s right to privacy. Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution. Engage with family members and carers as care partners. Assist people to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem. Act to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation.

30 Service Standards

30.1 Providers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and maintain that registration throughout the Contract period.

30.2 Providers must be compliant with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.

30.3 Providers shall remain compliant with the outcomes described in the Essential Standards of Quality and Safety guidance and are also required

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to provide and manage services in accordance with, and to the standards set out in this specification and with the additional documentation attached to form part of the contract.

30.4 Providers will notify the Authorised Officer of the outcome of any CQC review of compliance or any action being taken by CQC in relation to the quality standards of the Provider.

31 Individual Risk Assessment

31.1 Providers must undertake a full risk assessment prior to the commencement of the service and shall ensure that assessment tools are compatible with involving individuals in choices about their care and support. This shall involve facilitating the seeking of outcomes rather than the identification of challenges, and risk assessments shall be proportionate and also reflect peoples’ rights to make choices.

31.2 It is recognised that care is sometimes supplied on an emergency basis and in these cases the risk assessment shall be incorporated in the first visit.

31.3 A comprehensive plan to which staff can refer, to manage risk, including manual handling, shall be drawn up in consultation with the individual, relatives and/or carers and kept in the individual’s home.

31.4 In planning to mitigate risk, Providers should explicitly recognise the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in relation to people’s rights to make what others might deem to be ‘unwise’ decisions. Risk assessment practices shall avoid paternal or risk-averse attitudes.

32 Contract Liaison

32.1 Providers should provide a named Authorised Representative, who will be accountable for the progress and operation of this service.

32.2 The named Authorised Representative must be available during office hours and a deputy should be appointed during periods of leave or absence through sickness.

33 Safeguarding

33.1 The Provider must ensure that customers are safeguarded from any form of abuse or exploitation. However, this does not mean preventing them from making their own choices and having control over their lives. The information and guidance provided to a customer must cover who to tell when there are concerns about abuse or neglect and what will happen when such concerns are raised, including information on how the Havering Safeguarding Adults Board works.

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33.2 Providers must act under Havering’s Safeguarding Protocols and implement necessary steps within the service provision to ensure all Children and Adults are safeguarded from harm. Employees, local authorities, professional regulators and other bodies have a duty to refer to the Independent Safeguarding Authority with information about individuals, children or vulnerable adults where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk of harm. The Borough’s Safeguarding Procedures take precedence at all times, and Providers will be expected to report serious incidents through this route.

33.3 This service must be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and it is expected that all staff and volunteers share this commitment.

33.4 Staff and volunteers must be effectively trained in all aspects of safeguarding legislation and practice and follow the multi-agency policy and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse. The Provider shall prepare its own internal guidelines to protect adults from abuse which must be consistent with Havering’s Safeguarding Protocols and the multi-agency policy and procedures.

33.5 In addition, the service Provider should have clear policies and procedures for the following:

whistle blowing; complaints; reporting serious incidents; confidentiality; health and safety.

33.6 The Provider must ensure that individuals are safeguarded from abuse, neglect and self-harm and that staff take action to follow up any allegations and concerns in line with the multi-agency safeguarding procedure. Staff members should be made aware through induction and ongoing training of the importance of confidentiality and the security of information.

33.7 The Provider must include the safeguarding of adults and children in induction and training at a level appropriate to staff members’ roles in the Safeguarding Adults process of alerting the correct agencies in the case of suspicion of abuse.

33.8 The Provider must ensure that staff know how to make accurate, factual records at the time of concern and to date and sign all written records/entries and ensure that all incidents of abuse, as required by Havering’s Safeguarding Adults Local Protocol, are referred to the Havering Safeguarding Adults Team for investigation without delay.

33.9 The Provider is reminded of its legal obligation to refer relevant information to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), where there is a concern relating to the harm or the risk of harm to children and vulnerable adults or

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where there is a concern about the behaviour or conduct of an individual. The Provider agrees to comply with this obligation in a timely manner and in accordance with the guidance issued by the DBS and as set out in the multi-agency safeguarding procedure where an employee of the Provider is accused of abuse or neglect.

Human Rights33.10 The service will comply with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the EU

Human Rights Act 1998. Individuals are able to live in their own homes confident that their human rights will be protected, are safe from inhuman or degrading treatment, their autonomy and independence is maintained as far as possible, and their dignity and privacy are respected.

Complaints33.11 The Provider shall make available to people who use the service a copy of

its complaints procedure at the commencement of the service. The complaints procedure should be available in the main community languages, and where appropriate, in Braille, large print or on tape.

33.12 The Provider’s complaints procedure must meet the requirements of the Council’s complaints procedure. The Council will require the Provider to investigate and respond within 15 working days to any complaint received by the Council concerning the Provider. The Provider must ensure that their complaints procedure provides contact details of the Local Government Ombudsman.

33.13 The customer will have the right to make a complaint directly to the Authorised Officer or to the Council, independent of the Provider, and this shall be made clear to people who use the service. The Authorised Officer and/or the Council have the right to investigate a complaint at any stage.

33.14 The Provider shall maintain a written record of all complaints and outcomes in an agreed format with the Council. The Provider will indicate how any complaints and outcomes have been used to improve the service. These shall be made available upon request from the Authorised Officer for monitoring purposes.

33.15 The Authorised Officer shall be made aware of any serious complaint immediately, and the Authorised Officer will decide on the appropriate action to be taken.

Serious Incidents33.16 There can be a number of reasons for declaring an incident ‘serious’ and it

is not possible to provide an exhaustive list. Furthermore, each Provider shall already have in place an Incident Reporting Policy which will detail the nature of various levels of incident and the reporting procedures that should apply.

33.17 Some examples of incidents that would constitute a ‘serious incident’ are:

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Serious crime or violence by, or to, customer, staff, volunteers or members of the public directly involved with the service

Serious threats by, or to, customer, staff, volunteers, or members of the public directly involved with the service

Suicide or attempted suicide by a customer or any other person on the premises of a customer

Death or serious injury of a customer or any other person on the premises of a customer

Abuse (physical, verbal or financial), or exploitation of a customer by another person

Serious neglect of a customer by any other person Emergency admission to hospital of a customer, subject to

circumstances e.g. regular falls victim would be excluded as reporting would be through another route

Any theft, burglary, or serious accident in the customer’s home.

33.18 It is essential that the Council receive immediate notification of any serious incident. If the service Provider is uncertain whether an incident is sufficiently serious in nature to warrant reporting then the Provider should contact the Council for advice.

33.19 The service Provider is required to have a policy which details the process by which incidents will be described, recorded, investigated and reported. In addition, this policy will include the process by which outcomes will be reviewed, corrective actions identified and, where necessary, risk will be managed and avoidance procedures implemented.

33.20 This policy shall also identify specific timescales for the processes concerned, in relation to the nature of the incident and outcomes, and should provide the details of the responsible person(s) who will undertake these processes and ensure customer are protected.

33.21 The service Provider’s Serious Incident Policy will be reviewed as part of any contract and performance monitoring process implemented under the service contract and compliance will be required in respect of the paragraph above.

34 Staffing and training

Recruitment34.1 It will be the responsibility of the Provider to recruit and employ adequate

numbers of staff with the appropriate skills, attitude and approach in order to provide the highest standards of care and support.

34.2 The offer of employment shall be subject to normal recruitment checks: Satisfactory clearance of a DBS check (funded by the Provider) At least two satisfactory references. Eligibility to work in the UK.

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Successful completion of probationary period, if applicable. Copy of professional registration and qualification requirements. Occupational health clearance. Verification of the individual’s identity. Confirmation of sickness absence record.

34.3 The Provider must be able to demonstrate that they have an acceptable number of staff with the applicable skills and qualifications to meet the needs of the individual.

34.4 The Council will not allow a Provider onto the Active Homecare Framework if they have staff signed to “zero hour” contracts preventing them from seeking other simultaneous employment.

Leadership 34.5 The Provider shall demonstrate strong leadership and management of a

motivated and well-trained team. The values and attitude of staff will demonstrate a commitment to promoting dignity. Those delivering care and support will be able to balance the needs of individuals for care and protection with the desire to be as independent as possible.

Volunteers34.6 The Provider shall encourage the participation of volunteers where

appropriate. This is one way Providers can add social value. Volunteers shall be subject to the same vetting and checks as employees.

Training34.7 In order to identify and deliver outcomes to individuals with a range of

needs, Providers must ensure that they have appropriate staff who are appropriately trained and skilled. There will be an expectation that Providers have organisational frameworks that support the improvement of service provision and are delivered in line with national guidance and legislation in relation to these areas.

34.8 Provision of on-going training is a key part of workforce development. Areas where specialist training is to be provided to staff, but not limited to, are:

Manual Handing Communication needs Sensory loss Dementia Challenging needs Mental health Diabetes, epilepsy and other specific health needs Medication Hygiene Skin condition and degradation Safeguarding procedures and awareness

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Care Certificate34.9 Care staff/support workers will be expected to attain the Care Certificate

within the first 12 weeks of employment. This will set out the fundamental skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required to provide safe, effective and compassionate care and provides a framework under which they can be assessed.

34.10 The Provider must also ensure that staff receive training to enable them to facilitate good quality Individual service plans. Managers must have specialist management training including, but not limited to:

Complaints investigation Personalisation Disciplinary and grievance procedures Staff supervision and performance appraisal Team building Risk assessment Protection of vulnerable adults Health and safety Customer care

34.11 Staff must be trained in manual handling as well as in the use of lifts and hoists to ensure that the number of individuals requiring double up care is kept to a minimum. It should not be standard procedure that hoisting requires double up care.

34.12 The Provider must ensure sufficient financial resources are allocated and plans and operational procedures are maintained.

34.13 The Provider must ensure that a training needs analysis to identify any need for refresher and update training is carried out at least annually during staff performance appraisal and is incorporated into a staff development and training programme.

34.14 The Provider must ensure that their staff are paid a minimum of the national minimum wage. This will include appropriate remuneration for any time spent travelling between appointments. The Council would strongly advocate for Providers paying their employees London Living Wage but recognise the need to balance against fixed costs. Providers will need to assure the Council that their organisation pays UK taxes and adheres to all UK employment legislation.

34.15 The Provider must ensure that all members of staff understand the importance of promoting independence to enable individuals to remain in their own home and that they have the ability to positively engage with individuals and their families.

34.16 Staff will be expected to have the ability to work collaboratively with others where an individual’s service plan involves a number of different roles and contributions to their care.

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34.17 The Providers will ensure that their staff have the appropriate knowledge and skills to observe and listen to the needs of the individual and report any concerns or deterioration of the individual’s condition though the proper channels which will result in the Council being notified. This includes;

Changes in the health and capabilities of the individual or of any informal carers.

Changes in the individual’s material circumstances or environment that may necessitate a further risk assessment.

Significant changes or breakdowns in informal support networks

Staff conduct34.18 Staff must carry ID cards and customers will be provided with passwords

where appropriate to ensure safety and security.

34.19 The Provider must ensure that their staff are kept up to date with all applicable national best practice advice.

34.20 Providers must make clear to their staff in training and in the relevant policies and handbooks that staff are not expected to accept gifts or gratuities and should avoid, for their own protection as well as protection of the customers, becoming involved in financial transactions with the customer. Under no circumstances shall staff seek to be made the beneficiary of a customer’s will.

34.21 The Provider (and its staff) must treat customers with dignity and respect. This includes recognising that customers are individuals, have preferences and appreciate continuity of staff. The Provider shall therefore endeavour to minimise the volume of different workers attending to individuals and should promote, where possible, continuity of staffing.

34.22 Staff will respect information given by individuals or their representatives in confidence and handle information about customers in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

34.23 Under no circumstances shall carers be making personal phone calls while they are in the home of a customer. The Provider must ensure that this policy is strictly enforced.

Communication34.24 The Provider will ensure that their staff possess the language and

communication skills to effectively engage with the individual and their representatives. This includes assessing to ensure that staff possess an appropriate standard of spoken English to meet the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016.

34.25 The Provider must maintain effective communication and liaison with the Council and with other services contributing to the outcomes agreed by the

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individuals. The Council must always be kept informed of any changes to the circumstances of individuals.

34.26 The service Provider must respond to queries and requests promptly and in any event within 3 (three) days.

34.27 The Provider shall also ensure that individuals, relatives and or their representative(s) are kept fully informed and are involved about all aspects of the service they receive where appropriate. Staff will know about the communication needs of the individual and will receive necessary training to meet these needs.

34.28 Care Workers will understand the needs of people with a range of impairments and long-term conditions, including mental illness and dementia. Good communication skills with people with dementia will be crucial to delivering a person centred service.

34.29 Where an individual has an independent advocate or formal Carer the Provider will take account of the independent advocate’s instruction. If the provider is in doubt that the independent advocate is not working for the individual’s best interest, this must be reported to the Council.

34.30 Staff must know who to contact first in case of emergencies and or concerns based on the situation.

34.31 The Provider shall communicate with all staff frequently and on an ad hoc basis, for example out of hours, on all aspects of service delivery.

34.32 The Provider must have a complaints and compliments procedure in place which is accessible to all Individuals and their representatives with instructional information about how to make a complaint or compliment readily available. The Provider must keep a record of complaints and compliments received and report the volume of complaints and compliments received to the Council’s Authorised Officer.

34.33 The Provider must ensure that all staff are aware of this complaints and compliments procedure. Any serious complaint or allegation must be reported to the Council immediately. The Provider must have a named contact for complaints and they must be contactable during standard office hours.

35 Business Continuity

35.1 The service Provider will develop and maintain a service based Business Continuity Plan that addresses key risks which might affect delivery of the service. These will include, but not be limited to, adverse extremes of weather and exacerbated staff absence due to outbreaks of disease or seasonal factors. The Business Continuity Plan will be regularly updated

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by the service Provider as new business continuity risks emerge and risk management is refined.

35.2 Havering’s Establishment Concerns and Failure Procedure and Guidance has been developed as a means for responding to potential business failure and managing large scale investigations of service Providers. The Council will work in collaboration with Health, CQC or nominated lead agencies to address business failure. Providers have a responsibility to inform the Council or any risks to business failure.

35.3 Providers should adhere to Havering’s Establishment Concerns and Failure Procedure and Guidance (a copy can be provided once the Provider joins the AHF).

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Appendix A - Homecare Service Pathway

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Appendix B – Homecare Packages by Post Code DistrictAs of September 2016

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Appendix C – Key Safe ProtocolKey Safe Protocol

This protocol is to be adopted by all agencies/workers having to access an individual’s property via a key safe.

Criteria for key safeAssessments are undertaken by Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Care Assessors in the main. The criteria for agreeing a key safe is:-

That a person must be immobile and unable to reach the door to let carers into their home.

That a person may be living with dementia and whilst mobile cannot be relied on to open the door.

That a person may not hear the door, where alternative options have been explored in the first instance.

If there are exceptional circumstances, approval should be sought from the Occupational Therapy Manager

ProcessWhere a key safe is identified for an individual who meets the above criteria, carers/care managers should undertake a risk assessment to determine whether a key safe is appropriate and safe for that individual.

Guidance is to be given to the individual explaining the importance of keeping the security code confidential.

The key safe code should be determined by the individual and/or family member who will notify the relevant agency.

The key safe code once received will be stored on Provider’s own systems and they will be responsible for maintaining and keeping their records up to date and secure. Key safe codes should no longer be recorded on the Adult Social Care database (AIS) and codes currently on the system will be deleted.

Agencies should demonstrate that key codes are kept confidential in a locked secure area and issued to staff only on a need to know basis. Staff are not to pass on the code.

If key safe codes need to leave the office with carers, these should be encrypted so that no individual or property can be identified.

If an individual changes their care agency, the key safe codes will need to be changed. The replacement agency will need to liaise directly with the individual/family.

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No member of staff/carer should enter a property without prior arrangement with the individual and/or the family. If prior arrangement is not given, then the member of staff/carer should be accompanied.

If the individual is known to be in hospital and there is a need to enter the property e.g. occupational therapy equipment, the staff member should seek written permission from the individual and/or family and should always be accompanied.

If a worker visits the home of an Individual for a pre-arranged visit and the individual is not there, the member of staff/agency worker should check to see if the individual can be located prior to leaving the property and immediately contacting their line manager. The line manager should ensure a written record of the contact is taken.

If a worker visits the home of an individual for a pre-arranged visit and the Individual requires emergency services, the member of staff/agency worker should contact the emergency services and their line manager to advise them. The worker should await the arrival of the emergency services to allow access to the property.

If the individual no longer requires the key safe or moves, the local authority is to be contacted so that the key safe can be collected.

SupplierKey safes are fitted by the local authority who hold a supply of key safes in order to respond quickly. This is often the case when there is a need to facilitate discharge from hospital, where key safes need to be fitted within 24 hours.

Communal AreasWhere a key safe is required in a block of flats, or other communal properties, there is a tentative agreement that a key safe will be placed in a discreet location around the block and only one will be supplied outside. If a key safe has already been installed then that key safe will be used to access the main door. A second key safe will be provided by the front door of the individual flat to enable access. Written permission is obtained prior to fitting in this instance.

Alternative ProvisionThere are limited alternatives to provision of a key safe. The alternative is an intercom which allows the front door to be opened remotely by the resident. These are expensive and can cost a few hundred pounds whereas a key safe can be fitted for £50. This option is considered unsuitable for some people, especially for those living with dementia, and is also reflected by the Metropolitan Police.

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Appendix D – Guidance on Suspension of Placements

The Quality and Safeguarding Board meet to discuss the Provider services and will determine the level of risk, as identified by the risk indicators. The Board will consider issues of concern and agree actions to be taken. When making decisions, the Board will refer to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (Part 3), Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 (Part 4), Care Act (2014) and London Borough of Havering Day Opportunities Minimum Standards to establish if outcomes are being appropriately achieved.

Failure to achieve satisfactory outcomes for individuals will result in sanctions being imposed which will depend on the level of risk.

Level of Risk Impact on Individuals Potential Sanction(s)

Major People who use the service are not protected from unsafe or inappropriate care. The provision of care does not meet quality and safety standards.

Immediate suspension of new placements and increased monitoring activity. Formal meeting with Provider.

Moderate People who use the service are generally safe, but there is a risk to their health and wellbeing. Provision of care is inconsistent and may not always meet quality and safety standards.

Immediate suspension or ‘place with caution’ and increased monitoring activity. Formal Meeting with Provider.

Minor People who use the service are safe, but care provision may not always meet quality and safety standards.

Monitoring visit. Formal meeting with Provider if necessary.

Suspension of new placements: No new packages of care will be placed with the Provider. Individuals may be reviewed with a view to removal, if necessary. An improvement plan is to be produced and initiated. London Borough of Havering departments and other local authorities or agencies alerted, as appropriate. It is expected that the Provider will inform any prospective individual(s) and/or their representative(s) who may wish to procure a service, via any other funding stream, of the suspension that is currently placed on the Provider by the London Borough of Havering.

Place with caution: All social care staff will be required to inform the Quality Team of their intention to make a placement and will comply with the advice given by the team. An improvement plan is to be produced by the Provider. The Council will

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continue to monitor to establish if the improvement plan has been adhered to and is embedded into the Provider’s care practices. Other local authorities or agencies will be informed on request only.

Increased monitoring activity: Quality assurance monitoring will look at how outcomes are being achieved in any Provider service.

Formal meeting with provider: Discussions will take place with the Provider and local authority and an immediate action plan agreed.

Sanctions remain in place until the level of risk becomes low or nil and the Quality and Safeguarding Board are satisfied and confident that issues have been appropriately addressed.

Decisions are recorded, communicated to the provider and kept under review.

The following Regulations (abridged) are used to determine that standards are being achieved:

Regulation

Title and summary of outcome

4Requirements where the service Provider is an individual or partnership. The intention of this regulation is to ensure that people who use services have their needs met because the service is provided by an appropriate person.

5Fit and proper persons: directors. The intention of this regulation is to ensure that people who have director level responsibility for the quality and safety of care, and for meeting the fundamental standards are fit and proper to carry out this important role.

6

Requirement where the service Provider is a body other than a partnership. The intention of this regulation is to ensure that the Provider is represented by an appropriate person nominated by the organisation to carry out this role on their behalf (as a nominated individual). The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the regulated activity provided.

7Requirements relating to registered managers. The intention of this regulation is to ensure that people who use services have their needs met because the regulated activity is managed by an appropriate person.

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8

General. This regulation aims to make it clear that if a provider has more than one registered person that they do not all individually need to take the same action to meet every regulation. However, they must make sure that they meet every regulation for each regulated activity they provide and that all registered people comply with the requirement of the regulations.

It also states that Regulations 9 to 20A, sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 must be considered for people who use the service who are aged 16 or over to determine whether they lack mental capacity to consent.

9

Person-centred care. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people using a service have care or treatment that is personalised specifically for them. This regulation describes the action that Providers must take to make sure that each person receives appropriate person-centred care and treatment that is based on an assessment of their needs and preferences.

10

Dignity and respect. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people using the service are treated with respect and dignity at all times while they are receiving care and treatment. This includes making sure that people have privacy when they need and want it, treating them as equals and providing any support they might need to be autonomous, independent and involved in their local community.

11

Need for consent. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that all people using the service, and those lawfully acting on their behalf, have given consent before any care or treatment is provided. Providers must make sure that they obtain consent lawfully and that the person who obtains the consent has the necessary knowledge and understanding of the care and/or treatment that they are asking consent for.

12

Safe care and treatment. The intention of this regulation is to prevent people from receiving unsafe care and treatment and prevent avoidable harm or risk of harm. Providers must assess the risks to people’s health and safety during any care or treatment and make sure that staff have the qualifications, competence, skills and experience to keep people safe.

13

Safeguarding individuals from abuse and improper treatment. The intention of this regulation is to safeguard people who use services from suffering any form of abuse or improper treatment while receiving care and treatment. Improper treatment includes discrimination or unlawful restraint, which includes inappropriate deprivation of liberty under the terms of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

14Meeting nutritional and hydration needs. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people who use services have adequate nutrition and hydration to sustain life and good health and reduce the risks of malnutrition and dehydration while they receive care and treatment.

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15

Premises and equipment. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that the premises where care and treatment are delivered are clean, suitable for the intended purpose, maintained and where required, appropriately located and that the equipment that is used to deliver care and treatment is clean, suitable for the intended purpose, maintained, stored securely and used properly.

16

Receiving and acting on complaints. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people can make a complaint about their care and treatment. The Provider must have an effective and accessible system for identifying, receiving, handling, and responding to complaints. Complaints must be investigated thoroughly and action taken where failures have been identified.

17

Good governance. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that Providers have systems and processes that ensure effective governance, including assurance and auditing systems or processes. These must assess, monitor and drive improvement in the quality and safety of the service provided, including the quality of the experience for people using the service.

18

Staffing. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that Providers deploy enough suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff to enable them to meet all other regulatory requirements described in this part of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

19

Fit and proper persons employed. The intention of this regulation is to make sure that Providers only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff who are able to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role and to enable them to provide the regulated activity. Providers must operate robust recruitment procedures, including undertaking any relevant checks. They must have a procedure for ongoing monitoring of staff to make sure they remain able to meet the requirements and must have appropriate arrangements in place to deal with staff who are no longer fit to carry out the duties required of them.

20Duty of candour. The intention of this regulation is to ensure that Providers are open and transparent with people who use services and other ‘relevant persons’ in general in relation to care and treatment.

20A

Requirements as to display of performance assessments. This regulation will apply to all Providers when they have received a CQC performance assessment for their regulated activity. Providers must ensure that their rating(s) are displayed conspicuously and legibly at each location delivering a regulated service and on their website (if they have one).

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Appendix E – Medication Policy Guidelines

In order to be accepted onto the Active Homecare Framework all Providers will be evaluated against key critical policies on a Pass/Fail basis; the Providers Medication Policy & Procedure forms one of these key policies for which Providers must demonstrate a safe and robust approach to medication management and maintaining the safety and independence of the individuals they support.

Providers must have a clear and comprehensive written medication policy & procedure which is readily accessible to support the care worker to carry out their duties which includes:

When the care worker may assist a individual with medication or administer medication

The limitations of assistance with prescribed and non-prescribed medication and which healthcare tasks the care worker may not undertake without specialist training

Detailed procedures for safe handling of medication, including requesting repeat prescriptions; collecting prescriptions and dispensed medication; procedure for administration, including action should the person refuse the medication; records of medication procurement, administration and disposal (return); procedure for removal of unwanted medication; procedure to deal with a medication error

The Provider, through the individual’s care assessment, should determine and document the following in the person’s care plan:

The nature and extent of help that the person needs A current list of prescribed medicines for the person, including the dose and

frequency of administration; method of assistance; and arrangements about the filling of compliance aids if these are used

Details of arrangements for medication storage in the person’s home and access by the person, relatives or friends

A statement of the person’s consent to care worker support with medication

As a minimum the medication policy should contain the following: Be compliant with the relevant legislation & good practice guidance including

but not limited to:- Care Act 2014 - Medicines Act 1968- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006- Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain Handling of Medicines in

Social Care 2007- Care Quality Commission Regulations 2009- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014:

Regulation 12

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- Skills for Care National Minimum Training Standards for Health Care Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England 2013 (Qualification and Credit Framework Unit 80)

- Skills for Care Recommendations for CQC Providers – Medication Administration Training (standard 8) October 2014

- Care Certificate Standards 2015. Standard 13.5 Understanding medication and healthcare tasks 2015

- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guideline, Managing Medicines in Care Homes March 2014

- National Care Forum – Management of Medicines Assessment Tools- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

The 6 Rights of Administration – Right Customer, Right Medicine, Right Route, Right Dose, Right Time, Right Documentation

Levels of support with medication– Self Administration, Prompt, Assist, Administer & Administer with Specialised Techniques

Clear guidance on the roles & responsibilities of staff when prompting or administering medication, including what staff can do and what staff can’t do

Infection Control - preventing infection during medication administration Use of Over the Counter/Homely Remedies Use of When Required Medication (PRN Medicines) Covert Medication Controlled Drugs Medication Administration Records (MAR Sheets) Medication Refusals and Missed Doses Medication Errors & Reporting Process Medication Storage & Disposal Expiry Dates Review of Medication Audit of Medication processes Staff Training, Training Standards and Observed Practice Annual Review date for Policy & Procedure

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Appendix F – Safer Recruitment Requirements

Safer recruitment responsibilities and measures, and the management of staff working with adults at risk of harm

In order to be accepted onto the Active Homecare Framework all Providers will be evaluated against key critical policies on a Pass/Fail basis; the Providers Safer Recruitment Policy & Procedure forms one of these key policies for which Providers must demonstrate a safe and robust approach to Recruitment and maintaining the safety of the individuals they support.

Providers must have a clear and comprehensive written Safer Recruitment policy & procedure which is readily accessible to support staff responsible for recruitment to carry out their duties and in line with the guidance & checklist provided below.

1. Background

All Providers who employ staff or volunteers to work with adults should ensure their recruitment and vetting procedures are sufficiently stringent and robust to ensure employees are appropriately qualified and personally suitable for the responsibilities of the role. This can be achieved by adopting safer recruitment policies and procedures designed to identify and exclude those candidates who may pose a risk of abuse to adult service users.

The Council recognises that these recommendations are not exhaustive, and as such advises all responsible professionals to ensure the staff within their organisation who have responsibility for hiring are familiar with new legislation, government guidance, and advice for good practice in safer recruitment.

Safer recruitment should not be the exclusive consideration of staff in direct contact with adult service users; support staff, agency staff, and subcontractors with indirect or limited contact with service users should also be subject to the same practises. The principles of safer recruitment should appear not just in contracts for employees, but also for subcontractors, agencies, and secondary providers, ensuring that they will adhere to stated policy and use approved guidelines when recruiting any additional personnel.

For the purposes of working with adults, safer recruitment is applicable to roles specifically involving several tasks described as ‘regulated activities’ in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Act (2006, brought into effect 2012). Under the terms of the act, an adult is any person over 18 years of age, and regulated activity excludes any actions that form part of a family or personal relationship.

For safeguarding and recruitment purposes, ‘regulated activities’ is defined as:

working in residential or sheltered accommodation, care homes, or respite care; providing any form of healthcare, including counselling, psychotherapy, palliative

care, or medical care not connected with a medical condition, such as donating blood, but not including opticians’ sales staff or pharmacy technicians who are not members of a regulated professional body;

working with adults who attend or have attended a residential special school;

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working with an adult in a social work capacity, including assessments for care; acting as a first responder or providing first aid on behalf of an organisation, but not if

the employee is a volunteer first aider who was originally hired to fill a position in which first aid is not their main responsibility;

driving a vehicle or assisting with mobility to attend care activities or appointments, but not drivers of taxis, private hire vehicles, or public transport;

supporting an adult’s independence by managing money, paying bills, or shopping; assisting or supervising an adult’s personal care, such as bathing, dressing, going to

the toilet, eating and drinking, or caring for their mouth, hair, skin and nails, including prompting the service user to carry out these processes themselves;

assisting in the conduct of an adult’s affairs, such as holding lasting or enduring power of attorney, being appointed their deputy, receiving their social security benefits, or acting as a mental health advocate;

or supervising or managing any employee who carries out any regulated activity.

2. Training

All Providers responsible for engaging personnel to work with adults should ensure that all staff who are responsible for recruitment undertake safer recruitment training and other training specific to their organisation or field.

3. Advertisements and information for applicants

Providers should demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding and protecting service users by ensuring that all recruitment advertising material contains a policy statement to this effect.

All information given to the interested applicant should highlight the importance placed by the Provider on rigorous selection processes and appropriate safeguarding procedures.

The information should stress that the identity of the candidate, if successful, will need to be checked thoroughly, and that where a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is appropriate the person will be required to complete an application for a DBS disclosure straight away (see below, Disclosure and barring service checks).

The job description should clearly set out the extent of the relationship with, and the degree of responsibility for, adult service users with whom the person will have contact.

The person specification should explain:

The qualifications and experience needed for the role; The competences and qualities that the applicant should be able to demonstrate; How these will be tested and assessed during the selection process.

The application form should ask for:

Full personal information, including any former names by which the person has been known in the past; and

A full history of employment, both paid and voluntary, since leaving school, including any periods of further education or training;

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Details of any relevant academic and/or vocational qualifications; A declaration, as appropriate for the position, that the person has no convictions,

cautions, or bind-overs. If they have, they should provide details in a sealed envelope.

4. References

The application form should request both professional and character references from two employers that do not require a DBS check (one of which should be from the applicant’s current or most recent employer) and five years referencing (at least two employer references) for roles that do require a DBS check. Additional references may be asked for where appropriate; for instance, if an applicant’s most recent employment was outside of the field, the former employer most relevant to the role may also be approached for a reference.

In the interests of fairness, all candidates should have their suitability for the role assessed against the Person Specification without exception or variation. Desirable requirements may be used to distinguish between candidates who meet the essential requirements equally well.

Safer recruitment means that all applications should additionally be:

Checked to ensure that they are fully and properly completed. Incomplete applications should not be accepted and should be returned to the candidate for completion.

Scrutinised for any anomalies or discrepancies in the information provided. Considered with regard to any history of gaps, or repeated changes, in employment,

or moves to supply work, without clear and verifiable reasons.

All candidates should bring with them to interview documentary evidence of their identity, either a full birth certificate, passport, or photocard driving licence, and additionally a document such as a utility bill that verifies the candidate’s name and address. Where appropriate, change of name documentation must also be brought to the interview.

Candidates should also be asked to bring original documents confirming any necessary or relevant educational and professional qualifications. If the successful candidate cannot produce original documents or certified copies written confirmation of his/her relevant qualifications must be obtained from the awarding body.

5. Interviewing short-listed candidates

Questions or brief activities should be set which test the candidate's specific skills and abilities to carry out the job applied for.

The candidate's attitude toward the general function and purpose of the organisation should be tested and also their commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults in particular.

Providers should consider utilising Values based recruitment techniques for finding candidates who have the right values, behaviours and attitudes to work in social care and know what it means to provide high quality care to individuals

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(http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Recruitment-retention/Values-based-recruitment-and-retention/Recruiting-for-values-and-behaviours-in-social-care.aspx)

Any gaps and changes in employment history should be fully explored during the interview, as should any discrepancies arising from information supplied by the candidate or by the referee.

6. Offer of Appointment to Successful Candidate

An offer of appointment must be conditional upon pre-employment checks being satisfactorily completed, including:

Receipt of two satisfactory references - if references have not been obtained before the interview, it is vital that they are obtained and scrutinised before the successful candidate’s appointment is confirmed;

Verification of the candidate's identity, if this has not been verified straight after the interview;

A Disclosure and Barring Service Disclosure appropriate to the role; A check of the Disclosure and Barring Service’s Barred List; this is usually completed

as part of the DBS Disclosure and therefore separate checks will not be required except where the DBS Disclosure remains outstanding at the point where the person starts work;

Verification of the candidate's medical fitness; Verification of any relevant qualifications and professional status, if not verified

straight after the interview, and whether any restrictions have been imposed by a regulatory body such as the General Medical Council;

Evidence of right to work in the UK for those who are not nationals of a European Economic Area country.

All checks should be verified, confirmed in writing, documented and retained on the personnel file and followed up where they are unsatisfactory or where there are discrepancies in the information provided. All employers should also keep and maintain a single central record of recruitment and vetting checks of staff and volunteers.

Ideally, where a DBS Disclosure is required, it should be obtained before the new starter begins work. It must in any case be obtained as soon as practicable after the individual’s appointment and the request for a DBS Disclosure should be submitted in advance of the individual starting work. There is discretion to allow an individual to begin work pending receipt of the DBS Disclosure. However, in such cases, a risk assessment must be completed and signed off by a senior manager, the individual must be appropriately supervised and all other checks, including the DBS’s Barred List, should have been completed.

Appropriate supervision for individuals who start work prior to the result of a DBS Disclosure being received needs to reflect what is known about the person concerned, their experience, the nature of their duties and the level of responsibility they will carry. For those with limited experience and where references have provided limited information the level of supervision required may be high. For those with more experience and where the references are detailed and provide strong evidence of good conduct in previous relevant work a lower level of supervision may be appropriate. For all staff without completed DBS Disclosures it should be made clear that they are subject to this additional supervision. The nature of the supervision should be specified and the roles of staff in undertaking the supervision spelt

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out. The arrangements should be reviewed regularly at least every two weeks until the DBS Disclosure is received.

Where a DBS Disclosure indicates cause for concern for agency or directly employed staff, the member of staff must immediately be withdrawn pending the completion of a risk assessment signed off by a senior manager.

7. Disclosure and Barring Service Checks

Standard Disclosure

Standard disclosures indicate if there is anything on record or shows details drawn from the police national computer of:

Spent and unspent convictions; Cautions; Formal reprimands; and Final warnings.

Standard disclosures are issued to the individual and copied to the body registered to seek them.

Enhanced Disclosures

The enhanced disclosure in addition to the information provided by a standard disclosure may contain non-conviction information from local police records, which a chief police officer thinks may be relevant to the position sought.

The enhanced disclosure is required for positions in regulated activity and involving regular caring for, training, supervision or being in sole charge of adult service users.

8. Persons Prohibited from Working/Seeking Work with Adults

The DBS can advise employers if their candidates are barred from working with adults. Barring prohibits the individual from engaging in any of the activities specified as, “Regulated Activity”, and from being offered or entering into employment where they would be required to do so.

An individual can only be barred from working with adults (or children, if relevant) if the DBS believe they have been, or will be, professionally engaged in regulated activity, or if they have been convicted of an offence that carried automatic barring and have not made representations in response.

Employers have a duty to make referrals to the DBS if they believe an employee has caused harm, or pose a future risk of harm, to adults or children. Making a referral is appropriate when an employee has been dismissed or removed, or has instead resigned, because they have:

Been cautioned or convicted for a relevant offence, a list of which can be viewed on the DBS website;

Engaged in an action (or inaction) that has harmed an adult or child or put them at risk of harm;

Been identified as posing a risk of harm even though no such conduct has occurred.

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An employer should not make a referral immediately upon receiving an allegation against a staff member. The employer must take time to investigate and gather evidence in order to determine the validity of the allegation. Where it is appropriate, the employer should contact the police in due course and according to existing policy, although it is possible for the DBS to bar an individual with them having first been convicted of an offence.

The DBS is has no investigatory powers and is unable to bar an individual without examining the supporting evidence, and referrals submitted without supporting material - such as minutes of disciplinary hearings, witness statements, dismissal letters, recorded interviews, CCTV footage, or records of police involvement - will not be pursued.

The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000) makes it a criminal offence for anyone to seek or accept work in a regulated position knowing that they are barred from working with children, and for an employer to offer work to, or employ, a person in a regulated position knowing that the person is barred from working with children.

9. Limitations of Disclosures

The same checks must be made on all overseas staff, including DBS checks, but as disclosures may not provide information on people convicted abroad and with respect to individuals who have little residence in the UK, caution must be exercised.

Where an applicant has worked or been resident overseas in the previous five years, the employer should where possible obtain a check of the applicant’s criminal record from the relevant authority in that country. Not all countries, however, provide this service. The advice of the DBS Overseas Information Service should be sought about criminal record checking overseas - see the Disclosure and Barring Service website.

Occasionally, an enhanced disclosure check may result in the local police disclosing non-conviction information to the registered body only and not to the applicant e.g. a current investigation about the individual. Such information, known as ‘brown envelope information’, must not be passed on to the applicant. Whilst this provision will no longer exist in the Police Act, the police may choose to use common law powers to provide information directly to employers in cases where this is necessary in order to prevent crime or personal harm.

10.Police information held locally - more rigorous relevancy test and new right of review

Prior to the Protection of Freedom Act, the police provided information held locally on enhanced DBS disclosures when they consider it to be relevant to the purpose for which the certificate was requested. The police now have to apply a more rigorous test before deciding whether to disclose information. They will include it if they ‘reasonably believe it to be relevant’ and consider that it ought to be disclosed.

In addition, if any of that information is included on an enhanced DBS certificate and the applicant does not think that it should be, they will now be able to ask the Independent Monitor to review it, and the Independent Monitor can ask the DBS to issue a new certificate, either without that information or with amendments to it. Applicants should be encouraged to inform you when they request such a review and to update you about what happens with their certificate.

11.Evaluation and Management of Disclosure Information

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Any concerns raised as a result of DBS checks must be followed up. Where information is disclosed, employers must carry out an initial evaluation and make a judgment about the person’s suitability to enter employment, taking into account only those offences that may be relevant to the post in question. As the employer no longer receives a copy of the DBS certificate where there is a trace found, the employer will need to see the candidate’s certificate. Where information is disclosed, employers must carry out an initial evaluation and make a judgement about the person’s suitability to assume the role, taking into account only those offences that may be relevant to the post in question. Where further information is required, the applicants consent must be sought and the information should be obtained by a person with an understanding of safeguarding matters.

In deciding the relevance of disclosure information, the following should be considered:

The nature of the appointment; The nature and circumstances of the offence; The age at which the offence took place; The frequency of the offence.

12.Challenges to Information on DBS Certificates

Currently, an applicant for a DBS check who believes that information disclosed on their certificate is inaccurate can apply to the DBS for a decision about whether it is accurate. The Protection of Freedoms Act allows people other than the applicant to do that too.

13.Disclosure and Barring Service Update Service

For most individuals an optional online Update Service was introduced in June 2013 and is operated by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), designed to reduce the number of DBS checks requested. Subscription to the Update Service means that instead of new criminal records/Barred Lists check being necessary whenever an individual applies for a new paid or voluntary role working with adults, the Update Service will allow them to keep their criminal record certificate up to date, so that they can take it with them from role to role, within the same workforce. Employers do not need to register, but can carry out free, instant, online status checks of a registered individual’s status. A new DBS check will only be necessary if the status check indicates a change in the individual’s status (because new information has been added). For further information visit the Disclosure and Barring Service website at Disclosure and Barring Service

14.Staff recruited from overseas

Employers will also need to carry out criminal record checks when recruiting staff from abroad. Where the position meets the criteria for a disclosure, even if the applicant claims they have never lived in the UK before, a DBS disclosure should still be obtained in addition to the individual's overseas criminal records.

All overseas police checks must be in accordance with that country's justice system and UK requirements. See the DBS website for guidance on how to access information from a list of countries.

Some foreign embassies and high commissions in the UK initiate requests on behalf of applicants and liaise with the relevant issuing authority abroad. In cases where candidates have to apply to the issuing authority directly, the relevant UK-based embassy or high

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commission may still be able to provide advice on what to expect. If there is any doubt about the record produced, they may also be able to authenticate the search results. Further guidance can be found on the Security Industry Authority (SIA) website at www.the-sia.org.uk. If the country is not listed on the DBS or SIA website, the country's representative in the UK could be contacted, see the Foreign and Commonwealth website at: www.fco.gov.uk.

15. Induction and supervision of newly appointed staff

The induction of all newly appointed staff should include an introduction to the organisation's safeguarding policies and procedures. This should include being made aware of the identity and specific responsibilities of those staff with designated safeguarding responsibilities.

New staff members should be provided with information about safe practice and given a full explanation of their role and responsibilities and the standard of conduct and behaviour expected.

They should also be made aware of the organisation's personnel procedures relating to disciplinary issues and the relevant whistle blowing policy.

The organisation has an appropriate mechanism for confidential reporting of any behaviour towards service users or other adults which is abusive, inappropriate or unprofessional.

The organisation has a confidential reporting or whistle-blowing policy in place, covering conduct which:

Is in breach of criminal law or statute; Compromises health and safety; Breaches accepted professional codes of conduct; Otherwise falls below established standards of practice with adults.

The programme of induction should also include attendance at safeguarding training at a level appropriate to the member of staff's stated duties. Senior managers should ensure that their staff are adequately and appropriately supervised and that they have ready access to advice, expertise and management support in all matters relating to safeguarding.

16.Concerns & Issues

Any concerns that arise through the process of continuing supervision, which call into question the person's suitability to continue in the responsibilities of their role, should be managed according to local procedures such as capability assessments, disciplinary proceedings, and/or the procedures for the management of allegations against staff (including volunteers).

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Safer Recruitment Checklist

Pre-recruitment Stage

Assess the need for the vacant role or volunteer positionCreate or update the job description and person specificationJob description and person specification must outline the duties and responsibilities for safeguarding. It should also include reference to the postholder requiring a satisfactory DBS checkExplain that the role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 which means that applicants are required to disclose details of any criminal convictions or cautions or bind-overs they have received. This only applies to a role which involves the postholder working with children and young people or vulnerable adults.

Advert StageProvide a job description and person specification.Advert should include:-Role title, salary, hours and where the role is located.Length of contract, if the role is not permanent.Briefly describe the role and what skills and qualifications are needed.Closing date and interview date.Details of how to apply.Confirm whether the role is subject to a DBS check (standard or enhanced).Contact details and process for submitted an application form.Details of who to contact if the applicant requires further information.The advert should include a statement to say that your organisation is committed to safer recruitment practices

Application FormAlways use an application form. Do not accept CV’sAn application form should include the following:Personal details (name, address, date of birth, contact details)Present employment details and reason for leavingExplanation of any gaps covering the employment history.Full employment history since leaving school.Qualifications and training courses attended (both academic and vocational)Relevant professional registration such as the General Social Care Council.Details of refereesPersonal statement demonstrating how they meet the competencies, personal qualities, skills and expertise within the person specification.A declaration of any family or close relationship to existing employees and employers (councillors, company directors and trustees).Include a brief explanation that the post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and ask the applicant to declare whether he/she has any convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including any that would normally be regarded as „spent‟. If the declaration is positive, the applicant must either provide the details on the application form or be prepared to provide details at the interview.Signed declaration that all information provided on the form is true and accurate. Applicants must be informed that providing false or inaccurate information is an offence

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and could result in the application being rejected, or the employment being terminated.Short-listing stage

Minimum of two people should carry out the short-listing process.Draw up a matrix with your essential and desirable criteria from your person specification. Apply these criteria to all applicants consistently.Take time to scrutinise the application form. Ensure that the application form is completed fully.Identify any inconsistencies in the application form.Highlight any gaps in employment which need to be explored at interview.An employer has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure a disabled applicant can fairly participate in the process.Given applicants sufficient notice to attend the interview process.

Interview invite letterAsk applicants to bring with them documentation to confirm their identity. (Passport or driving license etc.). A copy of this documentation should be retained on the applicant’s personal file, if successful.Inform the applicant that you will be exploring their motives and attitudes to working with vulnerable adults during the interview process.

Select the right personPrepare a set of core interview questions that you ask all applicants. You should aim to assess the criteria on your person specification and other areas identified during the short-listing process.Explore any discrepancies or inconsistencies identified during the short-listing process.Explore attitude, motives and values for working with vulnerable adults.Give the applicant an opportunity to ask any questions before the end of the selection process.Explain to the applicant that the role is subject to a DBS check disclosure and whether they wish to provide any relevant information.Safeguarding interview questions

Recruitment of ex-offendersThe Rehabilitation Offenders Act 1974 is aimed at helping people who have been convicted of a criminal conviction and have not re-offended since.Where an applicant has disclosed a criminal record, you should do the following at interview:-Have an open and measured discussion on the subject of any offences or other matters that might be relevant to the role.Advise the applicant that the information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.Do not share the information with anyone who is not entitled to see it.Advise the applicant that failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the role sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.Respect the right of the applicant to conceal any convictions that are spent. Explain to the applicant that, where the role applied for is subject to a DBS check, that they are required to disclose all criminal records (spent and unspent convictions).Explain the organisations process for managing unclear disclosures.

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Requesting employment referencesYou should take up at least two written references. At least one of these references must be from the current or last employer. Verbal references should always been followed up by a written reference. References from relatives are not acceptable.There will be occasions where it is appropriate to take up additional references from previous employers. This is because the applicant’s employment with the previous employer is more relevant to the role they have applied for. You must speak to the applicant before contacting the referee.It is best practice for references to be followed up with the referee to confirm that it was written by that individual. It is acceptable to follow up a written reference with a telephone call. (This approach is entirely optional)Provide the job description and person specification to the referee.Remind the referee that they have a responsibility to provide a reference that is accurate, true, and fair and does not contain any material misstatement or omission.Consider starting a reference request by saying that‟ this post involves the postholder working with and/or promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and your reference is important to us‟. Do not accept a pre-written reference which is address to „whom it may concern‟ or references that are not dated.The reference should be on the organisation’s headed paper or have the organisation’s stamp.Always seek permission from the applicant to approach a referee.Scrutinise references that have been received.If there are any discrepancies in the reference received, then speak to the referee and applicant, as appropriate.Some organisations may have a reference policy which states that they will only provide basis employment details in a reference.Ensure that the references provided are understandable to you.Ensure that you keep a written record of any discussions you have with the referee or applicant about a reference provided.Ensure you meet these responsibilities when you provide a reference for a current or ex-employee.

Offer of employmentIssue a conditional offer of employment to the successful applicant. The offer of employment will be subject to your normal recruitment checks:Satisfactory clearance of a DBS check.At least two satisfactory references.Eligibility to work in the UKSuccessful completion of probationary period, if applicableCopy of professional registration and qualification requirementsOccupational health clearanceVerification of the individual’s identity.Confirmation of sickness absence record

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Post appointmentYour responsibilities under safer recruitment do not stop once you have appointed the successful applicant.

Making sure that safeguarding features highly in all processes, procedures and practices sends a clear message to all staff and helps to deter unsuitable individuals and inappropriate behaviour.

This section relates to aspects of safeguarding only. You are responsible for ensuring all other aspects relating to post appointment are put into place.Plan an induction and probation programme for all staff and volunteers. You should undertake an induction programme for all new starters including any internal applicants who have been promoted or gained an internal role.During the induction /probation programme appropriate training and information about the organisation’s policies and procedure should be shared.Ensure new staff are aware of the expected standards of conduct.Provide opportunities for new staff or volunteers to discuss any concerns or issues about their role or responsibilities with regard to safeguarding.Ensure new staffs are aware of policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of safeguarding.Ensure new staff are aware of how and with whom any concerns should be raised.Provide a copy of your organisation’s policies and procedures to the new starter including, but not limited to:Whistle-blowing policy and procedures.Code of Conduct for all staff and volunteers that sets out a clear standard for relationships of people, patients and service users.Ensure you regularly remind staff and volunteers of these areas during their employment with you.

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Appendix G – Safeguarding Policies & Procedure Requirements

In order to be accepted onto the Active Homecare Framework all Providers will be evaluated against key critical policies on a Pass/Fail basis; the Providers Safeguarding Policy & Procedure forms one of these key policies for which Providers must demonstrate a robust approach to Safeguarding the individuals they support.

Providers must have a clear and comprehensive written Safeguarding policy & procedure and ensure appropriate training to support the care worker to carry out their duties.

Providers will have robust procedures in place for safeguarding vulnerable adults and responding to suspicion or evidence (including “whistle-blowing”) of abuse to ensure the safety and protection of service users.

BACKGROUND

The Provider has a responsibility to safeguard Service Users in accordance with CQC Essential Standards Outcome 7 and the Care Act 2014, and comply with the government guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015. Providers must have systems and procedures in place to safeguard adults, children and vulnerable groups from abuse, exploitation and neglect in line with The Provider must have in place policies and procedures for identifying and dealing with the abuse of vulnerable people which are complementary to the Pan London Multi-Agency Safeguarding Policy & Procedures.

The Provider must also comply with The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 20 – Duty of Candour to ensure its safeguarding practice promotes openness, transparency and trust.

The Provider must ensure that policies and procedures are covered in induction and fully understood by staff. All staff must be given an initial understanding of their safeguarding duties within their first week of employment. Comprehensive training on awareness and prevention of abuse must be given to all staff as part of their core induction within 3 months and updated at least annually. In addition, update training will be provided in light of new policies and procedures introduced either locally or nationally.

PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES

The Provider will minimise the risk and likelihood of incidents occurring by:

Ensuring that staff and Service Users understand the aspects of the safeguarding processes that are relevant to them

Ensuring that staff understand the signs of abuse and raise this with the right person when those signs are noticed

Ensuring that Service Users, Staff and Visitors all have clear and accessible information describing the service standards, how to complain and are aware of how to raise concerns of suspected abuse

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Having effective means to monitor and review incidents, concerns and complaints that have the potential to become an abuse or safeguarding concern

Having effective means of receiving and acting upon feedback from Service Users and any other person

Having a clear and well publicised whistleblowing policy and procedure in place and ensure whistle-blowers are protected from adverse treatment

Taking action immediately to ensure that any abuse identified is stopped and suspected abuse is addressed by:

- having clear procedures that are followed in practice, monitored and reviewed, and take account of relevant legislation and guidance for the management of alleged abuse

- separating the alleged abuser from Service Users and others who may be at risk or managing the risk by removing the opportunity for abuse to occur, where this is within the control of the Provider

- reporting the alleged abuse to the appropriate authority - reviewing the Service User's Care and Support Plan to ensure that they are

properly supported following the alleged abuse incident Using information from safeguarding concerns to identify non-compliance, or any risk

of non-compliance, with the regulations and to decide what will be done to return to compliance

Working collaboratively with other services, teams, individuals and agencies in relation to all safeguarding matters and having safeguarding policies that link with the Authority’s and Pan-London policies

Co-operating fully in any safeguarding enquiries and comply with any agreed requirements of a safeguarding and/or risk management plan which may include a referral by the provider to the Disclosure and Barring. Failure to comply with procedures or outcomes or actions from safeguarding enquiries may be regarded as a fundamental breach of the Framework Agreement.

Ensuring that vulnerable service users are protected in accordance with the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Taking into account relevant guidance set out by the CQC Having a robust Safer Recruitment procedure in place and to help prevent unsuitable

Staff from working with Service Users and ensuring that those working with Service Users wait for a full Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure before starting work

Training and supervising staff in safeguarding to ensure they can demonstrate the necessary competences.

Having a clear statement of rights and zero tolerance of abuse Having a clear Code of Conduct in place for all Staff that set out standards of conduct

especially in relation to personal and sexual relationships between people in a position of trust and dealing with Service Users.

Having a protocol and systems for referral of staff to regulatory bodies when there is evidence of misconduct that has harmed, or is likely to harm, Service Users

Ensuring there is on-going Safeguarding Adults and Children training that promotes awareness of abuse and how to respond and report concerns including appropriate training for staff with responsibility to investigate complaints and safeguarding concerns

Ensuring that leaflets about abuse and how to report them are clearly displayed

The Provider must also have policies and procedures in place on the safe handling of money and property belonging to Service Users.

The Provider shall:

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Have a Designated Adults Safeguarding Manager as defined within The Care Act, who will be central for safeguarding issues for the Provider. The individual shall be the single point of contact between the Provider and Authority when any actual/suspected safeguarding is reported and/or investigated.

Ensure that the Designated Adults Safeguarding Manager has full knowledge of the Authority’s referral pathways

Ensure that the Designated Adults Safeguarding Manager is covered when they are away on annual leave or sick Ensure that the Designated Adults Safeguarding Manager has regular and recorded supervision

Ensure that all Carers receive the appropriate training in relation to safeguarding adults

Ensure that all Carers are made aware that there can be no justification for failing to share information that will allow action to be taken to protect adults

Ensure that Staff understand their duty to record and report Safeguarding concerns to their line manager as well as knowing about the protocol for sharing of information and referral to the Authority’s designated Safeguarding lead

Promptly inform the Authority’s Safeguarding Adults Manager of all safeguarding issues in order to devise a proportionate approach to the concerns, as defined within The Care Act.

To ensure that all cases of abuse or neglect (actual or suspected) are reported to the Adult Safeguarding Team, [email protected] , 01708 433 550

Record, report and evidence to the Authorised Officer the volume of adult safeguarding incidents in relation to the service (including themes identified and action taken)

Within 10 Working Days of the Authority’s request, the Provider must send the Authority evidence of compliance with relevant London wide Safeguarding Procedures.

All safeguarding referrals received by the Authority about the Provider, its staff and/or the service shall be logged and investigated under the Authority’s Procedure. To assist the investigation, the Provider shall provide the Authority with all required information within the requested timescales.

In cases where a member of staff is subject to safeguarding procedures and the allegations of harm are substantiated, the Provider must progress this matter as defined within the safeguarding procedures, i.e. completion of disciplinary process and subsequent referral to the DBS. Should the member of staff resign prior to the disciplinary process commencing or concluding, then this should be completed in their absence and the recommended referral to the DBS completed, with an acknowledgement being sent to the Safeguarding Adults Manager who chaired the adult safeguarding proceedings.

The Provider and its staff shall attend any safeguarding proceedings such as Court Proceedings, and related meeting such as Case Conferences, if required by the Authority.

TRAINING

The Provider must ensure that safeguarding is included in induction and training at a level that is commensurate with Staff members’ roles in the safeguarding process. On-going support and awareness of, and other issues about, safeguarding should be addressed in regular, recorded supervision

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The Provider must ensure that all Staff receive awareness training in order that abuse can be prevented. The Provider must ensure that the identification of vulnerability and an assessment of risk of abuse are integrated into assessment practice and in risk assessment protocols.

The Provider must ensure that Staff are suitably trained and that the Provider and its staff have in place and follow safeguarding procedures and policies within the Provider s’ organisation, that enable Staff to:

identify people who are particularly at risk from abuse. recognise risks from different sources and in different situations. recognise abusive behaviour in other Service Users, colleagues and family members. know about the routes for making a referral and channels of communication within

and beyond the agency. be assured about the protection for whistle blowers. work in accordance with best practice as specified by the Authority, relevant

Regulatory Bodies and/or in Guidance. work within and co-operate with regulatory mechanisms. work within agreed operational guidelines to maintain best practice in relation to:

- challenging behaviour - personal and intimate care - physical interventions (formerly control and restraint) in line with new codes of

practice - sexuality and relationships - medication - handling Service Users’ money - risk assessment and management - racial harassment

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Documents

Service Specification Homecare · Web viewVision . A homecare offer that will focus on delivering excellent outcomes for individuals. The Provider will have a key role in delivering