1. Scope

1.1 Purpose

This policy sets out how keeps premises and equipment safe when it delivers personal care to people in their own homes. It explains how the provider meets Regulation 15 (Premises and equipment) and Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. It also explains how the provider meets its duties as an employer under health and safety law.

The policy aims to:

• protect people who receive care from avoidable harm caused by unsafe environments or faulty, unsuitable or misused equipment;
• protect care workers, who work alone in many different homes, from injury and ill health;
• make clear who owns, supplies, services and checks each item of equipment used in care;
• give staff clear, step by step instructions to follow before, during and after using equipment;
• make sure that faults, incidents and safety alerts are acted on quickly and reported to the right bodies;
• provide evidence of safe practice for commissioners and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

1.2 Application

This policy applies to everyone who works for or on behalf of . This includes:

• care workers, senior care workers and field care supervisors;
• care coordinators, office staff and on-call staff;
• the Registered Manager, Duty Managers and all named leads;
• agency, bank and temporary workers, students and volunteers;
• contractors who work at the provider’s office or on equipment the provider owns.

It applies in every home where the provider delivers care, at the provider’s office and in any other place where staff work, such as training rooms. It applies at all times of day and night, including weekends and bank holidays.

1.3 What This Policy Covers

• The provider’s own office premises and the equipment kept there.
• Equipment the provider supplies, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), thermometers, lone working devices, key safes it installs and training equipment.
• Equipment supplied for the person’s care by a community equipment service, the NHS, a housing provider or another agency, such as hoists, slings, stand aids, profiling beds, bed rails, pressure-relieving mattresses, shower chairs, commodes and transfer aids.
• Equipment that the person or their family has bought, where staff are expected to use it to deliver care.
• The home environment where staff work, including access, lighting, floors, stairs, heating, hot water, electrics, gas, fire safety, pets and security.
• Staff vehicles when used for work, and equipment carried between homes.

1.4 What This Policy Does Not Cover

A person’s home is their private dwelling. The provider does not own or control it. This policy does not give staff any right to change, repair or remove the person’s property. Staff must not carry out electrical, gas, plumbing or structural repairs in any home. Medicines management, infection prevention and control, moving and handling technique, and fire procedures for the office are covered in more detail in the related policies listed in section 15. This policy links to them and does not replace them.

1.5 How Regulation 15 Applies in Domiciliary Care

Regulation 15 requires premises and equipment used by the provider to be clean, secure, suitable, properly used, properly maintained and appropriately located. The regulations make clear that equipment at the person’s own home is not covered by Regulation 15 where it is not supplied as part of their care. However:

• equipment the provider supplies, and its office premises, are fully covered by Regulation 15;
• whenever staff use any equipment to deliver care, the provider must make sure that use is safe under Regulation 12, whoever owns the item;
• the provider’s duties as an employer under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply in every home where staff work.

For this reason, applies the same standard of checking, recording and reporting to all equipment staff use, whoever supplied it.

1.6 Status of This Policy

All staff must read, understand and follow this policy. Staff confirm this in writing at induction and when the policy is updated. Failure to follow the policy may put people at serious risk. It may lead to further training, supervision or action under the disciplinary policy. Nothing in this policy stops a member of staff from acting immediately to protect someone from harm.

2. Legal and Regulatory Framework

Legislation/Regulation	Requirements
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014	Regulation 15 requires premises and equipment used by the provider to be clean, secure, suitable, properly used, properly maintained and appropriately located, with appropriate hygiene. Equipment in a person’s home that is not supplied as part of their care is excluded. Regulation 12 requires safe care, including assessing risks, making sure equipment used is safe for its purpose and used safely, and that staff are competent. Regulation 17 requires systems to assess, monitor and improve safety, and accurate records. Regulation 20 sets the duty of candour.
Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009	Regulation 18 requires notification to CQC without delay of specified events, including serious injuries, abuse or allegations of abuse, incidents reported to or investigated by the police, and events that stop or may stop the service running safely, such as loss of the office premises. Regulation 16 requires notification of deaths of people using the service.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992	Employers must protect, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees and others affected by their work, including people receiving care. Suitable and sufficient risk assessments must be made and recorded, with competent help, information and training given to staff. The office must meet workplace standards for ventilation, lighting, temperature, welfare facilities and safe floors and traffic routes.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)	Work equipment must be suitable, maintained in a safe condition and used only by trained staff. Lifting equipment used at work to lift people, including hoists and slings, must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least every six months, or under a written scheme of examination. Lifting operations must be planned, supervised and carried out safely. Defects that make equipment dangerous must lead to it being taken out of use.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended)	Hazardous manual handling must be avoided so far as is reasonably practicable. Where it cannot be avoided, it must be assessed, and the risk reduced, including through the provision of suitable equipment. Employees must use equipment and systems of work provided.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)	Employers must report work-related deaths, specified injuries, over seven day incapacitation of workers, injuries to non-workers taken to hospital for treatment from a work activity, certain occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences, including the collapse, overturning or failure of a load-bearing part of lifting equipment, to the Health and Safety Executive. Records must be kept for at least three years.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) and Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended in 2022)	Exposure to hazardous substances, including cleaning products and body fluids, must be assessed and controlled. Suitable PPE must be provided free of charge to employees and workers where risks cannot be controlled in other ways, with training, maintenance and safe storage.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998	Electrical systems and equipment used at work must be maintained to prevent danger. Gas appliances and installations must be safe, with landlords of rented homes responsible for annual gas safety checks. These duties apply to the provider’s office and equipment, and inform how staff respond to hazards in people’s homes.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022)	The responsible person for the provider’s office must complete and record a fire risk assessment, maintain fire precautions, plan for emergencies and train staff. The Order does not apply to single private homes, so fire risks in people’s homes are managed through person-centred risk assessment under Regulation 12 and health and safety law.
Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (as amended, including the Medical Devices (Post-market Surveillance Requirements) (Amendment) (Great Britain) Regulations 2024)	Many care items, including hoists, slings, profiling beds, bed rails and pressure-relieving mattresses, are medical devices. Manufacturers must monitor safety in use. Users must follow manufacturer’s instructions for use and act on Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) field safety notices and National Patient Safety Alerts, including NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA on patient hoists and slings. Adverse incidents should be reported through the Yellow Card scheme.
Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Equality Act 2010	Local authorities must promote wellbeing, prevent needs and provide or arrange equipment and minor adaptations, and must make safeguarding enquiries under section 42, including in cases of self-neglect. Decisions about equipment and the home for people who may lack capacity must follow the Mental Capacity Act principles and best interests process. Reasonable adjustments must be made so that equipment and information meet people’s needs.
UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018	Equipment registers, risk assessments, incident reports and photographs of people’s homes contain personal data. They must be lawful, accurate, kept secure, kept only as long as needed and shared only where there is a lawful basis. Personal data breaches likely to risk people’s rights must be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office within 72 hours.

3. Definitions of Key Terms

Term	Definition
Premises	Any building or part of a building used by the provider to carry on the regulated activity. For this means its office and any training rooms. A person’s own home is their private dwelling, not the provider’s premises.
Equipment	Any item used to deliver or support care, whoever owns it. This includes moving and handling aids, beds, mattresses, bathing and toileting aids, PPE, thermometers, telecare devices and office equipment.
Work equipment	Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used by staff at work. Equipment the person owns becomes work equipment when staff use it to deliver care.
Lifting equipment	Work equipment whose main purpose is to lift or lower people or loads, together with its attachments. In domiciliary care this includes mobile and ceiling track hoists, stand aids, bath hoists and slings. Electric profiling beds and riser recliner chairs are not normally lifting equipment.
Thorough examination	A detailed, systematic examination of lifting equipment by a competent person, required under LOLER at least every six months for equipment used to lift people. It results in a written report that identifies any defects.
Pre-use check	A visual and functional check carried out by a care worker each time before using an item of equipment, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions for use, to identify any unsafe condition.
Pause-and-check	A step during hoisting where the care worker stops once the sling is taut and the person’s weight is partly taken, to confirm every attachment point is secure before lifting further.
Hoist and sling compatibility	Confirmation, through the manufacturer’s instructions for use or a documented technical assessment by a qualified person, that a particular sling is designed and approved for use with a particular hoist.
Medical device	A product intended by its manufacturer for a medical purpose, such as diagnosing, preventing, monitoring or alleviating disability or disease. Many care aids are medical devices and are regulated by the MHRA.
Community equipment service	The service commissioned by the local authority and NHS that supplies, delivers, installs, maintains and collects equipment on loan to people living at home.
Environmental risk assessment	A recorded assessment of hazards in and around a person’s home that may affect the person or staff, together with the controls agreed to reduce the risk.
Competent person	Someone with the training, knowledge, experience and practical skill to carry out a specific task safely, such as an engineer completing a LOLER examination or an occupational therapist assessing for bed rails.
Quarantine (DO NOT USE)	The process of taking faulty or suspect equipment out of use, clearly labelling it DO NOT USE and reporting it so that it cannot be used again until it has been repaired, examined or replaced.
National Patient Safety Alert	An alert issued by an accredited body, such as the MHRA or NHS England, that requires named organisations, including care services supporting people at home, to complete set actions by a set deadline.
Yellow Card scheme	The MHRA reporting system for adverse incidents involving medical devices and medicines. Anyone, including care workers and providers, can make a report.

4. Policy Statement

4.1 Commitment

is committed to making sure that every person who receives care is cared for safely, with the right equipment, in an environment where risks are understood and controlled. The provider is equally committed to protecting the health and safety of its staff, who work alone in homes they do not control.

The provider will:

• assess every home and every item of equipment staff will use before care starts, and keep those assessments up to date;
• know who owns, supplies, services and examines every item of equipment used in care;
• never ask staff to use equipment that is unsafe, unsuitable, out of date for examination or that they are not trained to use;
• keep its office premises and its own equipment clean, secure, safe and well maintained;
• act on safety alerts and incidents quickly and learn from them.

4.2 Core Principles

1. The person’s home is their home. Staff respect the person’s choices, privacy and property. Risk controls are agreed with the person, not imposed on them.
2. Safety before the task. If equipment or the environment is unsafe, the task stops. No visit time pressure overrides this.
3. Know the equipment. Every item used in care has a known owner, supplier, service history and examination date, recorded in the person’s care record.
4. Follow the instructions for use. Equipment is used only for its intended purpose, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and the care plan.
5. Competence first. Staff use equipment only after training and a competency check for that type of equipment.
6. Positive risk-taking. People have the right to take risks. The provider supports informed choices and records how risks have been balanced.
7. Report and learn. All defects, near misses and incidents are reported. The provider investigates openly and shares learning.
8. Work in partnership. The provider works with occupational therapists, community equipment services, district nurses, housing providers and families to make sure equipment is right and safe.

4.3 Shared Responsibility for Equipment

The provider does not own most of the equipment used in people’s homes. It still has a duty to make sure that equipment is safe before staff use it. The provider will confirm who is responsible for servicing and examination, check that it has been done, and stop using equipment where it cannot be confirmed as safe. It will not assume that someone else has done the checks.

4.4 Right to Stop Unsafe Work

Every member of staff has the right and the duty to stop a task if they believe the equipment or environment is unsafe. Staff will never be criticised or disadvantaged for stopping work in good faith. When a task is stopped, the person’s immediate safety and dignity must still be protected, and the office must be informed straight away so that an alternative safe plan is put in place.

4.5 Equality and Reasonable Adjustments

The provider makes sure that equipment, information and risk controls meet each person’s individual needs. This includes communication needs, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, cultural and religious preferences and body size. Information about equipment is given in a format the person can understand, in line with the Accessible Information Standard.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
All Staff	Follow this policy, the care plan and the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Complete pre-use checks every time and record them. Use only equipment they have been trained and assessed to use. Stop, make safe and report any defect, hazard, near miss or incident straight away. Take faulty equipment out of use and label it DO NOT USE where safe to do so. Keep provider-supplied equipment clean, secure and in good condition. Tell the office about any change in the person’s needs, environment or equipment. Attend all required training and refreshers.
Registered Manager ()	Hold overall accountability for compliance with Regulations 12, 15 and 17 and for this policy. Make sure there are effective systems to assess homes, record equipment, check examinations and act on defects. Act as, or appoint in writing, the senior accountable person for implementing National Patient Safety Alerts, including NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA. Make sure staff are trained and competent and that training records are maintained. Submit statutory notifications to CQC and make sure RIDDOR reports are made. Review audits, incident trends and quality indicators and lead improvement. Approve the decision to suspend or decline a care package where equipment or environmental risks cannot be controlled.
Duty Manager	Provide day to day operational leadership during their shift, including on-call periods. Take calls from staff who report unsafe equipment or environments and make immediate frontline decisions to keep people and staff safe. Coordinate the response to incidents, including arranging emergency equipment, a second care worker or an alternative visit. Contact the community equipment service, family or other agencies to arrange urgent repair or replacement. Supervise and support staff on shift, including checking that lone workers are safe. Make sure incidents are recorded the same day and escalated to the Registered Manager and named leads. Decide, with the Registered Manager where needed, whether a visit can go ahead safely.
Safeguarding Lead ()	Advise on concerns where unsafe equipment or environments may indicate neglect, self-neglect or abuse. Make safeguarding referrals to the local authority and record the decision making. Advise on restrictive equipment, such as bed rails, and on Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards issues. Link incident investigations with safeguarding enquiries and share learning.
Health and Safety Officer ()	Maintain the provider’s health and safety arrangements, risk assessment templates and the office fire risk assessment. Keep the provider’s equipment register and the hoist and sling compatibility register. Monitor LOLER examination and servicing dates for all equipment used in care and flag items that are due or overdue. Receive and log MHRA alerts, field safety notices and National Patient Safety Alerts and track actions to completion. Decide whether incidents are reportable under RIDDOR and make reports to the Health and Safety Executive within the legal timescales. Report adverse incidents involving medical devices through the Yellow Card scheme. Arrange office maintenance, electrical safety checks, fire equipment servicing and COSHH assessments.
Data Protection Officer ()	Make sure equipment registers, risk assessments, photographs and incident records are handled in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Advise on lawful sharing of information with equipment services, landlords and other agencies. Manage any data breach linked to this policy, such as lost key safe codes or care records, and report to the Information Commissioner’s Office where required. Advise on retention periods for equipment and incident records.
Care Coordinator	Schedule visits so that tasks using a hoist or other two-person equipment always have the correct number of trained staff. Match staff to people only where staff have the equipment competencies the care plan requires. Pass reports of faults or changes to the Duty Manager straight away.
Field Care Supervisor or Senior Care Worker	Complete initial and review environmental and equipment risk assessments. Record every item of equipment in the person’s equipment record, including owner, supplier, serial number and examination dates. Carry out spot checks and observations of practice, including pre-use checks and hoisting. Show new staff how to use the equipment in each home safely.
Moving and Handling Trainer	Deliver practical moving and handling training that covers the hoists, slings and aids used in the service. Assess and sign off competency before staff hoist people in the community. Keep training content in line with current HSE guidance and safety alerts.
Nominated Individual	Make sure the provider has the resources, systems and oversight to comply with this policy. Receive regular reports on equipment safety, incidents and alert compliance.

6. Procedures

6.1 Office Premises Safety

The provider’s office is its registered premises. The Health and Safety Officer makes sure it is safe, clean and secure.

1. Keep a written fire risk assessment for the office. Review it at least once a year and after any change to the building, layout or staffing.
2. Test fire alarms weekly where an alarm system is fitted. Hold a fire drill at least once a year. Keep escape routes clear at all times.
3. Arrange servicing of fire extinguishers and emergency lighting by a competent contractor at the intervals set by the manufacturer and the fire risk assessment.
4. Confirm with the landlord, or arrange directly, a periodic inspection of the fixed electrical installation and an annual gas safety check where gas appliances are present. Keep copies of certificates.
5. Inspect portable electrical equipment at intervals based on risk. Staff complete a visual check before use and report damaged plugs, cables or casings.
6. Complete display screen equipment assessments for office staff and act on findings.
7. Keep the office secure. Care records, key safe codes and keys must be stored in locked storage. Access is limited to authorised staff.
8. Keep the office clean. Store cleaning products in line with COSHH assessments. Keep a stocked first aid kit and display the names of first aiders.
9. Store PPE and equipment stock in a clean, dry area off the floor. Rotate stock so that the oldest is used first and check expiry dates monthly.
10. Complete and record a monthly office safety walk-round. Report defects to the landlord or contractor and track them until fixed.

6.2 Initial Environmental and Equipment Assessment

No care package starts until a home visit assessment has been completed, except in an emergency agreed by the Registered Manager. In an emergency, a Duty Manager completes a brief safety check on or before the first visit, and the full assessment is completed within 72 hours.

1. Arrange the visit with the person and, where relevant, their family or representative. Explain why the provider needs to look at the home and equipment.
2. Check access: parking, lighting outside, steps, gates, key safe position, mobile phone signal and any risks from people or animals.
3. Check each room where care will be given: space to work, trip hazards, flooring, lighting, heating, ventilation and the height and position of the bed, chair, toilet and bath or shower.
4. Check general safety: working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms where there is a fuel-burning appliance, visible electrical or gas hazards, hot water temperature controls, smoking, oxygen, clutter and hoarding.
5. List every item of equipment that staff will use. For each item, record the type, make and model, serial number where visible, owner, supplier, date of last service and date of last LOLER examination where relevant.
6. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for use are available, or obtain a copy from the supplier.
7. Where hoisting is needed, confirm the hoist and sling combination is compatible and the sling size and type are right for the person, using the prescriber’s assessment.
8. Identify any equipment that is missing or unsuitable. Refer to the occupational therapist or community equipment service before care starts.
9. Agree controls with the person and record them in the environmental risk assessment and care plan.
10. Where risks cannot be reduced to a safe level, do not start the package. Escalate to the Registered Manager, who agrees a plan with the commissioner and the person.

6.3 Checks at Every Visit

Homes and equipment change. Care workers complete a short dynamic safety check at the start of every visit.

1. On arrival, look for new hazards on the approach and inside the home, such as spills, loose rugs, broken lighting, unusual smells or signs of fire.
2. If you smell gas, do not use light switches or anything that could cause a spark. Open doors and windows if safe, leave with the person if possible and call the gas emergency number, then the office.
3. If you suspect carbon monoxide, open windows, leave with the person if possible, call the gas emergency number and call 999 if anyone is unwell.
4. Before using any equipment, complete the pre-use check in section 6.5 or the checklist in the care plan.
5. Record the check in the electronic care record. Record any concern and report it to the office straight away.
6. Before leaving, make sure equipment is left safe, switched to the correct setting, charged where needed and stored as the care plan describes. Make sure the home is secure.

6.4 Equipment Records and Responsibility

The provider keeps an equipment record for every person. It forms part of the care record.

• Each item has an entry showing what it is, who owns it, who supplied it, who is responsible for servicing and examination, the last and next due dates, and the contact number for faults.
• Equipment from a community equipment service is the responsibility of that service for servicing and examination. The provider checks the label or records at each review and asks the service for confirmation where dates are not visible.
• Equipment the person or family has bought is their property. They have no legal duty to service it, and the provider cannot make them. The provider explains why servicing matters and asks them to arrange it. Lifting equipment used by staff must have evidence of a thorough examination within the last six months before staff use it.
• Equipment the provider owns is recorded on the provider’s equipment register, held by the Health and Safety Officer, and is serviced and examined by the provider.
• The Health and Safety Officer reviews all due dates monthly. Items due within 30 days are flagged to the Field Care Supervisor and the responsible supplier.

6.5 Pre-use Checks for Hoists and Slings

Falls from hoists can cause death and serious injury. These steps reflect the actions required by National Patient Safety Alert NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA, issued on 16 September 2026. Staff must complete them every time.

1. Read the care plan. Confirm the hoist, the sling type and size, the number of staff and the method for this person.
2. Check the LOLER examination label or record on the hoist and the sling. If it is overdue or missing, do not use the equipment. Phone the office.
3. Check the hoist: wheels and brakes work, legs open and close, the mast and boom are secure, the battery is charged, the emergency stop and emergency lowering work, and the hand control is undamaged.
4. Check the spreader bar: hooks, clips, carabiners and safety latches are present, not worn or bent, and close fully.
5. Check the sling: no fraying, tears, holes, worn or broken stitching, damaged loops, or faded or missing labels. Check it is the named sling for this person and is clean.
6. Confirm the sling is listed as compatible with this hoist in the care plan. If you are unsure, do not use it.
7. Explain each step to the person and gain consent.
8. Fit the sling as trained, and attach all loops or clips correctly to the spreader bar. Make sure loops are fully seated on the hooks.
9. Pause and check. Raise the hoist until the sling is taut and the person’s weight is partly supported. Stop. Both care workers check every attachment point is secure and the person is comfortable and positioned correctly.
10. Only then complete the lift and transfer. Keep the lift as low as possible and move slowly.
11. After use, lower the hoist, place it on charge if needed and store the sling as the care plan describes.
12. Record the check and the transfer. Report anything unusual.

If any part fails the check, follow section 6.8 straight away.

6.6 Servicing and Thorough Examination Assurance

1. Lifting equipment used to lift people, including slings, must have a thorough examination by a competent person at least every six months.
2. Other equipment, such as profiling beds, pressure-relieving mattresses and electrical bathing aids, must be serviced at the intervals in the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. The Field Care Supervisor checks dates at every review and at least every three months, and updates the equipment record.
4. Where an examination is due within 30 days, the Health and Safety Officer contacts the supplier or owner and records the request.
5. Where an examination becomes overdue, the hoist or sling is taken out of use. The Duty Manager arranges a safe alternative, such as an urgent examination, a replacement from the equipment service or a change in visit plan.
6. Where equipment has reached the end of its service life stated by the manufacturer, it must not be used unless the supplier has given a documented risk assessment.
7. Copies of examination reports are requested and kept, or the supplier’s confirmation is recorded.

6.7 Requesting and Introducing New Equipment

1. Where a care worker notices that the person’s needs have changed, or current equipment no longer seems suitable, they report it to the office the same day.
2. The Field Care Supervisor reviews the person within five working days, or sooner if there is immediate risk.
3. The provider refers to the occupational therapist, physiotherapist, district nurse or community equipment service, with the person’s consent.
4. Staff do not choose, prescribe or adapt equipment. They follow the assessment of the competent professional.
5. When new equipment arrives, the Field Care Supervisor confirms the delivery, checks the item against the prescription, obtains the instructions for use and records it on the equipment record.
6. The care plan and risk assessment are updated before staff use the equipment.
7. Staff are shown how to use the new item. Where it is a new type, they complete training and a competency check first.

6.8 Defective Equipment: Stop, Isolate, Report

1. Stop. Do not use the item. If the person is already in the equipment, make them safe using the emergency procedure in the instructions for use. If you cannot do this safely, call 999.
2. Isolate. Where safe, switch off and unplug the item. Label it DO NOT USE with the date and your name, using the labels the provider supplies. Explain to the person and family why it must not be used.
3. Report. Phone the office or the Duty Manager straight away. Do not just leave a message in the care record.
4. The Duty Manager arranges a safe plan for the person’s care, contacts the supplier or owner to report the fault and asks for urgent repair or replacement. The reference number is recorded.
5. Keep the item and any broken parts. Do not repair or discard them. They may be needed for investigation.
6. Complete an incident report before the end of the shift.
7. The Health and Safety Officer decides whether a Yellow Card report, RIDDOR report or CQC notification is needed. See section 14.
8. The item is only used again after written or recorded confirmation from the supplier that it is safe, and after the Field Care Supervisor has updated the equipment record.

6.9 Beds, Bed Rails and Pressure-relieving Equipment

• Bed rails are only used where an occupational therapist or other competent professional has assessed that they are needed and safe, and that they fit the bed and mattress. Staff do not fit, adjust or remove bed rails except as shown in the care plan.
• At every visit where bed rails are used, staff check the rails are secure, there are no gaps where the person could become trapped, bumpers are fitted where prescribed, and the person is positioned safely.
• If the person has lost weight, become more restless or confused, or the mattress has changed, staff report this as the bed rail assessment must be reviewed.
• Bed rails can restrict a person’s movement. Their use must be agreed with the person or, where they lack capacity, through a best interests decision. See section 13.
• For electric profiling beds, staff check the cable and controls, keep the cable clear of moving parts and leave the bed at its lowest safe height.
• For powered pressure-relieving mattresses, staff check the pump is on and plugged in, the setting matches the care plan, there are no alarms, and the mattress is fully inflated. If the alarm sounds or the mattress is deflating, staff report it immediately as an equipment fault.
• Staff know where the emergency deflation or CPR valve is on each powered mattress.

6.10 Electrical, Gas and Water Safety in People’s Homes

1. Staff do not repair, rewire or adjust any electrical, gas or water installation or appliance.
2. Staff do not use an appliance that is visibly damaged, sparking, smoking or overheating. They switch it off at the wall only if safe to do so, and report it.
3. Staff do not overload sockets with adaptors, and they report extension leads that run under rugs or across walkways.
4. Where the person rents their home, staff report suspected gas, electrical or alarm faults to the office. With the person’s consent, the office informs the landlord or housing provider. Landlords must provide smoke alarms on each storey and carbon monoxide alarms where there is a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker.
5. Staff test bath and shower water temperature before every wash, using a thermometer where the care plan requires it. For a full bath, the water must not exceed the temperature set in the care plan, which is normally no higher than 44 degrees Celsius. Staff never leave the person alone in the bath unless the risk assessment allows it.
6. Where hot water runs at scalding temperatures and there is no mixing valve, staff report it so the provider can advise the person or landlord.

6.11 Provider-supplied Equipment, PPE and Cleaning

1. The provider supplies PPE, including gloves, aprons, fluid-resistant masks and eye protection where risk assessment requires it, free of charge.
2. Staff carry enough PPE for the shift, store it in a clean, closed container in their vehicle or bag and check expiry dates.
3. Reusable items such as thermometers, blood glucose meters supplied by the provider, and lone working devices are cleaned between people in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and the infection prevention and control policy.
4. Equipment in a person’s home, such as commodes, shower chairs, hoist controls and bed rails, is cleaned after use as the care plan describes, using the products agreed for that home.
5. Slings are washed in line with the manufacturer’s label. A sling is only used by the person it is prescribed for.
6. Waste is disposed of in line with the waste policy. Household waste goes in the person’s bins. Where the person produces infectious waste, the provider arranges a collection through the council’s clinical waste service.

6.12 Key Safes and Home Security

• Key safes are only installed with the person’s consent, or a best interests decision, and with the owner’s or landlord’s agreement.
• Key safe codes are stored only in the secure section of the care record and never written on rotas, sent by text message or shared outside the care team.
• Staff return keys to the key safe immediately, scramble the code and check the safe is locked.
• Staff check doors and windows are secure when they leave, unless the person chooses otherwise and this is recorded.
• If a code may have been exposed, staff report it. The provider arranges a code change with the person and records it as a possible data breach.

6.13 Telecare, Pendant Alarms and Assistive Technology

• Staff check, where the care plan says so, that pendant alarms are worn or within reach and that base units are plugged in.
• Staff do not switch off or unplug telecare equipment unless asked by the monitoring service.
• If a device seems faulty, staff report it to the office, which contacts the monitoring service.
• Cameras or audio devices installed by families must be recorded in the care plan. The provider follows CQC guidance on surveillance and makes sure staff know when they may be recorded.

6.14 Staff Vehicles, Travel and Lone Working Equipment

1. Staff who drive for work provide evidence each year of a valid driving licence, insurance that covers business use, and a current MOT where needed. The office records this.
2. Staff keep their vehicles roadworthy and do not carry people receiving care unless this is agreed in writing and covered by insurance.
3. Staff use the electronic call monitoring or lone working app at each visit. The Duty Manager follows up any missed log-in or log-out.
4. Staff carry a charged mobile phone and a torch for dark visits.
5. Equipment carried between homes, such as PPE stock, is kept secure and out of sight in vehicles.

6.15 Managing Safety Alerts and Field Safety Notices

1. The Health and Safety Officer subscribes to MHRA alerts and checks the Central Alerting System and MHRA website at least weekly.
2. Each alert is logged with the date received, whether it applies to the service and the reason.
3. Where an alert applies, the Health and Safety Officer identifies affected people and equipment from the equipment records within five working days.
4. An action plan is agreed with the Registered Manager, with named leads and deadlines that meet the alert’s deadline.
5. Staff are told about the alert and what they must do differently through a team briefing, a written update and, where needed, training.
6. Completion of each action is recorded and evidenced. The Registered Manager signs off closure.
7. For NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA, all actions, including standardised pre-use checks with a pause-and-check step, a hoist and sling compatibility register, a complete record of hoists and slings with examination dates, removal from use of overdue equipment and role-specific training, must be completed by 16 September 2027 or sooner.

6.16 Hoist and Sling Compatibility Register

1. The Health and Safety Officer keeps a register of every hoist and sling combination used in the service.
2. For each combination, the register shows the hoist make and model, the sling make, model and size, the source that confirms compatibility and the person it is used for.
3. Compatibility is confirmed from the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Where a third-party sling is prescribed, the provider asks the prescriber or equipment service for documented evidence from a qualified person. Without this evidence, staff do not use the combination.
4. Accessories such as weighing scales must also be confirmed as compatible.
5. The register is available to all care staff through the care record, and the relevant entry is shown in each person’s care plan.
6. The register is reviewed whenever equipment changes and at least every six months.

6.17 Oxygen and Medical Gases in the Home

• The care plan records where oxygen is stored, the supplier, and the emergency contact number.
• Staff never smoke, vape or allow naked flames near oxygen. They make sure the person and visitors understand this.
• Staff do not use oil-based or paraffin-based creams on the face or hands of a person using oxygen, unless a clinician has confirmed it is safe.
• Staff do not change oxygen flow rates unless the care plan and prescription allow it and they have been trained.
• Tubing is kept clear of walkways and heat sources. Cylinders are stored upright and secured.
• Any concern about oxygen safety is reported to the office, which informs the oxygen supplier and the prescribing clinician. With the person’s consent, the provider asks the local fire and rescue service for a home fire safety visit.

6.18 Hoarding, Clutter and Unsafe Living Conditions

1. Staff record and report clutter that blocks exits, prevents safe use of equipment or creates a fire risk.
2. The Field Care Supervisor visits, discusses concerns respectfully with the person and agrees practical steps, such as clearing a safe route to the bed and exit.
3. Staff do not remove or throw away the person’s belongings without their consent.
4. Where risks remain high, the provider considers self-neglect and seeks advice from the Safeguarding Lead. See section 13.
5. Pests, damp or unsafe structures are reported to the landlord or housing provider with the person’s consent.

6.19 Hospital Admission, End of Package and Return of Equipment

1. When a person goes into hospital, the office records the date. Before care restarts, the Field Care Supervisor confirms that the person’s needs and equipment have been reviewed.
2. Staff check equipment again on the first visit after discharge, as items may have been moved, changed or left switched off.
3. When a package ends, the office tells the community equipment service, with the person’s or family’s consent, so that loaned equipment can be collected.
4. Provider-owned items are collected, cleaned and checked before reuse.
5. Equipment records are closed and kept in line with the records retention schedule.

6.20 When a Person Declines Checks, Servicing or Equipment

1. The provider respects a capacitous person’s right to refuse equipment, servicing or changes to their home.
2. Staff explain the risks clearly and in an accessible way, and record the conversation.
3. Where there is doubt about capacity for that decision, a mental capacity assessment is completed and, if needed, a best interests decision is made.
4. If the refusal means staff cannot work safely, for example by being asked to use an unexamined hoist or to lift without equipment, the provider does not ask staff to take that risk. The Registered Manager agrees an alternative plan with the person, family and commissioner.
5. All decisions and the reasons for them are recorded.

7. Training and Development

7.1 Training Requirements

Training	Who	When
Health and safety awareness, including this policy, risk assessment and reporting	All staff	Induction, then every year
Moving and handling of people, with practical hoist, sling and aid training	All care staff	Before first unsupervised hoisting, then every year
Pre-use checks, hoist and sling compatibility, the pause-and-check step and stop, escalate and report	All care staff and supervisors	Induction and refresher, updated by 16 September 2027 in line with NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA
Fire safety in people’s homes and the office	All staff	Induction, then every year
Infection prevention and control, including cleaning equipment	All staff	Induction, then every year
Bed rail safety and pressure-relieving equipment	Care staff supporting people who use them	Before first use, then every year
COSHH and PPE	All staff	Induction, then every year
Environmental and equipment risk assessment	Field care supervisors and assessors	Before completing assessments, then every two years
Incident investigation and RIDDOR	Registered Manager, Duty Managers, Health and Safety Officer	On appointment, then every three years
Display screen equipment and office safety	Office staff	Induction

7.2 Induction

New care staff complete induction in line with the Care Certificate standards, including the health and safety, infection prevention and control, and moving and handling standards. They shadow an experienced care worker in homes where equipment is used before working alone. They do not use a hoist without a second trained care worker until signed off as competent.

7.3 Competency Assessment

1. After practical training, the Moving and Handling Trainer or a trained Field Care Supervisor observes the care worker using each type of hoist and sling they will use.
2. The observation covers pre-use checks, compatibility, fitting, attachment, the pause-and-check step, the transfer, communication with the person and emergency lowering.
3. The care worker is signed off as competent only when every element is met. If not, further training and observation is arranged.
4. Competency is reassessed every year, after a related incident, after a long absence and when new equipment types are introduced.
5. Records of training and competency are kept on the staff file and the training matrix.

7.4 Equipment-specific Training

Where a person uses equipment that is new to the service, such as a specialist bath hoist or a ceiling track system, the provider asks the supplier, occupational therapist or manufacturer to provide training before staff use it. The Field Care Supervisor records who has been trained.

7.5 Continuous Learning

• Learning from incidents, safety alerts and audits is shared at team meetings, supervisions and through written briefings.
• Supervision includes discussion of equipment use, near misses and any concerns about homes.
• Staff are encouraged to suggest improvements to equipment practice.

7.6 Supporting Family Carers

Where family members also use equipment with the person, the provider encourages them to obtain training from the equipment service or occupational therapist. Staff share the pre-use checks with them, with the person’s consent. Staff report any unsafe practice they observe. The provider does not certify family carers as competent.

8. Monitoring and Review

8.1 Monitoring Framework

• Daily: the Duty Manager reviews reported faults, missed checks and incidents and makes sure each has an owner.
• Monthly: the Health and Safety Officer reviews equipment due dates, open defects, alert actions and the office walk-round.
• Quarterly: a sample audit of at least 10 per cent of care records checks environmental risk assessments, equipment records, compatibility entries and pre-use check recording.
• Quarterly: field care supervisors complete spot checks of hoisting practice for each care worker who hoists at least once every six months.
• Every year: the Registered Manager completes a full review of compliance with this policy and reports to the Nominated Individual.

8.2 Quality Indicators

• Percentage of people with a complete and current environmental risk assessment and equipment record. Target: 100 per cent.
• Percentage of hoists and slings in use with a thorough examination confirmed within six months. Target: 100 per cent.
• Number of occasions equipment was used when overdue or defective. Target: zero.
• Time from defect report to safe alternative in place. Target: same day for lifting equipment.
• Percentage of care staff with in-date moving and handling training and hoist competency. Target: 100 per cent.
• Number of equipment-related incidents, near misses and RIDDOR reports, with trends.
• Percentage of applicable safety alert actions completed by the deadline. Target: 100 per cent.
• Feedback from people and families on equipment and safety.

8.3 Records

Equipment records, risk assessments, pre-use checks, training and competency records, incident reports, examination reports and alert logs are kept securely in the electronic care and management systems. They are kept in line with the records retention schedule and for at least three years for RIDDOR records.

8.4 Policy Review

This policy is reviewed at least every year. It is also reviewed straight away after:

• a change in law, regulation or CQC assessment framework;
• a relevant National Patient Safety Alert or MHRA alert;
• a serious incident, RIDDOR report or safeguarding enquiry linked to equipment or premises;
• audit findings that show the policy is not working.

8.5 Continuous Improvement

Findings from audits, incidents and feedback are added to the service improvement plan with named owners and dates. The Registered Manager tracks progress monthly. Learning is shared with staff and, where useful, with partner agencies.

8.6 Evidence for CQC

CQC continues to assess services against the Single Assessment Framework, including the Safe key question and its quality statements on safe environments and infection prevention and control, until its new adult social care assessment framework comes into use. The provider keeps its evidence current and will map it to the new framework when it is implemented. Evidence includes this policy, equipment records, audits, training records, alert logs, incident learning and feedback from people using the service.

9. Reporting Concerns

9.1 Staff Duty to Report

All staff must report any concern about unsafe equipment, unsafe environments, unsafe practice or a failure to follow this policy. This includes concerns about colleagues, managers, equipment suppliers and other agencies. Reports must be made straight away where there is immediate risk, and in all cases before the end of the shift.

9.2 Reporting Channels

1. In an emergency, call 999 first.
2. Phone the office or the on-call Duty Manager.
3. Complete an incident or concern report in the electronic care record.
4. If the concern is about the Duty Manager, contact the Registered Manager. If it is about the Registered Manager, contact the Nominated Individual.
5. Staff may also raise concerns directly with the Safeguarding Lead or the Health and Safety Officer.

9.3 Whistleblower Protection

Staff who raise concerns in good faith are protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. The provider will not tolerate any victimisation of staff who speak up. If staff feel unable to raise a concern internally, or it has not been dealt with, they can contact CQC or the Health and Safety Executive, which are prescribed bodies. Staff can also seek advice from the charity Protect. Full details are in the whistleblowing policy.

9.4 Investigation Procedure

1. The Duty Manager makes the situation safe and records immediate actions.
2. The Registered Manager decides the level of investigation within one working day, based on the severity of harm or potential harm.
3. Evidence is preserved, including the equipment, photographs, records and witness accounts.
4. The investigation identifies what happened, why it happened and what will prevent it happening again, focusing on systems as well as individuals.
5. The person and their family are kept informed. Where the duty of candour applies, the provider follows the duty of candour policy.
6. Findings, actions and learning are recorded, shared with staff and reported to the Nominated Individual.
7. The person who raised the concern is told the outcome, where appropriate.

10. Risk Assessment Framework

10.1 Approach

The provider follows the Health and Safety Executive’s five steps to risk assessment: identify the hazards, decide who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and decide on controls, record the findings, and review the assessment. Assessments are person-centred and completed with the person.

10.2 Types of Risk Assessment

• Environmental risk assessment of the home and its approach.
• Moving and handling risk assessment for each task, including equipment and number of staff.
• Equipment risk assessment for any equipment with specific risks, such as bed rails or oxygen.
• Person-centred fire risk assessment. See section 11.
• Lone working risk assessment for each home.
• Office fire risk assessment and COSHH assessments.

10.3 Risk Rating

Risks are rated by multiplying likelihood (1 rare to 5 almost certain) by severity (1 negligible to 5 catastrophic).

Score	Risk level	Action required
1 to 4	Low	Manage through routine care planning and review.
5 to 9	Medium	Agree controls with the person, record them and review within three months.
10 to 15	High	Put controls in place before the task continues. Field Care Supervisor review within five working days. Inform the Registered Manager.
16 to 25	Very high	Stop the task. Duty Manager acts the same day. Registered Manager agrees an alternative plan with the person and commissioner.

10.4 Hierarchy of Control

1. Remove the hazard, for example by clearing a route or moving a rug with the person’s agreement.
2. Replace with something safer, such as different equipment prescribed by an occupational therapist.
3. Use engineering controls, such as thermostatic mixing valves or grab rails, arranged through the person, landlord or local authority.
4. Use safe systems of work, such as two care workers, care plan instructions and pre-use checks.
5. Use PPE as the last line of defence.

10.5 Dynamic Risk Assessment

Staff assess risk at every visit. If something has changed or feels unsafe, they stop, think about the risk, act to make things safe and report. Staff do not proceed with a task when the risk has increased beyond what the care plan covers.

10.6 Review Triggers

Risk assessments are reviewed at least every six months and straight away after a fall, incident or near miss, a change in the person’s condition, weight or mobility, new or changed equipment, a change in the home, a hospital discharge or a concern from staff or family.

10.7 Positive Risk-taking

Where a person chooses to live with a risk, the provider records the risk, the information given, the person’s decision and the measures agreed to reduce harm. Where the person may lack capacity for the decision, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is followed.

11. Fire Safety in People's Homes

11.1 Why This Matters

People who receive care at home are at higher risk of dying in a fire. Reduced mobility, smoking, oxygen, emollient creams, airflow mattresses and heaters all increase risk. The fire safety law that covers workplaces does not apply to private homes, so the provider manages these risks through person-centred assessment.

11.2 Person-centred Fire Risk Assessment

At the initial assessment and every review, the assessor records:

• whether working smoke alarms are fitted and tested, and whether a carbon monoxide alarm is fitted where needed;
• whether the person smokes, especially in bed or a chair;
• use of oxygen, emollients or paraffin-based products;
• heaters, electric blankets, candles and cooking risks;
• charging of mobility scooters, e-bikes or other lithium battery devices;
• the person’s ability to respond to an alarm and escape;
• clutter, hoarding and blocked escape routes.

11.3 Controls

1. With the person’s consent, refer to the local fire and rescue service for a free home fire safety visit where risks are identified.
2. Advise the person about fire-retardant bedding and clothing where emollients are used, and that emollient residue on fabrics can catch fire easily.
3. Make sure ashtrays are emptied safely and cigarettes are fully put out where the person smokes and agrees to support.
4. Keep heaters away from bedding, clothing and furniture.
5. Do not leave cooking unattended.
6. Record in the care plan the escape route and what staff should do in an emergency.

11.4 If There Is a Fire

1. Raise the alarm and call 999.
2. Help the person to leave if it is safe to do so. Do not put yourself at serious risk.
3. Close doors behind you to slow the fire.
4. Do not go back inside.
5. Tell the fire service if anyone is still inside and where they are.
6. Phone the office as soon as it is safe.

Staff only use a fire extinguisher or fire blanket if they have been trained, the fire is very small and their escape route is clear.

12. Communication Protocols

12.1 Communicating With the Person and Family

• Explain what equipment is being used, why, and how it will be checked.
• Give information in the person’s preferred language and format.
• Tell the person and family promptly about any fault, overdue examination or change in equipment.
• Ask families to tell the office if they change, move or buy equipment.

12.2 Communication Within the Team

• Faults and hazards are phoned through to the office, not just written in notes.
• The Duty Manager sends an alert through the care management system to all staff visiting the person when equipment is taken out of use.
• Handover at the start of each on-call period includes open equipment issues.
• Care plans are updated before the next visit when equipment changes.

12.3 Communication With Other Agencies

• Report faults to the community equipment service and record the reference number and expected response time.
• Refer changing needs to the occupational therapist or district nurse.
• Tell the commissioner when a package cannot continue safely because of equipment or environmental risks.
• Inform landlords or housing providers of property hazards with the person’s consent.
• Share only the information needed, in line with UK GDPR and the information sharing policy.

12.4 Escalation Timescales

Situation	Who to tell	Timescale
Immediate danger to life	Emergency services, then the Duty Manager	Immediately
Lifting equipment fault or overdue examination	Duty Manager	Immediately, by phone
Other equipment fault or new environmental hazard	Office or Duty Manager	Before leaving the visit
Change in needs affecting equipment	Office	Same day
Incident with injury	Duty Manager, then Registered Manager	Immediately, with written report the same day

13. Safeguarding Interfaces

13.1 Links Between Equipment and Safeguarding

Unsafe equipment or living conditions can be a sign of neglect, self-neglect, financial abuse or other abuse. Staff must consider safeguarding whenever they find:

• equipment that is withheld, broken on purpose or used to restrict the person;
• a person left in unsafe conditions by those responsible for their care;
• equipment or money for equipment going missing;
• a home in such a poor state that the person’s health or safety is at risk;
• injuries that do not match the explanation given.

13.2 Making a Referral

1. Make the person safe and call 999 if there is immediate danger.
2. Report to the Safeguarding Lead or Duty Manager straight away.
3. The Safeguarding Lead decides whether to refer to the adult safeguarding team. Out of hours, the Duty Manager contacts the emergency duty team.
4. Where a child in the home is at risk, refer to the children’s services front door.
5. Record the concern, the decision and the reasons, even if no referral is made.

13.3 Restrictive Equipment

Bed rails, lap belts, chair tables and similar items can restrict a person’s freedom. They are used only after assessment, with the person’s consent or a best interests decision, and as the least restrictive option. Where care arrangements may amount to a deprivation of liberty, the provider tells the commissioner and asks for advice from the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards team. In a person’s own home, authorisation must come through the Court of Protection.

13.4 Self-neglect

Self-neglect is a safeguarding concern under the Care Act 2014. Where a person declines help and their home or equipment is becoming unsafe, staff report it. The Safeguarding Lead considers a referral and works with the person to build trust and agree small steps.

13.5 Allegations Against Staff

Where staff are suspected of misusing equipment, causing harm or failing to act on known risks, the Registered Manager follows the safeguarding and disciplinary policies. Where the threshold is met, a referral is made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

14. External Notifications

14.1 Who Must Be Notified

Body	When	Responsible
Care Quality Commission	Without delay for serious injuries, abuse or allegations, police incidents and events that stop or may stop safe running of the service, including loss of the office. Deaths under Regulation 16.	Registered Manager
Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR	Deaths and specified injuries without delay. Over seven day injuries to workers within 15 days. Non-workers taken to hospital for treatment because of a work activity. Dangerous occurrences, including failure of lifting equipment.	Health and Safety Officer
MHRA Yellow Card scheme	Any adverse incident or near miss involving a medical device, such as a hoist, sling, bed, bed rail or mattress.	Health and Safety Officer
Equipment supplier or owner	Any fault, defect or incident involving their equipment.	Duty Manager
Commissioning team for the area where the person lives	Serious incidents and where care cannot continue safely.	Registered Manager
Adult safeguarding front door for the area where the person lives	Where abuse or neglect is suspected.	Safeguarding Lead
Information Commissioner’s Office	Within 72 hours for reportable personal data breaches.	Data Protection Officer
Insurer	As required by the policy terms after incidents or claims.	Registered Manager

14.2 RIDDOR Decision Steps

1. Did the incident arise out of or in connection with work, for example equipment failure, the way a task was done or the condition of work equipment?
2. Is the injury a death, a specified injury, an over seven day injury to a worker, or did a non-worker go to hospital for treatment?
3. Was it a dangerous occurrence, such as the collapse or failure of a load-bearing part of lifting equipment, even with no injury?
4. If yes, report online to the Health and Safety Executive, or by phone for fatal and specified injuries, within the required time.
5. Record the decision, even when the incident is not reportable.

14.3 Duty of Candour

Where a notifiable safety incident occurs, the provider tells the person or their representative as soon as reasonably practicable, apologises, gives an account of what happened and follows up in writing, in line with Regulation 20.

14.4 Office Emergencies

If the office becomes unusable, for example through fire, flood or utility failure, the Registered Manager activates the business continuity plan, notifies CQC and informs the commissioner. The emergency planning team is contacted where a wider incident affects the area.

15. Related Policies

• Health and Safety Policy
• Moving and Handling Policy
• Lone Working Policy
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy
• Fire Safety Policy
• Risk Assessment Policy
• Incident Reporting and Learning Policy
• Safeguarding Adults Policy
• Safeguarding Children Policy
• Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Policy
• Duty of Candour Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy
• Medicines Management Policy
• Waste Management Policy
• Key Holding and Key Safe Policy
• Data Protection and Information Governance Policy
• Records Management and Retention Policy
• Business Continuity Policy
• Training and Development Policy
• Care Planning and Assessment Policy