Self Care Training

Module 9

Supporting Individuals’ Choices

Module 9 outcomes

  On completion of this module learners will:    Describe hazards and risks Have a working knowledge of their health and safety responsibilities Explore making safer choices under the Mental Health Capacity Act 2005 Understand the risk assessment process Demonstrate a working knowledge of planning to reduce risk 9.1

Hazards and risks

A hazard is:

Anything that may cause harm to an individual

A risk is:

The chance

(High/Medium/Low)

that an individual will be injured by the hazard 9.2

Group discussion List some possible hazards that you could be at risk from in your everyday life

9.3

Our personal risks

It is impossible for any of us to completely avoid hazards in our everyday lives, so we:  Still make choices which put us at risk  We learn to identify if our choices put at us at

high

,

medium

or

low risk

of being harmed  We take responsibility for our final decisions 9.4

Making new choices – the benefits

We all have the right to make choices and to take risks, no matter our

age

or

disability.

• • • Making choices can lead to:

increased confidence learning new self care skills involvement in the wider community

We should empower people we support to make safe choices so that hazards and risks do not control their lives.

9.5

Can we all make self choices?

We all have the right to make our own choices and decisions unless proven otherwise under the Mental Health Capacity Act 2005 The

five key principles are:



A presumption of capacity –

every adult has the right to make his or her own decisions and must be assumed to have capacity to do so unless it is proved otherwise    

Individuals being supported to make their own decisions –

a person must be given all practicable help before anyone treats them as not being able to make their own decisions

Unwise decisions –

just because an individual makes what might seem as an unwise decision, they should not be treated as lacking capacity to make that decision.

Best interests –

an act done or decision made under the Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done in their best interests

Least restrictive option –

anything done for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive of their basic rights and freedoms.

9.6

Risk awareness at work

We all work in environments that have hazards and risks – they are impossible to avoid.

We are protected by ‘risk assessments’ – (formal   paperwork) that:  Identify hazards that may exist in the workplace Consider the risk from those hazards Set goals to reduce the risks for all employees 9.7

Inside a risk assessment

The Environment Electrical Hazards Gas Hazards Fire Hazards Clinical Waste Hazards Moving and Handling Hazards Pets and Animals Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Personal Safety Hazards 9.8

Why do we need risk assessments?

     Regulation 3 of the

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Standard 12 of the

Domiciliary Care National Minimum Standards

To create

awareness of hazards and risks

workplace in the To

improve standards and quality of service

To

support individual people’s choices

9.9

It’s the law The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Section 2 outlines employers’ responsibilities to protect employees: ‘ as far as is reasonably practicable ’ 9.10

Employer responsibilities

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers    must:   Provide and maintain safety equipment and safe systems of work Ensure materials used are properly stored, handled, used and transported  Provide information, training, instruction and supervision. Ensure staff are aware of the instructions provided by manufacturers and suppliers of equipment Provide a safe place of employment Provide a safe working environment Provide a written safety policy and risk assessment  Look after the health and safety of others, and the public 9.11

Employee responsibilities

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employees   must:   Co-operate with employers Wear protective equipment or clothing if required  Take care of their own health and safety and that of other persons  Must not interfere with anything provided in the interest of health and safety Inform their employer of any unsafe working conditions Adhere to safe procedures and practices 9.12

Regulations

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers have a duty to cover regulations in their risk assessments         Manual Handling Operations Regulations (2002, amended) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (2002) [CoSHH] The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (1992) [PPE] Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations (1992) Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER 1998) Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER 1998) Fire Precautions Workplace Regulations (1997, amended) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR 1995) 9.13

5 steps to safer choices

‘The Health and Safety Executive’ outlines five steps to risk assessment  

Step 1: Look for hazards

 Sit with the person you support and talk openly about the hazards and risks they may face Ask your Team Leader or Supervisor what they think Write down all potential hazards in the person’s ‘risk log’

Step 2: Decide who may be harmed and how

 Write down who may be harmed by the choices the person has made  Work with the person to consider if the risks they and others face are high,   medium or low risks Write a full description of the potential for harm for each identified risk in the person’s ‘risk log’ Plan with the person how to reduce their risks 9.14

5 steps to safer choices

Step 3: Evaluate the risks – is enough being done to reduce them?

 Review how all risks have been reduced   Review how all risks have been isolated from Mrs X’ – e.g. ‘moved to another area, away Review how all risks have been controlled – e.g. personal protective equipment

Step 4: Record the findings

  Record how you have planned to reduce the risks to both the person being supported and the new type of worker Refer back to the ‘risk log’ on a regular basis  

Step 5: Review and revise if necessary

 Set a date to review the person’s individual ‘risk log’  Update it if they make a new choice Update it if there is a change to how they are going to achieve their choice Let your team leader or supervisor review the ‘risk log’ (Source: adapted from the HSE 5 Steps to Risk Assessment) 9.15

Your new types of worker responsibilities

       Involve and encourage people you support to make safe choices Negotiate with each person a course or action to reduce risk Break the hazard down into

low, medium

and

high risks

Involve the person in thinking how risk should be managed Involve family or those closest to the person to manage risks Use people’s individual ‘risk logs’ to support them to manage risk Communicate with your team leader/supervisor each time you plan to reduce risk Always work within your organisational policy and procedures and the law!

9.16

Self Care Training Manual: Implementing the Common Core principles for Self Care

© Skills for Care, 2009.

www.skillsforcare.org.uk

Albion Court, 5 Albion Place, Leeds LS1 6JL.

All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced for non-commercial distribution in aid of social care workforce development, provided the copyright notices and acknowledgements are included in each reproduction.

Requests for commercial publishing rights should be directed to Skills for Care.

Referencing:

Short reference: Skills for Care, 2009 Long reference: Skills for Care,

Self Care Training Manual: Implementing the Common Core Principles for Self Care

(Skills for Care, Leeds, 2009)

Acknowledgements:

This material was commissioned from jdee Training and Lancashire County Council by Skills for Care’s New Types of Worker programme in the north west. It was researched and compiled by Shaun Douglas Galley and Sarah Johnson.