4222-Principle of Implementing Duty of Care
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- Date Submitted: 02/13/2015 03:23 AM
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The Definition of “Duty Of Care” according to Collins English Dictionary is – “The legal obligation to safeguard others from harm while they are in your care, using your services, or exposed to your activities .“ Therefore, by its very definition, Duty of Care not only contributes to, but should ensure Safe Working Practice.
“Duty of care” is not unique to the Care Sector – Duty of Care exists in every work setting – It means that the worker has a Legal obligation to perform their job to the best of their ability in as safe a way as is possible in order to minimise risk and avoid damage to either people or property.
In My role as an Assistant Manager within a Residential home this means that I have a responsibility to keep up to date with all the relevant training that ensures that I can perform my role safely and to a high standard as well as complying with current legislation and company policies.
I Support the People that I work with to attain their fullest potential, as well as Mentor other Staff ensuring that they too understand their duty of care. This can sometimes seem to cause conflict within Our Duty of Care – as People have a right to make Choices and to take risks, even if sometimes these Choices may appear to be bad ones. In these cases we have to refer to the Mental Capacity Act, and then as long as the Person involved is deemed to Have Capacity to make an informed Choice, and risk assessments have been carried out to minimise any risk of harm, then they have every right to make it. All we can do in this case is to offer advice and ensure that the Person has all the information they need in order to make an informed choice. If they are Deemed Not to have capacity, then we have to act in the Persons Best Interest (Which would be determined by a Multidisciplinary team meeting) as well as our Duty of Care.
It is also important for me to remember that I am not expected to know everything and that I don’t always Know what the best course of action...
“Duty of care” is not unique to the Care Sector – Duty of Care exists in every work setting – It means that the worker has a Legal obligation to perform their job to the best of their ability in as safe a way as is possible in order to minimise risk and avoid damage to either people or property.
In My role as an Assistant Manager within a Residential home this means that I have a responsibility to keep up to date with all the relevant training that ensures that I can perform my role safely and to a high standard as well as complying with current legislation and company policies.
I Support the People that I work with to attain their fullest potential, as well as Mentor other Staff ensuring that they too understand their duty of care. This can sometimes seem to cause conflict within Our Duty of Care – as People have a right to make Choices and to take risks, even if sometimes these Choices may appear to be bad ones. In these cases we have to refer to the Mental Capacity Act, and then as long as the Person involved is deemed to Have Capacity to make an informed Choice, and risk assessments have been carried out to minimise any risk of harm, then they have every right to make it. All we can do in this case is to offer advice and ensure that the Person has all the information they need in order to make an informed choice. If they are Deemed Not to have capacity, then we have to act in the Persons Best Interest (Which would be determined by a Multidisciplinary team meeting) as well as our Duty of Care.
It is also important for me to remember that I am not expected to know everything and that I don’t always Know what the best course of action...