Safeguarding.

• Safeguarding in the health sector refers to a set of measures and actions implemented to protect their health, well-being, safety, and rights of individuals, particularly those who may be vulnerable or at risk of harm. 
• • Who is vulnerable?​
  • This can include children, elderly, lack capacity, disabled, mental health issues, learning difficulties etc.
• • What is the goal of safeguarding?
  • To prevent abuse, neglect, or exploitation and to ensure that individuals receive the appropriate care and support they need If necessary a response.
• Key principles of safeguarding:

  • Empowerment​
  • Protection​
  • Partnership​
  • Accountability​
  • Proportionality​
  • Prevention
• Proportionality- is to provide the right level of response to suit the needs of the person, the situation or the level of risk.
• empowerment in health and social care is a process that gives people more control over the decisions and actions that impact their lives. 
• Prevention is taking proactive steps to identify and mitigate prtential risks of harm. This may involve training staff, implementing policies and procedures, and creating a culture of vigilance to prevent abuse or neglect from occurring.
• Why is safeguarding important then?

  • Protection of Vulnerable Individuals​
  • Promotion of Dignity and Human Rights​
  • Prevention of Abuse and Neglect​
  • Ethical Responsibility​-the right thing to do.
  • Public Trust​
  • Legal Compliance​-
  • Prevention of Recurrence​
  • Support for Autonomy​- own free will.
• Protection is taking immediate action to protect individuals from harm when abuse or neglect is suspected or confirmed. This may involve removing them from a harmful situation, providing medical care, or involving relevant authorities.
• Partnership is collaborating with other professionals, agencies, and the community to share information, expertise, and resources. This helps create a comprehensive and coordinated approach to safeguarding.
• Accountability is ensuring that individuals and organisations are responsible for their actions and are held accountable for safeguarding measures. This includes regular monitoring, evaluation and learning from incidents.
• Vulnerable people- elderly, physically disability, mentally ill, homeless, protected characteristics.
• Who is considered as vulnerable?

  Health​

  • Health can contribute to an individual’s likelihood of receiving abuse​
  • This could be in the form of mental health (their mind) or physical health (their body).​

  Examples​

  If an individual had a mental health condition such as depression it could:​

  • Make the victim not report the abuse​
  • Make the victim unable to make certain decisions​
  • Allow the abuser to play on the victim's emotions​
  • Lead the victim to seek comfort in the abuser due to emotional attachment​
• What makes an individual vulnerable?

  Environment or social isolation ​What is it?​

  • This could be in the victim's own home, in a care home (both the victim and abuser) or in the abuser’s home.​
  • If an individual lived at their own home and required around the clock care (24/7) and relies solely on the carer (the abuser) then it makes the victim more vulnerable because:​
  • Nobody (friends/family) may see the victim so wouldn’t be able to spot the signs and the abuser would be aware of this so therefore less likely to get caught/punished​
• What makes an individual vulnerable?

  Children and young people (examples)​

  • They may not know that they are being abused / think it is the norm and therefore don’t report it​
  • They may have mental health issues meaning they are less likely to recognise the signs and symptoms​
  • They may be a looked after child and seek comfort in their abuser as this is all they have known​
  • They may be being emotionally blackmailed as the child relies on the abuser​
• What makes an individual vulnerable?The elderly (examples)​

  • if the victim was old, it may be that they do not have the mental capacity to report it.​
  • They may be too frightened to report it.​
  • They may not know or have anybody to report it to (especially if they live alone).​
  • They may not have the mobility to report it themselves.
• What makes an individual vulnerable?

  Substance Abuse

  What is it?​

  • Substance abuse can contribute to an individual’s likelihood of receiving abuse​
  • This could be in the forms of drugs or alcohol consumption​

  Examples​

  • The abuser may fund the victim's substance abuse. ​
  • Therefore, they rely on the abuser for drugs/alcohol so don’t report it in case the funding stops.​
  • The victim may not be able to make consensual decisions when they are ‘under the influence’ and may not even know they are being abused.​
  • They could be being blackmailed.​
• What makes an individual vulnerable? Disability​

  • This could be in many different forms such as a physical disability or a mental disability meaning they are unable to make decisions/understand.​​
  • if an individual had mobility issues so was confined to a wheelchair, they may not be able to defend themselves.​
  • For example, if an individual had autism and did not know the signs and symptoms of abuse. For example, if a victim had a disability in which they relied heavily on medication, the abuser may use this to keep the individual quiet and not report the abuse.​
• What makes an individual vulnerable? Social Media​

  • Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok
  • If an individual had many friends on different platforms that they didn’t know, the victim may get emotionally/verbally abused as the abuser can remain anonymous. ​
  • The victim may not report the abuse as they don’t think it will spiral into anything more than comments online.​
  • The victim may meet up with the abuser with the intention of something different ​ The victim may not be aware who they are even talking to, agree to meet as they may have been made promises.
• Clinical effectiveness Meaning: the application of healthcare, taking into consideration the individual’s wishes, healthcare professional’s experience, and evidence-based research in the approach.

  AKA doing the right thing at the right time for the right patient.
• WHAT IS RADICALIZATION?​ The action or process of someone to adopt or support terrorism, or radical extremist beliefs connected with terrorism or terrorist groups​.
• THE SIGNS OF RADICALISATION

  • detachment from family and friends​
  • raised levels of anger ​
  • failure or avoidance in discussing own views ​
  • increased interest in privacy or secretive behaviours​
• Extremism: holding extreme political or religious views. ​
• • Terrorism: the unlawful use of violence and intimidation to bring about political or social change.​
• WHAT FACTORS OR FEELINGS MIGHT LEAD PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN TERRORISM OR VIOLENT EXTREMISM? ​

  • A lack of identity, purpose or sense of belonging​
  • leaving people feeling separate and/or insecure​
  • Defending their culture, way of life or beliefs​
  • Sense of injustice regarding the treatment of their culture or beliefs ​
  • Pressure or influence from violent extremist groups, including through social media​
  • Lack of understanding of faith​
  • Lack of critical assessment of information ​
  • Poverty, unemployment, lack of education and the promise of a better life​
  • ​
  • ​
• THE PREVENT STRATEGY ​

  • The Prevent strategy is a UK government initiative designed to prevent individuals from being drawn into terrorism. ​
  • It focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of radicalization and extremism, particularly within vulnerable communities. ​
• PURPOSES OF THE PREVENT STRATEGY​

  • Challenge extremist ideology​
  • Work in partnership (share resources, different agencies)​
  • Promote community cohesion​
  • Support early intervention
• conflict of interest means

  • A situation where a person of trust, or an organisation’s own interests are in direct conflict with the interest of the patient. ​
  • It could also mean the person of trust or organisation sets to benefit from the patient .
• How to deal with conflicts of interest.

  • Be open and honest acting with integrity (patient first)​
  • Follow workplace guidelines​
  • Declare any personal conflicts (for example that you have a personal relationship with the individual)​