Safeguarding in Health and Social Care: Factors and Legislation

This report provides a comprehensive overview of safeguarding in health and social care, focusing on the factors that contribute to abuse and harm, the relevant legislation and policies, and the strategies used to minimize abuse within the sector. The report examines the vulnerability of individuals and groups, including the elderly and those with conditions like Alzheimer's, exploring risk factors such as lack of support, unethical practices, and social isolation. It analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of current legislation, such as the Mental Health Act 1983, and identifies key professionals involved in protecting vulnerable individuals. Furthermore, the report discusses working practices and strategies to minimize abuse, offering recommendations for improvement, and emphasizing the importance of ethical care and support for service users like Bella. The report highlights the impact of social and cultural factors, such as health, housing, and education, on the well-being of service users, and emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate care to minimize abuse and ensure the safety and rights of individuals within the health and social care sector.

SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
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Table of contents
Introduction:...................................................................................................................................3
LO1: understanding the factors to contribute abuse and harm: (M3, D2, D3)...............................3
1.1: Reasons for particular individuals and groups are vulnerable to abuse to self and others:.. .3
1.2: Risk factors that might cause to self and others:....................................................................4
1.3: Impact of social and cultural factors on abuse to self and others:..........................................6
LO2: Understanding the legislation policy related to abuse: (M1, D3)..........................................8
2.1: Analysis of strength and weakness of current legislation for vulnerable:...............................8
2.2: Key professionals involved in protecting individuals and the groups:.....................................8
LO3: Understanding working practice to minimize abuse in health and social care scenario: (D1,
D2)...............................................................................................................................................10
3.1: Working practices and strategies to minimize abuse:.........................................................10
3.2: Evaluation of strategies:......................................................................................................11
3.3: Recommendations to improve practices:............................................................................11
Conclusion:..................................................................................................................................12
Reference list:..............................................................................................................................13
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Introduction:
Safeguarding in health and Social Care in general context means to provide fortification for
individual health, safety, and all the basic human rights the individual is granted. Safeguarding is
considered as an essential aspect in the entire health and social care sector. Safeguard covers
to provide the protection to ensure overall health and development of an individual. In addition, it
even includes providing the protection to the rights regarding safety, abuse. In this assignment,
that the factors that put into the abuse and harm, then the legislation involved stating the same
mentioned. Lastly, the strategies involved to minimize the abuse in context with the health and
social care sector faced by its users.
LO1: understanding the factors to contribute abuse and harm: (M3, D2, D3)
1.1: Reasons for particular individuals and groups are vulnerable to abuse to self and
others:
Various factors are held responsible for the contribution for the abuse or harm caused by self or
others in health and social care sectors. The service users in the health and social care often
cause harm to them to overcome their trauma, mental anxiety (Aveyard, 2014, p.57). Self-harm
caused by the service users is a major concern for all the service providers in the health and
social care sector. Self-harm includes injury and even the activities such as smoking,
consumption of alcohol, which cause danger to the life of the service users.
In this case, Bella suffering from Alzheimer's disease has a high risk of causing self-harm to
herself. Bella is suffering from various multiple fractures such as the rupture in a hip, arms
collarbone fracture, and even injury in shoulders. Therefore, Bella is in need of a day in and day
out of a service provider for herself. As with this medical condition Bella might cause self-harm
to her.
The service users even face abuse from the other individual or the society due to several
reasons. Elderly adults often face such kind of abuse the maximum, as they are secluded in that
phase of their life which they need the maximum love affection and care (Care Quality
Commission, 2010, p.343). Bella is also been isolated, as she has come across the
disappearance of her loved ones from her life.
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Figure 1: Reasons for vulnerable to abuse
(Source: Aveyard, 2014, p.57)
Memory loss is another major factor that causes abuse to the users. Due to the loss of memory
either short term or long term they face various types of abuse as the people, they are
surrounded with getting frustrated (Currie and Lockett, 2011, p.292). Bella even several times
undergoes memory loss as her major problem stated. During the memory loss stage, she often
forgets that her parents and her husband have deceased away. This further causes her stress
anxiety and problems like mental trauma.
Another major factor that causes abuse is the dependency on others. The users are at times
completely dependent upon others due to their financial, emotional, and physical needs, which
at last results into abuse (Dickinson and O'Flynn, 2016, p.71). Bella is even completely
dependent on her son and daughter in law for her needs; therefore, she also faces abuse due to
this.
1.2: Risk factors that might cause to self and others:
There are extensive factors that are accountable for the abuse to the service user’s especially
elderly adults in the health and social care sector.
Lack of appropriate support from the service providers is one of the utmost important factor
seen that results to abuse. Bella even faces the abuse due to this as she does not get
appropriate support from the service providers and neither from the family members. The
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service users need proper support from their concerned service providers and in absence of
them; the other working healthcare professionals should take care of their needs and treatment
(Drummond et al. 2015, p.82). The abuse to the users is caused by the unethical doctors,
service providers and other professionals that are working together in the hospital or the care
unit. Such type of the incidents leads to the emotional abuse.
Lack of knowledge is another major factor that is considered for the abuse. As many caregivers’
poses lack of knowledge on the particular disease, the service user is affected. This lack of
knowledge is due to either lack of training or lack of experience (Glasby, 2012, p.28). The
critical cases such as Bella who is suffering from the Alzheimer's disease, thus there is a
requirement of the appropriate trained and qualified professionals as service providers.
Figure 2: Risk factors
(Source: Dickinson and O'Flynn, 2016, p.71)
The intensity of substance abuse is also considered as the major factor in abuse. In general,
context, this substance abuse is referred as the consumption of drugs. These types of abuse
ultimately lead to harm to the self and the other service users within the healthcare organization.
The intensity of the substance abuse depends on the environment the patient is provided
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(Glasby and Dickinson, 2014, p.52). There could be even consumption of wrong medical drugs,
which can arise to various severe problems to the users in their treatment.
Social Isolation is also one of the important factors as the isolation causes stress, depression
amongst the users. At this point in life, Bella needs to be treated with the maximum support,
love, and care. As due to this, there will be a positive change in her treatment that can be
experienced (Ham et al. 2012, p.34). Bella wants her treatment to be done on her home in a
homely environment. Whereas her family members both son and daughter in law wants her to
be admitted to a special health care organization for her further treatment.
1.3: Impact of social and cultural factors on abuse to self and others:
There are diverse risk factors that are categorized broadly under the social and cultural
dynamics. These factors lead to a major impact as an abuse or harm to the service users. The
impacts of the social dynamics are as following:
Health: The first and foremost social factor is health. The service users that are entirely
dependent upon either the service providers or their concerned family members for their daily
chores face abuse. Bella due to her various injuries and multiple fractures is completely
dependent on others, thus this causes her to face abuse from people (Jippes et al. 2010,
p.1512). The concerned persons do not want their money and precious time to be wasted on
them. Thus, such circumstances lead a major impact on their health as their treatment gets
delayed.
Housing: Another important factor in the social dynamic is the housing that is considered. The
service user faces abuse even in the housing sector. For example, the care provider to the
service user is unemployed at a point in time (Kotronoulas et al. 2014, p.51). Even there are
circumstances that there is the financial loss or the family members are undergoing financial
difficulties then the shortage of wealth can lead to financial and physical abuse.
Education: Another important factor considered is education. Education in general terms is
contrary to abuse. Education provided to the care providers in the society can lead to prevention
of harm and cause to the service users. The education helps in eliminating the stress levels and
provides better treatment to the users.
The important cultural factors and its impact:
Discrimination: The abuses based on the gender, age, color, race is commonly found in the
health and social care sector.
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Ethnicity: The abuses are found are the consumption of alcohol, drugs (Aveyard, 2014, p.57).
These habits are developed in the individual to the culture, the background they belong too.
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LO2: Understanding the legislation policy related to abuse: (M1, D3)
2.1: Analysis of strength and weakness of current legislation for vulnerable:
Based upon the case scenario of Bella is seen that she has Alzheimer disease and also
suffering from fractured hip and collarbone. Accurate care is required for her situation and
various injuries have also found in her arm and shoulder. Bella mainly wishes to stay at home
and with the help of the care providers she wanted to get appropriate care. In the case of her
son and daughter in law they wanted to remove Bella to a care home where she can get more
care with the help of the care professionals. With the help of this particular scenario it is seen
that Mental Health Act, 1983 is applicable (McKeeargue, 2010, p.77). Mental Health Act, 1983 is
helpful in case of Bella for protecting her from self-harm. This act is also helpful for providing
help for the people those who have lost their memory. NHS (National Health Service) and Local
authority both are helpful for providing lawful consideration for preventing the people from abuse
and harm from self or others. Based upon this act the treatments are not forced towards the
individuals unless their mental situation is under control. Careful methods and procedures are
considered as well as followed for safeguarding the vulnerable adults through this act
(Legislation.gov.uk. 2016).
However, some flaws are also measured through this act. This particular legislation is not
applied through human right. According to this particular act, various norms and guidelines are
provided so that the treatment of the mental health related people get managed accurately
(Kruk et al. 2010, p.906). The considerations are not also provided through new forms. As the
rate of abuse get identified in case of Bella for that the legislations are applicable in the here
case. This is also effective for protecting her from self-harm. The local authority, independent
bodies all are helpful for meeting the criteria of the vulnerable abuse (Mehnert et al. 2010,
p.741). Through this act care through the specialists are provided for the vulnerable abuse as
the decision-making the capacity of those people get reduced. As it is seen that Bella has
several injuries in her arm and shoulder for that norms and rules through this legislation has
been framed to prevent against harm and abuse.
2.2: Key professionals involved in protecting individuals and the groups:
Professionals are higher in order to protect individuals. Their role is to keep a key on the so that
the individuals can be protected. In the case of Bella who suffers from Alzheimer disease wants
to stay at home. Bella's son and daughter-in-law think that the proper treatment can be done in
the hospital. The professional's role is to supervise this kind of abuse and to preserve the rights
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of the survivor. They make all kinds of efforts to prevent this kind of abuse. This is the
responsibility of the professionals to ensure that that rights of the survivor would be preserved
(Reeves et al. 2011, p.24). Bella who has got fractured in hip and collarbone and also got
several injuries in her arm and shoulder wish to stay at home. She wants to stay closer to her
family for the peace of mind. Her son and daughter in law want to admit her in the mental
hospital for the better treatment. The professionals have been higher in order to protect this kind
of abuse. Various policies and strategies have been made for safeguarding purpose
(McKeeargue, 2010, p.77).
Bella does not want to go out for their treatment. She wants her treatment at home. As her son
and daughter in law planning to admit her in the mental hospital, this is termed as emotional
abuse through which Bella suffering from. They feel insecurity and owing to that they harm
themselves. Bella also has made several injuries in her arm and shoulder. The professionals
are formulated to avoid foreseeable risk. Many rules and policies have been made by the
professionals (Reeves et al. 2011, p.24). In case if anyone found guilty professionals made
many provisions for punishment. The health experts provide security if the patient wants their
treatment at home. The health experts have to monitor if this kind abuse happens. They have
to take measure steps so that the rights of the patients can be secured and the patient may get
accurate treatment (Kruk et al. 2010, p.906). This vulnerable abuse should be properly
monitored so that the survivor can get proper treatment. The strategies and policies made by
the professionals would help Bella for getting treatment at home and the health of Bella can be
recovered.
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LO3: Understanding working practice to minimize abuse in health and social care
scenario: (D1, D2)
3.1: Working practices and strategies to minimize abuse:
In the health and social care sector, there are various practices, strategies that are designed by
the experts to reduce the abuse faced by the service users.
The important strategies such as:
Promotion of training in school and universities: There could be certain programs could be
prepared and developed so that the effective training is provided to them. With the help of
training, there can be the prevention of abuse borne by the adults (Glasby, 2012, p.28). Apart
from the abuse being reduced from the training the stress levels are also reduced. As the care
users get to learn the techniques from which the stress can be eliminated. Interactions within
the social circle are also important which helps to reduce mental pressure. The service
providers of Bella after training who is undergoing various pressures and abuse can solve her
problems.
Special Care: Another strategy that needs to be implemented is to take exceptional care of
those individuals who are in required of special needs. For example, the individuals who are
suffering from any kind of the mental or physical disorder should be provided special care
(Dickinson and O'Flynn, 2016, p.71). Especially to those individuals like Bella, who faces
difficulty in communication or the memory loss. The special care can be provided by the
parameters such as hearing aid, visualization tools can be implanted in the health and social
care organizations.
Counseling: Another strategy that can be implemented is the counseling technique. The
strategy involves setup of the counseling centers with trained professionals for the purpose
(Kotronoulas et al. 2014, p.51). With the help of counseling sessions all, the service users facing
problems can come forward. Thus, necessary actions can be taken against the problems they
face. Thus Bella can derive numerous benefits from the counseling sessions.
Community Centers: The community centers can be constructed within the organizations that
come in the health and social care sector (Aveyard, 2014, p.57). After the help of construction of
the community centers, the safety norms can be maintained for the service users. The
community centers can also help in the proper administration of all the services provided to the
service users. The community centers can provide major help to the patients like Bella.
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3.2: Evaluation of strategies:
There is an assortment made by the different organizations that are within the health and social
care sector. The assortment made within the health and social care sector are as per the
research are found to be very helpful. As after these strategies there is proper administration,
management is followed in the organization. There is a proper outlook of communication
process also implemented in the organizations (Glasby and Dickinson, 2014, p.52). All the
administrative work and the management tasks should be completed with proper procedure and
techniques. It is seen that if there is the lack of the follow-up of the techniques, there can be
mismanagement and chaos. In a case of Bella, she also can be provided with special attention
as she is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Another implemented strategy in the health and social care sector was safeguarding the service
users. The safeguarding provides to the service users be an excellent strategy prepared by the
experts (Ham et al. 2012, p.34). It is also said that to extract the excellent results from the
safeguarding strategy is to catalog the records of all the service users. After the catalog, the
extreme care can be provided to the service users who are posse's severe risks.
Strategy to educate and training the working professionals in the health and social care sector is
an excellent option. After the implementation of this strategy, the proper care was provided to all
the service users equally without any discrimination (Jippes et al. 2010, p.1512). As suffering
from the Alzheimer’s disease Bella needs special care and attention.
Even the quality of the care provided was of the highest quality. Further, there was a
minimization of the abuse both physical and verbal abuse was also experienced. Another
strategy that was implemented well was to develop the bonding between the service users and
their family members and friends. The main purpose of this strategy is to reduce the social
isolation problem of the service user's (Care Quality Commission, 2010, p.343). The service
users also get emotional security once they develop a strong bond with their loved ones. Bella
who is currently facing problems with her son and daughter in law her relations can improve with
them. She can respond well to her medical treatment and at a rapid speed. The lost self-
confidence amongst the service users is also developed through the bond of family members.
3.3: Recommendations to improve practices:
The present alive strategies that are practiced in the health and social care sector are able to
deliver good results. Further, there should be certain accompaniments that can be done in the
strategies for effective results. The organizations must take certain steps for preventing mental
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disorder issues by the organizations in overall health and social care sector. The mental
disorder was a major and most important concern for everyone. Bella who is also suffering from
the mental disorder can have a strong impact on the rest of her life. Therefore, to minimize the
abuse caused by the society in overall, the organizations must take several measures. The
organizations must conduct the special counseling for the concerned family members. As with
the help of the training, there should be better communication which is helpful for minimizing the
problems. Public Awareness must be made in masses regarding the abuse the service user's
face. There should be several programs to be developed, to educate people, to make them
aware of the abuse and the pressure faced by the service users. There should be various health
related programs conducted on weekends where the service user like Bella who is suffering
from the special disease like Alzheimer's should be provided with extra details. The external
help should also take in the health and social care sector. The external help like media,
churches, and renowned persons all can be taken into the process.
Conclusion:
It is concluded that safeguarding in health care is important for the development of mental
related issues. The legislation named mental health care act and health related policies have
been made in order to avoid vulnerable abuse. The professionals take a vital role in order to
protect individuals and groups. Further, it can be also said that this vulnerable abuse affects the
people so much that they harm themselves as in the case of Bella. Hence, it is concluded that
safeguard is important and the rights of the patients need to be preserved.
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