MANAGING VIOLENCE AND ABUSE TOWARDS STAFF 05/17
VERSION NUMBER 1
Effective date / September 2017
Category / General
Summary / This document provides guidance for all Adults’ Health and Care staff on managing threats of and actual harm towards staff as well as intimidation or any other form of abusive behaviour.
Keywords / Violence, harm, threat, aggression, stalking, bullying, complaints, verbal abuse
Approved by / Care Governance Board
Date Approved / 26 September 2017
Procedures cancelled or amended / N/A
Author / Karen Alexander, Strategic Service Manager, Safeguarding, Quality and Governance
Sponsor / Care Governance Board
Contact /
Signed
Designation
Date

Version control change record (inside first page)

Date / Version Reviewed / Author / Reason for change / Approved by

PURPOSE

Hampshire County Council Adults’ Health and Care Department recognises that anythreat, harassment, aggression, violenceor intimidation, whether physical orverbal from any person using a service, family member, professional, visitor or member of the public is unacceptable. Hampshire County Council is committed to the creation of a culture where employees may undertake their duties without fear of abuse, intimidation or violence and maintaining staff safety is of paramount importance.

The Department is committed to introducing measures, through this policy and relevant guidelines, to reduce risk and to have procedures in place that will enable staff to manage appropriately an aggressive or violent situation should it arise.

The objective of this document is to set out how Adults’ Health and Care Department will fulfil its statutory duty to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, thehealth and safety and welfare of staff and others, in respect of managing the risksassociated with violence and aggression.

SCOPE

The policy applies to all employees, directly or indirectly employed byAdults’ Health and Care,in paid and volunteer roles. In particular it deals with the issue of threats,violence, harassment, aggression and verbal abuse against a member of staff by a person accessing services, a family member,an external professional or a member of thepublic. This policy can be implemented even if the incident occurs outside ofworking hours or outside of Adults’ Health and Care premises. It will apply where staff are targeted due to a protected characteristic, in addition to the role of the member of staff.

Issues which arise between two or more Adults’ Health and Care staff should be dealt with through the usual HR policies and do not come under this policy.

All employees are required to comply with Adults’ Health and Care policy and follow their service, departmental and localprocedures governing violence, aggression and abuse and abide by any riskassessment.

It is not possible to guarantee that violence be completely eradicated in anyenvironment, however through the appropriate application of robust systems, therisk of incidents occurring in the first place can be minimised and where incidentsoccur, clear actions can be taken against perpetrators.

REFERENCES

Guidance for staff on professional and personal use of social media - Corporate Social Media Policy

Complaints Policy -Complaints Procedure

AUTHORITY TO VARY

Departmental Management Team

CONTENTS

Title / Page no.
1 / Duties and Responsibilities / 5
2 / Introduction / 5
3 / Main Content / 5
3.1 / Actions at DMT level / 6
3.2 / Management actions to create a safe working environment / 6
3.3 / Management actions when a violent or abusive incident occurs / 6
3.4 / Management actions for situations which have escalated / 7
3.5 / Management actions where further escalation is required / 7
3.6 / Actions to be taken by staff / 8
4 / Implementation considerations / 9
5 / Monitoring compliance / 9
6 / Document review / 9
7 / Training needs analysis / 10
8 / Equality impact assessment / 10
9 / Appendices / 11
  1. DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES/ROLES

DMT responsibilities and role – it is the responsibility of the Departmental Management Team to ensure there are robust policies and guidance in place to seek to minimise all threats of and actual violence against Adults’ Health and Care staff. Departmental Management Team has strategic oversight and is the decision maker when a situation is untenable and the risk to staff can no longer be managed by the local manager.

Manager’s responsibilities and role – it is the responsibility of every line manager to ensure adherence to all policies and guidance issued by the Department and by Hampshire County Council relating to reducing and managing threats of or actual violence against its staff.Line managers have the responsibility through regular supervision of ensuring that their direct reports are advised and supported when a staff member is working with a person or family member(s) exhibiting threatening, abusive or violent behaviour. The line manager must monitor and assess the risk, with the goal being to continue to deliver the service, wherever it is safe to do so.

All staff responsibilities and role – it is the responsibility of staff to treat all people they work with and their families with courtesy and respect, to work in a person centred way and minimise the risk of causing offence. Staff must immediately advise their line manager when they have been threatened or harmed while at work. Staff are responsible for adhering to the policies and guidance of the Department and Hampshire County Council in order to keep safe.

  1. INTRODUCTION

This policy aimsto give clear guidance toAdults’ Health and Care staff on how to manage threatening, abusive or violent situations which they encounter while at work. It lays out what actions can be taken by managers whenstaff are in such situations while at work.

Hampshire County Council Adults’ Health and Care Department will not tolerate threats, intimidation,verbal abuse, physical abuse or violence towards staff in any form. Adults’ Health and Care has certain statutory duties to provide services to meet the assessed eligible needs of some of the most vulnerable people in the county. Where a person who is eligible to receive a serviceis assessed as lacking the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their violent or abusive behaviour, the Department must take actions to minimise the risk of harm to staff, while carrying out its’statutory duties.

  1. MAIN CONTENT

Work-related violence for the purpose of this policy is defined as: any incident in which an employee is abused, deliberately intimidated, threatened or assaulted by a person accessing a service, a member of their family, a visiting non HCC employed professional or a member of the public in circumstances arising out of the course of his/her employment. This definition includes verbal threats and abuse.

This document seeks to list actions which can be taken, both preventative(see APPENDIX 2 for tips on de-escalation)and also those which will need to be taken in response to an actual incidence of violence or abuse. It is structured to show who is responsible for the various preventative and reactive actions and at what point a situation should be escalated.

3.1 Actions at DMT level

  • Deliver a consistent message about the expectations that Hampshire County Council has about how staff should be treated. This expectation toform part of communications with people and their families at all appropriate points.
  • Ensure this approach towards violence and abuse against staff is known about in the Department and is promoted and supported at the highest level.
  • Make resources available to provide items to reduce the risk to staff, such as phones with GPS trackers for staff at increased risk of abuse or violence.
  • Be the decision makerwhere a situation has become untenable and a decision is required as to whether to serve notice to a resident in an HCC owned unit, or to prevent a family member from accessing HCC premises.

3.2 Management actions to create a safe working environment:

  • Consider how to minimise the risk of abuse and violence to staff in the way that the service is delivered.
  • Consider suggestions made by staff about how to improve violence prevention and management, and feedback to staff about suggestions, including whether it will be taken forward and if not, why not.
  • Treat reports of work-related violence, threats or abuse seriously and respond promptly and in line with this policy.
  • Report all incidents of violence and abuse and do not tolerate abusive behaviour from people accessing a servicewho have the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions, families, members of the public or visiting professionals.
  • Develop a process to communicate with staff in a timely way about updates to risk assessments/behaviour management plans so staff are aware and take appropriate action.

3.3 Management actions when a violent or abusive incident occurs

  • Record details of the incident on the incident reporting systemand support employees during the process. Incident reporting form
  • Respond to and, if possible, resolve incidents, ideally before they escalate.
  • Consider if the incident is related to a complaint which is unresolved. If this is the case, work with Complaints Team to find a resolution.
  • All care plans/About Me Books should be updated to ensure staff awareness.
  • If the incident warrants it, the local Community Team should record an alert on the AIS record of the individual presenting a risk.
  • According to the level of seriousness, consider involving the police.
  • When an incident is occurring, if staff are in danger or feel that violence is imminent, the police should be called by dialling 999.
  • If there is a genuine threat to staff safety then steps should be taken in advance e.g.no lone visits, meetings held in HCC buildings or public places.

3.4 Management actions for situations which have escalated

  • If a criminal investigation is undertaken, work with the police and offer assistance to help in their enquiries.
  • Where a person in receipt of a service, who has the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions, ora familymember, is behaving in a threatening, abusive or violent way towards staff, address this at once. Put a risk assessment in place toremove or reduce the risk.
    Risk Assessment template
  • Where staff are working at an increased level of risk in the community, with a risk assessment in place, the manager must ensure staff have a work-issued mobile phone with GPS tracking.
  • Monitor incidences of violence and abuse and initiate any furthermeasures needed to reduce risk. Continually review the risk assessmentas necessary.
  • When there are repeated incidents of abuse/ threats on the telephone, the manager to consider directing calls from that person to the team manager/ registered managerto minimise the effect on staff and control the situation.Managers to support staff to terminate such calls after giving notice to the person who is being abusive.
  • Direct staff to appropriate support, e.g. Employee Support Line(call0800 030 5182).
  • Encourage staff to support their colleagues, including those that have witnessed the incident. If staffmembers are traumatised, provide support, such as changes to tasks and consider a referral to the Departmental Debriefing service Debriefing Service short explanation leafletand Debriefing Service Referral form.
  • Where the person accessing a service is exhibiting violent, abusive or threatening behaviour towards staff andis assessed as lacking the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions,steps must be taken to reduce the risk to staff: e.g. reassess the person’s needs, including health /mental health referrals. Additional measures put in place must be the least restrictive possible. Consider a DOLs application if the liberty of the person accessing a service is restricted in order to reduce risks to others.

3.5 Management actions where further escalation is required

  • Refer to a senior manager if a situation is escalating and the actions being taken are no longer sufficient to minimise the risk to staff.
  • If all appropriate actions have been taken and a person using services, who has the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions, or a family membercontinues to pose anactive threat to staff consider whether they should be denied access to the office/ unit. This is an action of last resort and must be escalated to DMT for a decision.
  • Where a person using services, who has the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions or a family member is asked not to come into the office /unit but tries to gain access, or to follow or intimidate staff outside the premises, the police must be called.
  • Where a person using services has the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their behaviour and is exhibiting persistent violent, abusive and/or threatening behaviour towards staff, actions must be taken to find out why this is happening. Every endeavour must be made to find a resolution, but if all possible actions have been taken and the situation persists then a decision must be made to whether to give the person notice that they need to find an alternative residential / nursing placement. This is only an action of last resort and must be escalated to DMT for a decision to be made.

3.6 Actions to be taken by staff

  • All staff members have personal responsibility for their own behaviour and mustcomply fully with this policy.
  • Treat all people accessing a service, their families and other professionals with courtesy and respect.
  • Staff must not give out their personal contact details and should not invite or accept invitations on social media sites from people using services or families.
  • Staff should consider using privacy settings to restrict access to their personal information on any social media sites they use. Staff may not wish to disclose that they work for HCC on any social media sites on which they have a profile. Here is a link to: Guidance on privacy settings on Facebook
  • Do not accept work-related violence directed towards you or other staff and report all violence, threats and verbal or physical abuse, through the incident reporting system.
  • When an incident is occurring, if staff are in danger or feel that actual violence is imminent, the police should be called by dialling 999.
  • Suggest additional measures to managers which might help to prevent and manage work-related violence.
  • Follow all aspects of a risk assessment and take all identified precautions to minimise risk to themselves and others and remain safe while working.
  • If the threat is related to a family dispute about care arrangements for the person, and the person is assessed to lack the mental capacity to decide where they live, a best interest assessment may be required.
  • Consider providing an advocate for the person and/or a referral to family group conference where there is conflict within the family. Daybreak are commissioned to deliver Family Group Conferences for Adults’ Health and Care and the link to the referral form can be found here: Family Group Conference - referral form
  • If staff feel threatened/intimidated whilst in the presence of a person accessing a service or a relative they have the right to exit the premises /situation, after giving appropriate notice.
  • Abusive messages posted online about staff should be reported to the manager who will escalate to Communications Team to deal with.
  • Document incidents of abuse (both verbal and physical) or violence, ensuring that recording on AIS (by staff in Community Teams) or daily diary notes /care plansabout people using a service or their family, is written in a professional tone, and is factual.
  • Recognise the potential for work-related violence and take action to resolve it early on. Inform a manager if it is believed that a user of services, a professional colleague or a member of the public might present a risk.
  • When working in a high risk situation in the community, if a smart phone has been issued as a protective measure this must be carried and GPS tracking must be switched on.
  • Support colleagues who have experienced or witnessed work-related violence, but do not discuss the situation in front of other people using a service (such as care home residents) or when in public places.
  • Maintain a professional stance towards the person who has acted inappropriately and /or their family.
  1. IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
  • This policy will be highlightedatthe induction programme for staff in the Department.
  • Literature for those accessing services and families to be developed explaining Hampshire County Council’s stance on violence and abuse towards staff. This will be used at appropriate points of the customer journey.
  • Posters to be developed and displayed in all Adults’ Health and Care units and offices which are accessed by the public and visiting professionals, outlining that violence and abuse towards staff in unacceptable and could result in prosecution.
  • Staff to be made aware via Team Brief.
  • Policy to be launched at Operational Manager’s Meeting and SMT quality meeting and Registered Managers meetings.
  1. MONITORING COMPLIANCE

Service Managers

  1. DOCUMENT REVIEW

Efficacy of this policy to be reviewed one year after it is launched.

  1. TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS (TNA)

No new training requirements identified

  1. EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS (EIA)

EIA1142794 - Managing violence against staff
APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1

Definitions

Abusive behaviour– this is a general term for various behaviours which may be aggressive, coercive or controlling, destructive, harassing, intimidating, isolating, or threatening, that a person may use to control a victim.

Protected characteristics - It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of:

  • age
  • being or becoming a transsexual person
  • being married or in a civil partnership
  • being pregnant or on maternity leave
  • disability
  • race including skin colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
  • religion, belief or lack of religion/belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation

Staff – any person in paid or unpaid employment or volunteering with Hampshire County Council Adults’ Health and Care Department.

Person using a service – anyone either already in receipt of a service or seeking assessment from Adults’ Health and Care Department.

Verbal abuse - this is defined as improper or excessive use of a privilege. Verbal abuse is the excessive use of language to undermine someone's dignity and security through insults or humiliation, in a sudden or repeated manner. The abuse can include insults about the person’s gender, sexuality, cultural or religious heritage and beliefs, age or any other protected characteristic – see definition above.