An explanation of the agreed protocol for working in partnership
The Care Act 2014 makes it a statutory requirement for organizations, agencies, and professionals within the health and social care sector to work together in partnership to safeguard and protect vulnerable individuals. In line with this statutory requirement, Beechfield Lodge care homework in partnership with others including a GP, district nurse physiotherapist among others. To ensure that working in partnership with others to safeguard and protect vulnerable individuals is done properly and in accordance with chapter 18 section 187 of the Care Act 2014, Beechfield Lodge care home has agreed on protocols with all those it works in partnership with. One such protocol exists between Beechfield lodge care home and the GP. The agreed protocol generally talks about sharing of information, confidentiality, and responsibilities of individuals handling the confidential information. For instance, the agreed protocol with GP, nurse, dentist, and others provides the following rule of engagements.
- That every proposed use or transfer of confidential information must be justified, documented, and continued uses regularly reviewed.
- Confidential information to be used only when needed.
- Where the use of confidential information is deemed necessary, each item of the confidential information must be justified to ensure only the minimum amount of information is used.
- Access to information is on a strict need-to-know basis only.
- The use and access of information should comply with the law.
- Services users must always be informed on how their confidential information is used.
So, as the rules of engagement between Beechfield lodge care home and the GP above show, the two had clearly laid protocols for working together in partnership. The protocol generally touches on the sharing and use of confidential information, and it is meant to ensure that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected by ensuring their confidential information is used correctly and only when needed. As noted by Macintyre et al., (2018), if confidential information is not handled properly between those working in partnership with each otherâs, it might end up with the wrong person hence increasing the chance for cause harm or abuse such as financial abuse, psychological abuse, etc. to vulnerable individuals. As such, by ensuring the confidentiality the services users are guaranteed even when working in partnership with others, Beechfield lodge care home has made a great effort in protecting and safeguarding its service users from potential abuses e.g. financial, emotional abuses among others.