Procedure

In the event of a customer collapsing or becoming suddenly unwell in the care workers presence:

1. Medical assistance should be sought by summoning the GP or depending on the seriousness of the situation an ambulance should be summoned by dialling 999.

2. If, on arrival at a customer’s home a care worker should find the customer in a collapsed state or having had a fall then the care worker must summon medical assistance by dialling 999 or contacting the GP.

3. Whilst waiting for assistance the care worker must not move the customer while the cause of collapse or extent of injury is unknown (unless in extreme circumstances i.e. fire).

4. The care worker will offer reassurance to the customer, keep them as comfortable as the situation allows and remain with them until assistance arrives.

5. In the event of finding a collapsed customer food or drink must not be given even if the customer requests it until the customer has been assessed by a health professional and the care worker has been requested to do so by the GP or paramedic.  

6. Care workers must at no time place themselves in danger and may need to assess the situation with regard to the environment and make the area safe BEFORE attending to the customer.

7. Care workers must not undertake any first aid procedure which is beyond their ability unless they are being instructed by the emergency services and that by not initiating emergency aid the customers life would be at risk.

8. In emergency situations where there is a responsible family member present then it would be expected that the family would initiate contact with the GP or emergency services.

9. In the event of the customer being taken to hospital it may be necessary for the care worker to ensure the customer’s home is secure before leaving.    

10. As soon as practicable the manager at The Care Worker Agency & We Care must be informed of the situation and any actions resulting from it must be documented. If the situation is not life-threatening or in need of immediate attention then the care worker must contact the office and the manager will refer to the appropriate person i.e. next of kin, GP etc.

11. The care manager must ensure that any information shared with other professionals, individuals or agencies is done so with the customers’ consent if possible and in accordance with the Information Sharing, Data Protection and Confidentiality policy.

(First aid in the office environment will adhere to the ‘Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations, 1981.)

Policy

The Care Worker Agency & We Care is committed to ensuring the safety, well being and protection of both staff and customers. The Care Worker Agency & We Care has a responsibility to its staff and to its customers to take a realistic and practical view of first aid. The nature of domiciliary care frequently means care workers and customers are alone together, with or without other family members present for significant periods of time.

The Care Worker Agency & We Care operates an on-call system for emergencies outside office hours on a 24 hour basis.

A senior member of staff will always be available on an emergency contact number during this time. The designated on-call person will hold securely and confidentially the contact details and minimal essential information regarding customers during this period to enable an effective and safe response in the event of an emergency.

In an emergency situation, the company does not provide medical first aid within customers’ homes or in any environment while delivering a care package. Care and support workers are not qualified first aiders and may or may not have completed a basic first aid course so are only able to work within the limits of their ability.

The care workers are however made fully aware of the responsibility of their role and are trained to respond to an emergency medical situation. Staff are given clear guidance on the procedure to follow in alerting the emergency services, GP, next of kin and the The Care Worker Agency & We Care. 

Related Policies:

Confidentiality

Customer consent and involvement

Data protection

Information sharing