Lone working policy

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Hi everyone

I am recently updating the Health & Safety folder at work and I am looking at lone working. After looking in the Society website, I can't find any guidelines for lone workers. I've managed to find some NHS risk assessment form, but we work in private practice. However, I guess I could adapt this one.

My question is, do any of you have come across with any policies/ guidelines that address podiatric lone working?

Many thanks.
Rosa

 

Hi Rosa,
The Professional Practice Officer Kay Blowes at the SCP should be able to help you with this one.

kb@scpod.org

regards

Catfoot

 

Hmmmmmm, I recently had a problem(now resolved) and I spoke to the SCP and they were sympathetic but not really helpful. You may have to make your own policy based on "whats the worst that can happen". Unless you work with an assistant or someone else you are at the whim of your client. Perhaps qualifying what risks you are assessning would be a start. If you find a good source please keep us posted, this would be a valuable source of information to all of us who work alone at times.

 

Hi Rosa,

Here is a link to our lone worker policy for Manchester NHS, PM me if it does work but you can find it on the Manchester NHS website.

http://www.manchester.nhs.uk/docume...d_Procedures/Lone Worker Policy July 2008.pdf

Hope it helps

Sam

 

District Nurses all have a lone worker policy, since the Suzy Lamplugh case (estate agent who dissappeared whilst meeting a prospective buyer at a house). I would search primary health care trusts to get an idea of what they entail...

 

So with thousands of us lone working how at risk are we?

Does anyone question a client before attending a dom request?

Do you research the locality you are going into?

Do you google the name of the patient you are going to see?

Interesting topic.

GB

 

Exactly, and DN's are really no different to us.

I came across the Suzy Lamplugh Trust website a while ago and I thought it was a good resource for private pods.

 

District nurses have the distinct advan tage of working collaboratively, so there is a traceable record of their visits. For those of us in private practice, there is often a limited opportunity to inform others of our whereabouts, necessitating other resourceful strategies to be employed ...

 

Yes, I realise that, which is why I suggested this website.

I thought the Lone Worker Device Directory was particularly useful.

 

Morning Rosa, I'd definitely agree with Sam in suggesting you look at NHS Lone Working policies & incorporate the relevant parts into your own practice. We never had Lone Working policies in private practice even though we are all considered Lone Workers, Public health however has policies & guidelines for every eventuality, so it is your best place to start.
I can email our organisations policy if you need? We also have rolling Risk Registers on which the risk of lone working is identified & actions to reduce these risks are updated regularly.

 

Thank you everyone for your advice. Sam, I've looked at the policy document you posted and it is very good as starting point.

I've also looked again and harder at the Society website and found this Health & Safety Standards. Lone working is discussed from page 108.

http://www.members.feetforlife.org/cgi-bin/library.cgi?action=detail&id=158

In this document it is mentioned the HSE "Working alone"
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf

The documents are all very good to start with, and althought there is nothing specific to PP working alone (with no colleague/ receptionist to call in case of emergency), is a good guidance. I believe we all will have to have our own risk assessment and write our own policy.

Has anyone done this??? And would anyone be interested in having a copy of the one I will write?

 

I am a single practitioner in private practise.

I have an online reception team (Realtime reception) who are very good. However, I also attend home visits every afternoon. I find keeping 2 diaries works well for me. My family know where I should be at what time. If I am unsure of a new visit I take a family member to wait in the car (only happened once in 12 years) My mobile phone has a default on it too so if I press the default it calls me back in 3 minutes. Great to make patients think you're talkung directly to someone on the cell. If I was concerned it is very easy to touch the phone & hold a 'Yes I'm with Mr Smith at number 9.........................conversation if required.

In some circumstances a tandem visit with the district nursing team is also a viable option. I have also previously contacted the attending psychotherapy team for more support when I feel their input may be required.

All in all be safe. No situation should be accepted if YOU feel uncomfortable.

Kind regards, Mandy

 

Hi airamasor,

It is a standard feature on my phone: Samsung Tocco Lite

My daughter has just corrected me that there isn't a 3 minute delay for the 'fake call' to ring it's about 30 seconds.

Still very handy though.

Kind regards,

Mandy.

 

All,
If the patient who requires a home visit is male, new to me or sounds "dodgy" on the 'phone then I take a family member with me to sit in the back of the car.
If that isn't possible, I make it clear that I will not visit unless they have a female present. Most reasonable chaps will accept this.
I only once refused to do a visit and that was because the patient was known to me and the house was so filthy it would have be an infection risk.

CF

 

Which is very good advice for you females , what about us Chaps then ?? any advice for us ??

Cheers
D

 

Aw Delly,

If you ever feel vulnerable sweety I'm happy to ride shotgun & protect delicate lil you xxx

:empathy:

 

Fanks Twirls

Perhaps you should hire yourself out as a protection service ,specially to vulnerable females like catfoot

I'll take you up on you offer anyway, but only if I get a cuddle if I get frightened

Cheers Hun
D xxx

 

Putting this whole thing into perspective- how many pods have actually been attacked/assaulted/abused on a house call from an octogenerian on a zimmer frame?

CM

 

Well said and why would a house call need a tag along friend rather than every new patient that walks through the door, if like me you work alone. Now being not a small person, with a fairly short temper I maybe lucky in this regard.

Also something to consider with so many smart phones out there be carfeul of being recorded if asked about other medical professions work- 99% sure it´s happened to me.

Again I work alone so it becomes I said she/he said thing might be something to think about.