Standard Operating Procedure
Use of Personal Response Alarms for
Rotherham Community Learning Disability
Teams
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1
Quality and Safety Sub Committee
22 August 2016
Deputy Assistant Director
Service Manager
Assistant Director LD and Forensic Services Clinical
Quality Group
5 October 2016
August 2019
All Staff working within Rotherham Community
Learning Disability Service (CTLD).
1
AIM
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) represents current recommended
good practice and will ensure that proper action is taken in the use of personal
response alarms
The Personal response alarm system is in operation to improve safety for staff,
patients and visitors who attend consultation appointments within the clinic rooms
at 220 Badsley Moor Lane (BML) by providing an instant method of alerting the
occupants in the building that a potential aggressive or violent situation is
developing in one of the clinic rooms.
All clinical staff working in the CTLD will be issued with a personal response
alarm for their own personal use to offer additional support should they find
themselves in a potentially violent situation in the community.
A personal response alarm is only intended for local reaction and must not be
confused with a Lone Working Device (These are not currently operational within
the Rotherham CLDT)
2.
SCOPE
This SOP is intended for all staff who see patients, working within the Rotherham
Community Learning Disability Team. It will ensure that all members of staff
working in the building and Community are aware of how the system operates
and their roles and responsibilities in relation in operating and responding to the
system.
The system is to be used to alert others whenever an individual requires support
or feels threatened, unsafe in a medical emergency, or to distract a potential
aggressor giving the assailant time to remove them from the situation.
3.
LINK TO OVERARCHING POLICY AND/OR PROCEDURE
Security Policy
4.
Maintenance and Administration of the devices
4.1
All staff will be issued with a personal response alarm for their personal use
and safety across the working environment (Badsley Moor Lane and the
community).
4.2
It is the responsibility of staff issued with the device to familiarise themselves
with its operation prior to using it. Instructions will be provided with the device.
4.3
All staff will receive training from the Admin Manager around how to activate
the personal response alarm when these are issued.
4.4
It is staff’s own responsibility to ensure their device is to hand at all times and
is in good working order and that the alarm is “live”. The alarms have a button
on the side which will illuminate the light/torch if the batteries have charge. If
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this does not happen the batteries should be replaced and the check
repeated. If there is a problem with any of the devices this should be reported
to the Admin Manager.
4.5
The Admin manager will maintain an up to date record of staff that are trained
in the use of the personal response alarm.
1.6
The Admin Manager will test the personal response alarms issued to medical
staff on a monthly basis and record in the risk log that this has been done. All
other clinical staff will be responsible for testing their own alarm and ensuring
in good working order and batteries are live. If replacement batteries are
required, they should purchase these and seek reimbursement from expenses
4.7
It is staff’s responsibility when in the clinic rooms to ensure they have
communicated their whereabouts to the Receptionist.
5.8
Should an alarm be damaged or lost the Admin Manager should be informed
as soon as possible and will issue a replacement.
5.
Responding to a personal response alarm in the clinic rooms at BML
The personal alarm is provided for the purpose of local reaction to alert staff that
a situation is developing in the clinic room and to distract any potential aggressor
affording the staff time to remove themselves from the situation to a place of
safety. Any staff using the clinic room should ensure they position themselves as
specified within the environmental risk assessment to enable them to leave the
room quickly.
It is the responsibility of the person raising the alarm to determine if it is safe to
do so where this may escalate the situation further.
5.1
The reception at 220 Badsley Moor Lane is manned at all times during
operational hours.
5.2
If there are any concerns around the safety of others in the building
Admin/Reception staff to ensure all staff in the building are aware of the situation.
5.4
Staff member hearing an alarm should proceed with caution until the details of
the incident are known.
5.5
If Reception staff have any concerns about the safety of others or themselves an
emergency 999 call should be made.
5.6
All staff in the reception or clinic rooms to evacuate to the designated safe area
behind the safety door and wait for further instructions.
5.7
The use of personal response alarms will be discussed under Health and Safety
in the monthly team meetings at Badsley Moor Lane including awareness and
learning from of any incidents.
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Following any incident the Service Manager will ensure.
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Clinical records are updated
Risk assessment is updated
Staff debriefing and counselling is provided.
Reporting procedures. (IR1, Safeguarding, Organisational Learning
Forum (OLF), Health & Safety team) are followed in line with Trust
polices
Review and follow up actions for future appointments to ensure risk
managed effectively
Identify Whether support from the Health & Safety team is required
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