Safeguarding Week 2023: Recognise, Record, Report

Everybody has the right to be safe from harm and abuse. At PHL, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, whether you are a clinician seeing patients face to face or a call handler in our contact centre. Not only is it required by law to raise concerns when we suspect an adult or child is at risk, but it is also essential to provide effective and safe healthcare services.

“The safety and well-being of our patients are always at the heart of the services we deliver. The only way to keep patients safe is by recognising signs of abuse and raising concerns. We should all be mindful that safeguarding referrals can make a huge difference in patients’ lives and it is everybody’s responsibility to protect patients at risk of harm.”

Dave Tremlett, PHL Group Patient Safety Specialist?

Our first-ever dedicated PHL Group Safeguarding week aims to increase awareness of safeguarding and the importance of making referrals when you think a child or adult is at risk. At PHL, we regularly promote the importance of safeguarding and effective practice through governance meetings and weekly patient safety messages.?

Throughout Safeguarding week, we will be sending daily patient safety messages to all clinical and non-clinical PHL Group staff. These messages have been written by different members of PHL Group staff and will cover a range of safeguarding topics. On Wednesday the 11th of January, David Tremlett, PHL Group’s Patient Safety Specialist will be hosting a Lunch and Learn on the basics of Safeguarding. This Lunch and Learn will be valuable to all clinical and non-clinical staff, and as always, we are inviting any external guests who may be interested.?

Please [email protected]?if you would like to attend the Safeguarding: Back to Basics Lunch and Learn session on the 11th of January at 12:00pm.

As?NHS England?sets out, Safeguarding means protecting a citizen’s health, well-being and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is an integral part of providing high-quality health care. In February we are excited to launch our internal Safeguarding Hub which will offer clinicians a streamlined, simplified single point of referral directly to the hub. The PHL safeguarding hub will then process the referral form and forward the referral to the correct local authority’s adults or children’s service on the clinician’s behalf.?

?“At PHL, I do not feel that Safeguarding is a subject that we shy away from, or are worried or uncomfortable by the thought of bringing this up as part of our consultation. With our wide demographic in need of urgent and unscheduled care, we are aware that it is often these?most vulnerable people who are commonly the victims of abuse.??

Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment, away from harm – which makes safeguarding of great importance during their care.”

Tammy Nimmons, PHL Group Clinical Supervisor

PHL Group’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, Ian Dixon, encourages PHL colleagues to speak up about anything that might prevent them from providing excellent patient care. We ensure that people who speak up are thanked, that the issues they raise are responded to, and make sure that the person speaking up receives feedback on the actions taken.?

Read more about the?importance of whistleblowing.

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