Duty of Care

It’s likely you’ll already be familiar with the phrase ‘duty of care’. You might have overheard colleagues use it, or perhaps you’ve heard it on the news. It’s a common phrase used in health and social care.But have you ever stopped to consider what it really means?Whatever your role in health and social care, you have a professional responsibility to protect the safety and wellbeing of the people for whom you provide care and support. In addition, you also have a responsibility to yourself, your colleagues and anyone else who may be affected by your actions at work.This course forms part of the Care Certificate Award and is designed to help you understand what duty of care is all about, and why it’s necessary to fully understand your responsibilities.Key InsightsDuty of Care Explained - Duty of care is a legal requirement, so you cannot choose whether to accept it.Supporting Independence - The code of conduct says that you must work in ways that respect and protect individuals’ rights, including the right to live as independently as possible, to make their own choices and to take risks.Errors and Complaints - Remember that every interaction with someone is a learning opportunity. If they have something they want to talk about then we should take them seriously and look to see if there is anything we can improve.Managing Difficult Situations - Due to the nature of the health and social care sector, conflict or challenging behaviour can often happen in the workplace.