Safeguarding Flashcards

Under HCPC standards, a registrant has information suggesting a colleague is abusing a vulnerable patient. What must they do?

Answer: Report immediately to the safeguarding lead, line manager, and if necessary directly to social services or police — do not investigate alone

HCPC standards require immediate safeguarding action when abuse by a colleague is suspected. The priority is patient protection, not informal management. Formal reporting through safeguarding channels is required.

What is the 'Prevent' duty in the context of UK healthcare?

Answer: A statutory duty on public sector organisations including NHS to have due regard to preventing radicalisation and violent extremism — includes referring concerns through Channel

Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, NHS organisations and staff have a duty to prevent vulnerable individuals from being radicalised. Channel is the multi-agency support programme for those at risk.

A healthcare professional suspects a patient's carer is financially abusing them. What action should they take?

Answer: Raise a safeguarding alert through local procedures; do not approach the carer directly; consider if the patient is able to consent to action being taken

Financial abuse is a recognised category under the Care Act 2014. A formal safeguarding referral is required. The adult at risk's wishes must be considered unless they are at immediate risk of serious harm.

What is 'professional curiosity' in the context of safeguarding?

Answer: The professional obligation to look beyond the presenting information, ask questions, and explore concerns rather than accepting surface-level explanations

Professional curiosity means not taking explanations at face value when there are indicators of potential harm — proactively exploring, asking questions sensitively, and looking behind the presenting picture to identify hidden abuse or neglect.

What is the 'DASH' risk assessment tool used for?

Answer: Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Violence — a structured professional judgement tool for assessing risk to victims of domestic abuse

DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Violence Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model) helps professionals identify the level of risk to domestic abuse victims and determine appropriate safeguarding responses.

How should information about safeguarding concerns be documented?

Answer: Contemporaneously, factually, objectively, using the patient's own words where appropriate, without interpretation, and stored securely

Safeguarding documentation must be: contemporaneous (recorded at the time), factual, objective, use the service user's own words where possible, and distinguish between facts and professional opinion.