1. Professional Development and Standards Board
Duty of care
What is it?
Celia Todd
RCSLT
Professional Development and Standards Board

2. Duty of care common law
You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour
Lord Atkin 1932

3. What does this mean for me?
Reasonable in relation to level of experience
Considered clinical risk
Doing what is reasonable
Working to level of competence
Higher the competence, higher the expected standard
Judged against respected body of opinion

4. Context – why? Changing workforce and skill mix
Changing roles and relationships
Recruitment and retention
24/7 services
Blurring of professional boundaries
Emphasis on patient-centred care
Greater use of protocols, guidelines and care pathways
24/7 services

5. Standards What is expected of me?
Respect for autonomy – enabling individuals to make informed decisions
Beneficence – to do good
Non-maleficence – to avoid harm
Distributive justice – individuals in similar circumstances treated in a similar way

6. Cont’d What is expected of me?
Maintain confidentiality
Seek informed consent
Maintain accurate records
Refrain from discrimination
Adhere to relevant legislation and local and organisational policies
Maintain and develop skills and knowledge

7. Competence and capability
Individuals ability to apply knowledge and skills to delegated task
Capability
Full range of potentials – may be beyond current role and responsibility
Performance
Competence in action

8. Competence and capability
TASK what to do
PROCESS how to do it
JUDGMENT & DECISION MAKING deciding best course of action at the time

9. Delegation of tasks SLT must consider:
Knowledge and skills needed for the task
Knowledge and skills of support practitioner (SP)
Compliance with protocols, policy and guidelines
Level of supervision and feedback
SP carries responsibility for the task, but SLT remains accountable

10. Supervision Clear arrangements and access Named supervisor Recorded
Shared responsibility
Emergency contact arrangements

11. Professional Indemnity Insurance
Intercollegiate Information Paper: Supervision, accountability and delegation of activities to support workers 2006
Communicating Quality 3 RCSLT 2006
RCSLT Competencies Project: Support Practitioner Framework 2002
RCSLT Standards for working with SLT Support Practitioners 2003

12. Professional Indemnity Insurance
Intercollegiate Information Paper: Supervision, accountability and delegation of activities to support workers 2006
Communicating Quality 3 RCSLT 2006
RCSLT Competencies Project: Support Practitioner Framework 2002
RCSLT Standards for working with SLT Support Practitioners 2003