Crucial Guidelines for Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance

NHS England’s revised Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework provides crucial guidelines for safeguarding roles and responsibilities within NHS-funded care settings

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Enhanced Primary Care

NHS England has recently revised its Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework, a detailed guide outlining the safeguarding roles and responsibilities for everyone working in NHS-funded care settings and commissioning organisations. The updated framework covers national, regional and local safeguarding measures.

For GP practices, this translates into a clear set of actions to ensure compliance and improve patient safety. Here’s what practice managers should prioritise:

Understanding the Framework

Practice managers need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the updated framework. This involves familiarising themselves with all aspects, from national safeguarding policies to local implementation strategies.

National, Regional and Local Safeguarding

The framework outlines safeguarding responsibilities at multiple levels. GP practices must align their procedures to stay current with national safeguarding policies, integrate these into their practice protocols, engage with regional safeguarding boards to ensure consistency and share best practices, and develop local safeguarding policies that address the specific needs of their patient population.

Fit and Proper Persons Test

This test ensures that individuals in senior roles within healthcare settings are fit for their positions. GP practices should establish thorough recruitment processes that include background checks and verification of qualifications. Additionally, managers must routinely review and assess the suitability of those in senior roles to uphold high standards of care and governance.

Duty of Candour

The duty of candour mandates that healthcare providers be open and honest with patients when errors occur. This entails having clear policies that define the duty of candour and ensuring that all staff understand their responsibilities for transparency. Managers should implement strong reporting systems to document and analyse incidents, ensuring that lessons are learned to prevent similar issues in the future.

Accountability and Assurance

To uphold the principles of the framework, practices should appoint designated safeguarding leads who oversee and implement safeguarding policies. Additionally, they should encourage and incorporate patient feedback to continually improve safeguarding practices.