A vulnerable adult is considered to be a person who is:
- An adult (aged 18 or over)
- And who is or may be in need of community care services because of frailty, learning or physical disability, sensory impairment or mental health difficulty
- And who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself or take steps to protect him or herself from significant harm or exploitation.
We have a statutory obligation to uphold the rights of the vulnerable adults to protect from harm and exploitation. All patients using the services provided by the Trust have a right to:
- Privacy
- Independence
- Safe and effective clinical care
- Protection and safety
To ensure the rights of vulnerable adults to privacy and dignity, independence, choice and fulfilment are respected, upheld and promoted by all staff, we take steps to:
- Ensure the voice of the vulnerable adult is heard and acted upon by actively promoting public and patient participation in operational/strategic management.
- Provide a culture and environment that protects, supports and assists all patients, within the Trust, that are or could be vulnerable.
- Ensure that robust guidance for reporting and investigating incidents of negligence or abuse are available to all staff.
- Establish a mechanism for registering and monitoring vulnerable adult incidents within the Trust
- Ensure adequate training and support is available to all staff, promoting awareness of vulnerable adults in all clinical areas.
- Ensure that where allegations of inappropriate conduct by staff are made that these are dealt with in a fair and reasonable manner, respecting their rights as employees.
Statutory Information for Patients
- Privacy and Cookies
- Privacy and Dignity
- Safeguarding Adults
- Safeguarding Children
- Safeguarding Declaration
- NHS Treatment – Who has to pay?
- Data Protection – What Happens to my Information?
- National Fraud Initiative
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Data Protection Friends and Family Test
- Research and Development Performance
- Patient Formulary Report
- Patients & Visitors