Provide equipment and support to individuals and carers
Overview
This standard is concerned with your role in assisting in the provision of equipment and support to individuals and carers in the community. The word 'equipment' is used to signify any material resource which is provided. Support may be psychological as well as physical and may be given in combination with the provision of equipment or on its own. The term 'community' is used to signify any environment which is applicable to the individual (i.e. it includes the individual's own home and its surrounds, a community home where the individual is living, a day centre or the individual's place of work).
The provision may be as a result of a referral from another member of the care team, because of the individual moving into the community after being in hospital/residential accommodation, or through the individual or carer making direct contact with the service. The term 'carer' is used for someone who is caring for the individual in any way but is not a member of the formal care team and so does not have formal/fixed links into the service.
Users of this standard will need to communicate effectively to meet individuals' needs and wishes and work in line with health and safety legislation, policy and practices.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1. identify and agree the roles and responsibilities of yourself and others in enabling carers to support individuals
P2. establish consent and access information on enabling carers to support individuals
P3. confirm identity of the individual in accordance with organisational procedures
P4. inform carers of the individual's needs, care and support plan and its method of implementation as agreed with the individual and the care team
P5. give carers time and opportunity to discuss the individual's care and support plan and any concerns regarding the individual
P6. discuss and agree the level and type of support needed by the carer with them
P7. make arrangements for the provision of any agreed equipment and environmental modifications necessary for the carer to support the individual
P8. offer support to carers that is consistent with the individual's needs
P9. report fully any concerns regarding the ability of carers, or the suitability of the environment, to meet the individual's needs as detailed in the care and support plan to the appropriate member of the health and social care team
P10. provide carers with information on when and how to contact the health and social care team
P11. give support to carers during the transition from one service to another
P12. complete all relevant documentation records and reports required for enabling carers to support individuals
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1. how to access and interpret all relevant work instructions, legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols needed to enable carers to support individuals
K2. the scope and limitations of your own competence, responsibilities and accountability as it applies to your job role
K3. specific procedures for reporting issues which are beyond your competence, responsibilities and accountability
K4. the principles, practice and procedures associated with informed consent
K5. the needs of individuals and carers including issues relating to dignity, confidentiality, and privacy
K6. the procedures and methods relating to the coordination of inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary teams within and across services
K7. how to obtain positive confirmation of an individual's identity in accordance with organisational procedures
K8. the importance of having the individual's and the care team's agreement to provide information to others and why those to receive it should be identified and agreed
K9. the importance of offering support which is consistent with need
K10. the importance of establishing the assistance required by carers with them and encouraging them to be as actively involved as possible
K11. the purpose of giving support to carers and the effective ways of doing this
K12. the purpose and content of the care and support plan
K13. the purpose of providing assistance when the individual is changing from one service deliverer to another
K14. the carer's ability to manage their caring role
K15. the demands which the role of carer places on an individual and the tensions between this and other commitments which the individual may have
K16. signs that would indicate problems or potential problems regarding the ability of carers, or the suitability of the environment, why any concerns should be reported without delay and to whom
K17. the concerns which individuals are likely to have in relation to conditions and support
K18. the effects which dependence/independence may have on the individual, carers and the provision of the service
K19. how to complete and safely store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements.