Explain how to report concerns about the safety and hygiene of equipment or facilities used for personal care
Everyone who works with the equipment all has the responsibility to ensure that it is clean and working correctly and if it’s not then this all should be reported and fixed/cleaned before the next use. This is all part of the health and safety law. All electrical equipment must be tested to make sure it is working correctly and not going to cause any damage to anyone which could lead to death if an electrical fault does occur. If you notice that a piece of equipment is faulty or shouldn’t be in practise then this should be removed straight away and inform someone who can do something about it e.g. the maintenance team who will be able to fix the item or replace it.
Equipment should be checked before every use as something could’ve gone wrong in the meantime whilst it wasn’t being used. It is important to familiarise yourself with the equipment you will be using so you can make sure you know the full working order of the equipment so you know what to look out for if you feel it isn’t working how it should be. All of this should be pointed out to you when you have done your training e.g. moving and handling will show you hoist, stand aids etc. This is very important is you could be at blame if you use some equipment which isn’t working correctly as it could cause danger and harm.
An example of this is if a bath chair for example has sharp edges it cause skin tears to the resident which can be very painful and more chance of getting an infection in the wound. We should all ensure that equipment is clean as unhygienic equipment can spread infection. These should be cleaned straight away or reported to an appropriate person who can thoroughly clean the item before it’s used again.
Describe ways to ensure the individual can summon help when alone during personal care
When an individual has been assessed to be able to give personal care by themselves they must an alarm system used if the individual needs some assistance. This individual must know how to operate the call system when they require help. If they didn’t have any means of calling someone for assistance this is where accidents can happen e.g. they slip in the shower etc.
When you hear the call bell ring you should respond to the call quickly as you can because if you don’t then the individual may attempt to do something more than they’re capable of and cause an accident. If a call system isn’t installed then you can keep going in to check that the individual is ok and safe. You will have to ensure that the individual knows what you’re going to do as you don’t want to make them jump which can cause more problems and also so they don’t think you’re intruding on their personal care as this can be embarrassing for them.
