Received from: HCSA
Congress believes that clear role definition within health and social care settings helps reduce risk, improves patient outcomes, and enhances the quality of care provided while improving worker wellbeing, along with improved work environment and culture.
Congress believes that patients must be protected from the potential harm from situations where there is confusion about roles of healthcare team members.
Congress believes that every patient should receive safe and effective care from the NHS, private providers and healthcare regulators to ensure that:
i. When a patient is speaking to any member of the healthcare team it must be mandatory to ensure the patient is clear of the role that person performs, so that the patient’s expectations, confidence and reliance on the information, advice or care provided is appropriate. Roles must be clearly defined.
ii. No healthcare workers should be encouraged or coerced into taking on additional activities or responsibilities that are beyond their training, competence and capability to provide safely. Staff must not be encouraged to perform beyond the bounds of their current competence and training.
iii. Workers who are developing their competence must have the requisite education, training and support available to build skills and knowledge before being required to undertake new activities. Credentialled, quality checked training must be available to support professional development and achieving additional qualifications is necessary for some development.
iv. Where an individual is learning new skills there must be appropriate supervision from a suitably registered health professional, ensuring support and guidance is available whenever needed.
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association