Wayne Walton

“Staff involved in the decision-making process for a patient's discharge as an inpatient, into the care of the Home Treatment Team, were unaware of the policies applicable to the Home Treatment Team and were therefore unaware of the requisite information that should have been added into Risk Assessments and Safety Plans for the benefit of their colleagues in the Home Treatment Team. As risk assessment and risk formulation documentation had not been adequately completed, the Home Treatment Team were not able to identify a full and up to date risk analysis. Had the inpatient staff been aware of the importance of these documents for their colleagues' benefit, in addition to the need for accurate completion for internal reasons, there was a risk that important information was not passed on.”

“There is in existence, a policy entitled "Personal Relationships at Work" which addresses personal relationships of a particular type, but which does not address the potential for a conflict of interest when a member of staff, or a person shadowing a member of staff, recognises that they may know a patient other than because of a personal relationship as envisaged in the aforementioned policy. The absence of guidance on how to manage this situation, may place both the member of staff and the patient at risk of harm.”