Scope:            All employees are expected to carry out their role in a competent and professional manner and to conform to high standards of conduct and behaviour.

Purpose:        The code is here to help you, and the service users you work with. You can use the code to check that you are 'working to expected standards' and in line with the Code of Conduct                         for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers 2013.

Policy

We expect our employees to achieve the following standards of behaviour:

You must always promote the interests of Galaxy Staffing and will, during your normal working hours, devote the whole of your time, attention, and abilities to our business affairs.

You should always behave with civility and professional integrity towards your fellow employees and service users. Rudeness and defamatory comments about Service User’s, their family members, your colleagues, other professionals, or Galaxy Staffing will not be tolerated.

You must always bear in mind that others may perceive behaviour that you might consider inoffensive differently. The overriding rule is that if the person who is the subject of your behaviour considers your behaviour offensive, then by definition it is.

• You should act with honesty and integrity, carry out the aims and objectives of the company and do nothing which might bring Galaxy Staffing into disrepute.

• You should have respect for our Clients’ Service Users’ property and residence.

• You should always wear your uniform and identification badge whilst on duty.

• You should not wear nail polishes/varnishes either coloured or clear or false nails including gel nails.

• You should not wear excessive amounts of jewellery. It is permitted to wear a plain wedding band and 1 pair of stud earrings.

• You should safeguard the privacy of the Service Users you support. You should not discuss any information about them to anyone other than those involved in their care without the agreement either of the Service User or someone who is authorised to act on their behalf. The only time this might not apply would be if you needed to give information to comply with the Law, or if disclosure of the information is deemed essential regarding the interest and well-being of the Service User or others.

You should respect the dignity and value of each person for whom you care. Do not forget that the Service User has the right to make choices in so far as their mental state allows (Mental Capacity Act 2005).

• You should not discriminate against the Service User or colleagues on the grounds of race, nationality, language, religion or beliefs, age, gender and/or sexual orientation, nor on the grounds of social standing. You should take account of the customs, values and spiritual beliefs of all those for whom you care or work with and treat them with respect. Together with creating a good rapport with your Service User, and their family, if applicable, you should always remain professional in your approach. Do not voice your own personal opinions about the Service User.

• Your relationship with others with whom you come into contact during your work should also be professional. If you feel that another worker is acting in such a way that threatens the physical or emotional well-being of the Service User, you should discuss this with your Line Manager or the Manager of the service where you are placed.

• If you receive a complaint from a Service User which you are unable to resolve readily, you should make sure that they have a copy of the Home’s Complaints procedure, and you should inform your Line Manager and the Manager of the service.

• You are a very important link between the person for whom you care and Galaxy Staffing. You should report back to the Home Manager on a regular basis, particularly if there is any marked change in the physical, mental and/or social condition of the person for whom you are caring, or any marked changes in behaviour, or if you can see that he/she is not receiving the services or care they really need.

• You should also report concerns that someone else, or some other organisation is acting in a way that might harm the Service User.

• You should never, under any circumstances agree to be a signatory to a Service User's Will, nor should you accept gifts from those for whom you care.

• Do not take children, pets, or any other person with you to a placement.

• You must not consume alcohol or drugs when at work or attend work whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If performance or attendance is affected as a result of alcohol or drugs, or we believe you have been involved in any drug related action/offence, you may be subject to disciplinary action and dependent on the circumstances, this may lead to your dismissal.

• If you are aware that there are issues in the Service User’s home with the abuse of alcohol, drugs or smoking which are a risk to you, the service user, or others within the home you should report this to the Home Manager immediately. Any issue known will have been rigorously risk assessed and you should refer to the risk assessment on what procedures to follow.

• You must always declare in writing any criminal charges, cautions, warnings, and reprimands to your Line Manager.

• You must advice Galaxy Staffing of any change in circumstance, change in medical condition or your state of health that could impact your ability to carry out safe care of our Client’s Service Users.

Where a complaint has been raised against you, you will fully cooperate with Galaxy Staffing and provide us with a written statement of the events that occurred.

• If you wish to raise a complaint you must follow our procedures.

• When out with service users do not visit your own home or attend to personal matters.

• You must always work within our and our clients’ policies and procedures and in accordance with the standards laid down by our Industry Regulators.

• You must maintain detailed records during your placement in the format provided by the client

• The administration of or assistance with medication (including all record keeping requirements) which will also identify the limits to assistance and the tasks which may not be undertaken without specialist training.

• As a support worker, you are expected to work to a certain standard. You need to be able to do your job properly, behave properly, and always do the right thing. This is essential to protect Service Users and others from harm. Service Users and their relatives, your placement, Galaxy Staffing, and your colleagues all expect this, and you should expect this of yourself. This means that in your work, you should always be of ‘good character’. This means that you should always display the characteristics always outlined below and exercise duty of care.

Accountability

Make sure you are happy with your actions and omissions in your day-to-day work and that you can justify them to the Service Users you support, the Home Manager, other staff, Your Line Manage and Galaxy Staffing. You must only carry out tasks agreed in your job description so that we know what you are likely to be doing, based on this, agree to accept liability for your actions.

When you are working to standard on accountability, you may be asked to explain anything that you do or do not do with, or for, the Service Users you support and your interactions with other staff. You need good reasons for the way you have acted. We will draw on the knowledge and skills you have used when they review your actions. Make sure that you record your actions in the daily care records and report to this Home Manager and Galaxy Staffing. By taking part in ongoing monitoring of your performance, you are showing you are aware of your accountability.

Advocacy

This means being responsible for promoting and protecting the interests of the Service Users, many of whom may not be able to protect their own interests. This could involve speaking up for Service Users to make sure that what is best for each individual is always taken into account.

Alertness and Initiative

Always try to notice when a Service User isn't doing what is usually expect of them and report your observations to an appropriate person.

When you're working to standard on Alertness and Initiative, you will notice when Service Users are 'just not right'. You will notice, for instance, when the Service User can't move as well as usual or perhaps hasn't eaten their meal. Reporting these observations with suggestions on how to better support the Service User will be in the best interests of the Service User.

Confidentiality

It is essential to protect the interests of Service Users. It is a main feature of any code of conduct and of most terms and conditions of service in a health-care environment. You must make sure that you don't give out personal information about Service Users, or about their condition or treatment, to anyone other than colleagues in the team who need to know the information to help in the Service User’s care. If you do not protect the Service User’s right to confidentiality, you will be breaking data-protection laws. If you feel that a Service User is at risk of harm, and that you need to speak out, you should tell your Lina Manager and the Home Manager. You should not discuss Service Users with anyone outside of work.

When you're working to standard on confidentiality, you must always maintain a professional attitude when handling a Service User’s information and you won’t 'gossip' about Service Users to anyone at any time. When you do pass on information to a colleague as part of your job, you will take care to be accurate and clear in what you say or write. Ensure when you support a Service User outside the Home, you protect any documentation detailing personal information of the person you are supporting. You must immediately report any loss of personal information to the Home Manager and your Line Manager.

Consent

Always working with the Service Users is a basic principle that you must keep to at all times. Always explain to Service Users what you intend to do with them, even when it is basic care or routine procedures, and only continue with your planned work once the Service User agrees to it. You must check that this agreement is recorded in their Care Plans, and you should report any concerns that the Service User or a relative has to the Home Manager.

When you're working to standard on consent, you must demonstrate that you will always make sure that the Service User knows what you are planning to do and is happy with it. If the Service User cannot give consent for themselves, because of their condition, you must always check with a relative or a senior member of staff. If the Service User or relative has not agreed to what you plan to do, you must not do it. Always check with a senior member of staff if you are in any doubt

Dignity and Respect

Consider and respect Service Users privacy to make sure that neither you nor they are ever placed in an embarrassing situation.

When you're working to standard on Dignity and Respect, you must always show thoughtfulness for the Service Users’ feelings and needs. You must protect the Service Users to make sure that they are never unnecessarily exposed to embarrassing situations, whether it is in their own private spaces, in front of relatives, fellow service users or other staff.

Integrity

Always do your best to make sure nothing you or anyone else does, or don’t do, will harm the Service User’s mental or physical health or delay their recovery.

When you're working to standard on integrity, you will be protecting the Service Users you support every way you can, considering all aspects of equality and diversity. You must report issues that cause you any concerns.

Objectivity

Personal feelings about the Service Users must not interfere with the standard of your work. By law, you must provide all Service Users with high-quality care which reflects their individual needs, whatever their race, sex, sexuality, age, religious belief or disability. This means that you owe the Service Users a ‘duty of care’ and they can expect a ‘reasonable’ standard of care from all staff. It is important to maintain clear boundaries when caring for Service Users. This means that you should always have a ‘professional’ relationship with the Service User. If you have any strong feelings about a Service User’s religious, social or cultural beliefs, you should inform the Home Manager ad your Line Manager as soon as possible so they can take appropriate action.

When you're working to standard on objectivity, you'll be working to the same high standard with every Service User you work with. It should not matter to you what the Service User is like as an individual, their cultural beliefs, what colour or religion they are or how they live their life. You will see all Service Users as worthy of your respect and best efforts.

Personal Development

If you are interested in your work and feel comfortable using the knowledge you need to carry out your job, you will be able to offer a better service to Service Users and you should feel more motivated as a result.

When you're working to standard on Personal Development, you'll be taking every chance you can to protect Service Users safety by improving the way you work. This could be by attending a course, shadowing a colleague or listening to feedback from Service Users. You'll continually monitor, evaluate and reflect on what you do at work and try to do it to the best of your ability. If you are lacking knowledge in any area of your work report it to your Line Manager and they will source additional training.

Safeguarding

Make sure Service Users, visitors and colleagues are protected from dangers and risks and that nothing you do, or don’t do, results in harm or risk to others.

When you're working to standard on Safeguarding, you must know the dangers Service Users and colleagues face at work and will do what you can to reduce risks of accidents or harm. You will also make sure you report any concerns you have to the Home Manager and your Line Manager to reduce risks in the future.

Self-Awareness

Know yourself, what you can do and what you can’t do. The safety of the Service Users you support is your highest priority. Always ask colleagues for help if you have any worries or concerns about your abilities.

When you're working to standard on self-awareness, you'll know yourself well enough to know what you can do. You'll show you understand that some procedures can only be carried out by people who have had special training, and that, in certain circumstances, you need permission from qualified staff before you do certain things with Service Users. If you feel you're being asked to do something you haven't been trained to do, and that you don’t have the skills to do it, you must speak up.

Sensitivity

Every Service User you support is an individual with real feelings and emotions. When working with Service Users, think about how they may be feeling, what is important to them, their routines and what is the most appropriate response to their situation.

When you're working to standard on sensitivity, you'll be treating Service Users and their relatives politely while being aware of the situation they are in and their reactions to it. For example, they may be feeling scared, confused, angry or frustrated. It is important that you are sensitive to this and do not take their reactions personally.

Teamwork

Value the part you play in the team and respect the part always played by other members of the team.

When you're working to standard on teamwork, the contribution you make to the team will be valued. You must communicate effectively, share information and work to meet the team’s shared goals in the best interests of the Service User. You must communicate any concerns to the Home Manager and your Line Manager, do not treat other team members with disrespect if you have in differences.

Our code of conduct is also in line with the General Social Care Council Code of Practice. All employees of Galaxy Staffing are expected to familiarise themselves with this code as well. The Code of Practice for social care workers is set out below

As a Social Care/Support Worker, you must protect the rights and promote the interests of Service Users and Carers.

This includes:

• Treating each person as an individual

• Respect and promote the individual views and wishes of both Service Users and Carers.

Supporting Service Users rights to control their lives and make informed choices about the services they receive

• Respecting and maintaining the dignity and privacy of Service Users

• Promoting equal opportunities for Service Users and Carers

• Respecting diversity and people’s different cultures and values

As a Social Care/Support Worker, you must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of Service Users and carers.

This includes:

• Being honest and trustworthy

• Communicating in an appropriate, open, accurate, and straight forward manner

• Respecting confidential information and clearly explaining or policies regarding confidentiality to Service Users and Carers.

• Being reliable and dependable

• Honouring work commitments, agreements and arrangements and, when it is not possible to do so, making relevant explanations to Service Users and Carers

• Declaring issues that might create conflicts of interest and making sure they do not influence your judgement or practice

• Adhering to policies and procedures regarding acceptance of gifts and money from Service Users and Carers

As a Social Care/Support Worker, you must promote the independence of Service Users whilst protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm.

This includes:

• Promoting the independence of Service Users and assisting them to understand and exercise their rights

• Using established processes and procedures to challenge and report dangerous, abusive, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour and practice

• Following practice, policies and procedures designed to keep you and other people safe from violent and abusive behaviour at work

• Bringing to the attention of your Line Manager, the Home Manager or the appropriate authority, resource or operational difficulties that might hinder the delivery of safe care

• Informing your Line Manager, the Home Manager or the appropriate authority when/where the practice of colleagues may be unsafe or adversely affecting standards of care

• Complying with our Health and Safety policies, including those related to substance misuse.

• Assisting Service Users and carers to make complaints, taking complaints seriously and responding to them and/or passing them to the appropriate person

• Recognising and using responsibly the power that comes-with your work with Service Users and care/support workers as a Social Care/Support worker, you must respect the rights of Service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people.

This includes:

• Recognising that Service Users have the right to take risks and helping them to identify and manage potential and actual risks to themselves and others

• Following Risk Assessment policies and procedures to assess whether the behaviour of Service Users presents a risk of harm to themselves or others

• Taking necessary steps to minimize the risks of Service Users from doing actual or potential harm to themselves or other people

• Ensuring that relevant colleagues and agencies are informed about the outcomes and implications of Risk Assessments.

As a Social Care/Support. Worker, you must uphold public trust and confidence in Social Care services.

In particular you must not:

Abuse, neglect or harm Service Users, carers or colleagues

• Exploit Service Users, carers or colleagues in any way

• Abuse the trust of Service Users and/or carers or the access you have to personal information about them or their property, at home or in the workplace

• Form inappropriate personal relationships with Service Users

• Discriminate unlawfully or unjustifiably against Service Users, cares or colleagues

• Condone any unlawful or unjustifiable discrimination to/by Service Users, carers or colleagues

• Put yourself or other people at unnecessary risk

• Behave in a way, in work or outside work, which would call into question your suitability to work in Social Care services.

As a Social Care/Support Worker, you must be accountable for the quality of your work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills.

This includes:

• Meeting relevant standards of practice and working in a lawful, safe and effective way

• Maintaining clear and accurate records as required by procedures established for your work

• Informing Galaxy Staffing about any personal difficulties that might affect your ability to do your job competently and safely.

• Seeking assistance from Galaxy Staffing if you do not feel able or adequately prepared to carry out any aspect of your work, or you are not sure about how to proceed in a work matter

• Working openly and co-operatively with colleagues and treating them with respect

• Recognising that you remain responsible for the work that you have delegated to other workers.

• Recognising and respecting the roles and expertise of workers from other agencies and working in partnership with them

• Undertaking relevant training to maintain and improve your knowledge and skills and contributing to the learning and development of others.