Purpose and commitment

Sma’ Glen Limited is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing, and human rights of all service users. In accordance with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, this practice recognizes its professional duty to take prompt and appropriate action to protect service users, children, and vulnerable adults from harm.

Sma’ Glen Limited operates under relevant HCPC standards, especially 7.1 (You must report any concerns about the safety or well-being of service users promptly and appropriately) and 7.4 (You must make sure that the safety and well-being of service users always comes before any professional or other loyalties).

Each client’s ordinary residence determines the legal framework that shall apply to clinical safeguarding practice. For clients in England and Wales, this will include the Care Act 2014, Children Act 1989 and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026). For Scotland, this will include the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, and the Scottish Government’s National Practice Model. Relevant local authority safeguarding procedures will also follow the ordinary residence of the client.

Clinicians will maintain Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership at all times.

Confidentiality and information sharing

Information provided by service users is kept confidential. However, confidentiality is not absolute. Consistent with GDPR, information will be shared without a service user’s consent only when:

  • There is a risk of serious harm to the service user or others
  • There is a safeguarding concern regarding a child or adult at risk
  • Required by law or a court order.

Where safe and appropriate, the practitioner will attempt to discuss the need to share information with the service user before taking action, unless doing so would increase the risk of harm or impede a police investigation.

Recognising abuse and harm

Harm and abuse can take many forms, including but not limited to:

  • Physical abuse
  • Emotional or psychological abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Financial or material abuse
  • Neglect or acts of omission
  • Coercive control or domestic violence

Procedure for raising and managing concerns

In the event a safeguarding concern is identified, the following procedure will be implemented immediately:

  • Ensure Immediate Safety If a service user or another person is in immediate, life-threatening danger, or a serious crime is in progress, emergency services (999) will be contacted without delay.
  • Consult In non-emergency situations where a safeguarding threshold is unclear, the practitioner will consult with their external Clinical Supervisor. This consultation will be anonymised where possible and logged in the clinical record, fulfilling HCPC requirements for seeking appropriate advice.
  • Report If a concern meets the threshold for statutory intervention, a formal referral will be made to the appropriate Local Authority safeguarding team. Concerns may be escalated if required after initial response.
  • Record In accordance with HCPC Standard 10 (Keep records of your work), accurate, clear, and objective records of all safeguarding concerns, decisions, and actions taken will be documented immediately in the service user’s clinical file within WriteUpp. Records will distinguish clearly between facts and professional judgments.

Training and competence

To maintain HCPC registration and clinical proficiency, practitioners will maintain up-to-date Level 3 Safeguarding Training for both Adults and Children.

Contacts

  • Designated safeguarding lead Dr Joe Hickey, Clinical Psychologist, HCPC PYL29933
  • Emergency: 999
  • Urgent help: 111
  • Non-Emergency Police (Welfare Check): 101
  • Local authority: Child and/or Adult Social Work/Social Care safeguarding contact details will be identified for each client at the time of registration and recorded in their clinical file.

Review

Next review 23.09.27.