Protection of Vulnerable Adults (Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults)
The Department of Health have launched a phased introduction of the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) scheme. At the heart of the POVA scheme is the POVA list of care workers who have harmed vulnerable adults in their care. The list should be checked when care providers wish to appoint individuals to care positions working with vulnerable adults.
A ‘care position’
· A position that would enable workers employed in care homes to have regular contact in the course of their duties with care home residents; and
· A position that would enable workers employed by domiciliary care agencies to provide personal care in their own homes to vulnerable adults.
This requirement also applies when these individuals move, or are transferred, from non-care positions to care positions within their current employment.
Who is a vulnerable adult?
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves, or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. This may be because they have a mental health problem, a disability, a sensory impairment, are old and frail, or have some form of illness.
• All vulnerable adults, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.
• All suspicion and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to report concerns to the appropriate officer.
• All partner agencies and organisations must co-operate with each other on issues relating to the identification, investigation, treatment and prevention of abuse of vulnerable adults.
• Each agency has a responsibility to share information on a ‘need to know’ basis so that effective decisions can be made and appropriate preventative action taken
Abuse is a violation of an individual's human and civil rights by any other person or persons or organisation. Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or omission to act, or it may occur where a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent.
