Optical Confederation Updates Safeguarding and Prevent Guidance for Optical Practices and Practitioners in the UK

The Optical Confederation has today published updated Guidance on Safeguarding, Mental Capacity, Deprivation of Liberties and the Prevent Strategy – Protecting Children and Adults at risk for optical practitioners and practices across the UK. [HERE]

The guidance has been updated to reflect:

• updated inter-collegiate guidance on adult safeguarding roles and competences for health care staff (2018)
• Information sharing – advice for practitioners for providing safeguarding services for children, young people, parents and carers (HM Government 2018)
• updated inter-collegiate guidance on Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for health care staff (2019)

It also incorporates
• newer terminology e.g. the term ‘vulnerable adult’ is now no longer current – ‘adult at risk’ is the accepted term
• the more recognised vulnerability of children who are radicalised
• more symptoms of domestic abuse including coercive behaviour
• non-verbal and indirect signalling of abuse
• a body map for use in recording signs of injury or abuse

Optical Confederation Chair, Fiona Anderson said: “The good thing about the Optical Confederation guidance is that it provides everything optical practices and practitioners need in five easy steps and one easily accessible package. We commend it to all practices and practitioners to ensure that, as healthcare professionals, we play our full part in keeping children, adults at risk and our colleagues safe.”