The Residential Family Centres Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Further requirements as to health and welfare

13.—(1) The registered person shall make arrangements for residents—

(a) to be registered with a general medical practitioner of their choice; and

(b) to receive where necessary, treatment, advice and other services from any health care professional and/or social care worker.

(2) The registered person shall make suitable arrangements for the ordering, storage, recording, handling, safe keeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines used in or for the purposes of the residential family centre to ensure that—

(a) any medicine which is kept in a residential family centre is stored in a secure place:

(b) medicine which is prescribed is administered as prescribed to the resident for whom it is prescribed, and to no other resident; and

(c) a written record is kept of the administration of any medicine to a resident.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to medicine which—

(a) is stored by the individual for whom it is provided in such a way that others are prevented from using it; and

(b) may be safely self-administered by that individual.

(4) In this regulation, “prescribed” means—

(a) ordered for a resident for provision to him under Part VI of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972(1); or

(b) prescribed for a resident under section 58 of the Medicines Act 1968(2).

(5) The registered person shall make suitable arrangements to minimise the risk of infection and toxic conditions and the spread of infection between residents and staff.

(6) The registered person shall ensure as far as reasonably practicable that—

(a) all parts of the residential family centre to which residents have access are free from hazards to their safety;

(b) any activities in which residents participate, are free from avoidable risks;

(c) unnecessary risks to the health, welfare or safety of residents are identified and so far as possible eliminated; and

(d) suitable arrangements for the training of persons employed in first aid are made.

(7) The registered person shall make arrangements, by training persons employed at the residential family centre or by other measures, to prevent residents being harmed or suffering abuse or being placed at risk of harm or abuse.

(8) The registered person shall ensure that no resident is subject to restraint unless restraint of the kind employed is the only practicable means of securing the welfare of that or any other resident and there are exceptional circumstances.

(9) On any occasion on which a resident is subject to restraint, the registered person shall record the circumstances, including the nature of the restraint. These details should also be reported to the Regulation and Improvement Authority as soon as is practicable.

(1)

S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14)

(2)

1968 c. 67; as amended by paragraph 7 of Part II of Schedule 2 to the Medicines (Specified Articles and Substances) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/968)