The Nurses Agencies (Wales) Regulations 2003

Policies and procedures

13.—(1) Paragraphs (2) and (3) apply where an agency acting as an employment business supplies a nurse to provide nursing care in the private residence of a service user or patient.

(2) The registered person must prepare and implement written policies in relation to —

(a) ensuring that the services provided to each patient are in accordance with the statement of purpose and meet that patient’s individual needs;

(b) circumstances in which nurses may administer or assist in the administration of a patient’s medication;

(c) the other tasks which nurses may or may not perform in connection with a patient’s care, and the tasks which may only be performed if the nurse has received specialist training;

(d) arrangements to assist patients with mobility in their homes, where required;

(e) measures to protect the safety and property of the patient;

(f) arrangements to ensure that the privacy, dignity and wishes of the patient are respected;

(g) measures to safeguard the patient against abuse or neglect;

(h) measures to safeguard nurses against abuse or other harm;

(i) the procedure to be followed after an allegation of abuse, neglect or other harm has been made.

(3) The procedure referred to in paragraph (2)(i) must in particular provide for —

(a) written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse, neglect or other harm and of the action taken in response; and

(b) the appropriate office of the National Assembly to be notified of any incident reported to the police, not later than 24 hours after the registered person—

(i) has reported the matter to the police; or

(ii) is informed that the matter has been reported to the police.

(4) The registered person must ensure that any personal information about a patient for whom a nurse is supplied by the agency is not disclosed to any member of the agency’s staff unless it is necessary to do so in order to provide an effective service to the patient.