PART 6Requirements on service providers as to the standard of care and support to be provided and as to access to health services
Standards of care and support - overarching requirements
17.—(1) The service provider must ensure that care and support is provided in a way which protects, promotes and maintains the safety and well-being of individuals.
(2) The service provider must ensure that care and support is provided to each individual in accordance with the individual’s personal plan.
(3) The service provider must ensure that care and support is provided in way which—
(a)maintains good personal and professional relationships with individuals and staff, and
(b)encourages and assists staff to maintain good personal and professional relationships with individuals.
(4) If, as a result of a change in the individual’s assessed needs, the service provider is no longer able to meet those needs, even after making any reasonable adjustments, the provider must immediately give written notification of this to the individual, the individual’s parent or carer, and any placing authority.
Continuity of care
18. The service provider must put arrangements in place to ensure that individuals receive such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs for care and support.
Information
19.—(1) The service provider must ensure that individuals and their parents or carers have the information they need to make or participate in assessments, plans and day to day decisions about the way care and support is provided to them and how they are supported to achieve their personal outcomes.
(2) Information provided must be available in the appropriate language, style, presentation and format, having regard to—
(a)the nature of the service as described in the statement of purpose;
(b)the level of the individual’s understanding and ability to communicate.
(3) The service provider must ensure that individuals and their parents and carers receive such support as is necessary to enable them to understand the information provided.
Language and communication
20.—(1) The service provider must take reasonable steps to meet the language needs of individuals.
(2) The service provider must ensure that the individual is provided with access to such aids and equipment as may be necessary to facilitate the individual’s communication with others.
Respect and sensitivity
21.—(1) The service provider must ensure that individuals are treated with respect and sensitivity.
(2) This includes, but is not limited to—
(a)respecting the individual’s privacy and dignity;
(b)respecting the individual’s rights to confidentiality;
(c)promoting the individual’s autonomy and independence;
(d)having regard to any relevant protected characteristics (as defined in section 4 of the Equality Act 2010(1)) of the individual.
Access to health and other services
22.—(1) The service provider must put in place arrangements for individuals—
(a)to be able to access treatment, advice and other services from any health care professional as necessary, and
(b)to be supported to access such services.
(2) In this regulation, “health care professional” means a person who is registered as a member of any profession to which section 60(2) of the Health Act 1999(2) applies.