Standards › Standard 29 › Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Procedure · HC-SOP-004 · Version 1.0 · Approved by the ASF Expert Committee
Supports: 29.11
At a glance
- A structured home safety assessment covers flooring, lighting, stairs, bathroom hazards and pathways, before care begins (HC-FRM-006).
- Each hazard has a remediation action, a responsible person and a deadline (HC-REG-001).
- The home is reassessed on a set schedule, not only at the start (29.14).
- Emergency access is confirmed (HC-FRM-007).
- Stop and get help straight away if: care starts in a home with stairs and no handrail, and no assessment done.
1. Purpose
To make sure each home is assessed, hazards are fixed, and the home is reassessed (29.11, 29.12, 29.14).
2. Scope
| Applies to | Clinical and support staff in the hospital |
| Locations | All wards, clinics and departments of the facility |
| When | Whenever the activity described is carried out |
| Does not apply to | Activities covered by another document listed in section 15 |
3. Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Clinical lead | The doctor or nurse in charge of the area at the time |
4. Background
A home that has loose rugs, poor lighting or a slippery bathroom is a risk to the client before care even starts. A structured assessment before the first visit finds those risks.
5. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility | Competence |
|---|---|---|
| Home care service lead | Owns the home safety process | Clinician or manager |
| Assessing nurse or supervisor | Carries out the assessment | Clinician |
6. Materials and equipment
| Item | Requirement | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Records and forms named in this document | Current version | Checked before use |
7. Safety
- Stop and call for help if a patient is at immediate risk. Do not delay urgent care to complete paperwork.
8. Before you start
- Confirm the forms and equipment named in this document are available and current.
9. Procedure
Step 1. Assess before care.
- Carry out the structured assessment on HC-FRM-006 before care begins.
Key point: Assessed.
Step 2. Remediate.
- Record each hazard on HC-REG-001 with an action, a person and a deadline.
Key point: Remediated.
Step 3. Reassess.
- Reassess the home on the set schedule.
Key point: Reassessed.
10. Decision points
- No decision points in this procedure.
11. Special situations
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Out of hours | Follow the same steps. Use the on-call contact on the wall of the area. |
12. Escalation
- Any serious problem goes to the duty clinical lead at once and to the clinical director the same day.
13. Monitoring
| Measure | Target | Frequency | Owner | If not met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homes assessed before care and reassessed on schedule | 100% | Monthly | Home care service lead | Escalate to medical director |
14. Records
| Record | Kept in | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Record named in this document | Patient record or the area file | the period set by the facility’s records policy years |
15. Training
- Staff are trained in this document at induction and refreshed each year, with a recorded competency check.
16. Related documents
| ID | Title | Use |
|---|---|---|
| HC-FRM-006 | Home safety assessment record | Record |
| HC-REG-001 | Home hazard remediation register | Register |
17. Evidence
| Reference | Note |
|---|---|
| E-009 | Based on the WHO Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health 2016-2030, WHO Integrated care for older people (ICOPE) guidelines (2017), and WHO guidance on migrant health. |
| E-006 | ASF Policy Framework v1.2. Adapted. |
| E-009 | ASF Expert Committee consensus. |
18. Change history
| Version | Date | What changed | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | the date of approval | First version | set Expert Committee approval |
E-learning for this document
References
- Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Policy Framework v1.2. (E-006)
- Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Expert Committee consensus on Standard 1. (E-009)