HC-POL-004: Caregiver safety in private homes

Policy · HC-POL-004 · Version 1.0 · Approved by the ASF Expert Committee

Supports: 29.21

At a glance

Each home is risk-assessed before the first visit, including household members, pets and known hazards (HC-FRM-009).
A workplace violence programme is adapted for working alone in a private home (WRK-SOP-006).
Hostile animals and home hazards are assessed for each home.
No caregiver is sent to a home with a known risk and no assessment.
Stop and get help straight away if: a caregiver is sent to a home with a known violent member and no assessment.

1. Purpose

To make sure caregivers working in private homes are protected from known risks (29.21, 29.22, 29.24).

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

Before a caregiver goes into a home, the risk to them and to the client must be known: who lives there, whether there is violence, and what is in the home. The assessment comes first.

5. Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility	Competence
Home care service lead	Owns the caregiver safety programme	Clinician or manager
Scheduling staff	Check the risk assessment before each new assignment	Staff

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 first visit.

Assess the home and household on HC-FRM-009 before the first visit.

Key point: Assessed.

Step 2. Adapt the programme.

Apply the violence prevention programme adapted for the home setting.

Key point: Applied.

Step 3. Assess animals and hazards.

Record hostile animals and environmental hazards for each home.

Key point: Recorded.

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
New assignments with a home risk assessment before the first visit	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-009	Pre-visit home risk assessment	Record
WRK-SOP-006	Violence and aggression prevention and response (existing, reused)	Procedure

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

Caregiver Safety in an Uncontrolled Environment (HC-05)

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)

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