How To Protect Yourself As A Domiciliary Carer
Working as a domiciliary carer is a demanding job that not only requires you to carry out work in close proximity of lots of people but also build relationships with clients so that they trust you. Working in the care industry, there is a much higher risk of having a claim made against you, which is why domiciliary care insurance is so important. There are other ways that you can protect yourself from claims, including building healthy relationships with clients so both of you are safe.
Keep Patient Confidentiality
As with any job involving patient care, it is vital that you keep your client’s personal information confidential. Sharing sensitive information can break the trust of your client but also result in a data breach claim against you. The only occasion where the confidentiality clause may be broken is if you suspect that there is a serious safeguarding issue, in which case, go to your employer or senior staff to seek advice. If you ignore a serious problem, you may find that a negligence claim is made, which is another reason why a carers liability insurance policy is so important. You should always follow your company’s confidentiality and data protection policies when seeing patients.
Maintain Professional Boundaries
Although you are seeing each client regularly and building a relationship with them, it is important that you set firm boundaries. To protect yourself, you should not share too much personal or sensitive information, as this can blur the lines between carer and friend. To establish these boundaries, you should discuss your organisations policies with your manager, so that you know exactly what you can and can’t do. This also helps you to establish what your role is and what work should be carried out during your visits. If you carry out a job that is not within your duties and something goes wrong, you may find that a claim is made against you by the client or a member of their family. Professional liability insurance for home carers can protect you against these claims.
It is important that you maintain good boundaries throughout your time with a client, not just for the reasons above, but also to establish trust between yourself and their family. If they believe that your relationship is inappropriate you can face serious claims on your insurance for carers. Always speak to your managers if you are concerned.
What do I need to be protected?
Domiciliary care insurance is an easy step to take to protecting yourself from unexpected claims and is especially important if you are self employed. Your policy can be made bespoke for you and the services you carry out, it can include everything from medical malpractice to professional indemnity. If you are an employer, you should add extras to your policy, including directors’ and officers’ if you are a limited company. You should consider speaking to a chartered insurance broker if you are in any doubt as to what cover you need as they will be able to find you the best rates and cover.
If you are interested in taking out a domiciliary care insurance policy, make sure you contact our specialist team. For a smooth process and comprehensive cover – it has to be Higos.