1. Medico-Legal Issues HCA Course 18th October 2016
Anne Morton GP Care Group

2. Learning Outcomes Explain the meaning of accountability
Describe the principles of delegation
List the reasons when a HCA should accept a delegated task
Apply the principles of delegation to your present role
Anne Morton GP Care Group

3. Accountability
Legal accountability relates to citizens obeying the law of the country.
Civil law (duty of care)
Criminal law (duty towards the public)
Employment law (duty towards the employer)
Professional accountability additional obligation not to abuse trust and be able to justify our actions to a governing body.
Anne Morton GP Care Group

4. Accepting the delegated task
Delegation
Delegating the task
Is delegation in the best interests of the patient
Clinical risk
Your authority to do this
Consider competence of the HCA
Will the HCA benefit from the task
Capacity to take on additional work
Accepting the delegated task
Are you sure the task is not too complex
Will you compromise patient care
Has the delegator the authority/clinical knowledge
Do you have the skills and competence to undertake the task
Will it affect your performance
Do you have capacity
Anne Morton GP Care Group

5. The HCA & Accountability
You are accountable for your actions
Social/ethical/legal/contractual accountability
Responsible for the tasks you undertake
Work within your level of competence
HCA must only perform clinical tasks that have been delegated by a qualified Nurse
Anne Morton GP Care Group

6. Principles Of Delegation
Serve the interests of the patient and public.
Experience, competence and role of the person to whom the task is delegated is appropriate
Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the delegated activity is undertaken
Anne Morton GP Care Group

7. Principles Of Delegation
Level of supervision and feedback is appropriate to the task delegated
Protocols that clearly define the HCA role within a clinical activity and should be regularly reviewed
Competences of the HCA reviewed at regular intervals.
Anne Morton GP Care Group

8. Resources
Anne Morton GP Care Group