13.10 Emergencies

a) Medical

Although Supported Lives staff will be given training in emergency first aid, they are not expected to be qualified first-aiders. If they discover on arrival that a Client is ill or injured, or if this happens while they are there, they must summon professional assistance (either the GP or the ambulance service) and take only such immediate measures as they are instructed to take by the person they contact. They must report to their Team Leader as soon as possible.
If a Support Worker arrives to find a Client has unexpectedly died, and this has not yet been certified by a GP, s/he must not touch the body or any items in the home, even if the relatives are present and request this. The Support Worker must phone the Team Leader straight away. If there are no relatives present, the Support Worker must not touch anything, but make the required telephone call and wait outside the house.
If the death has been certified by a GP, no Coroner's report is required, and the Client's culture permits it, the Support Worker may, in the interests of respect and dignity, neaten the room and the body. Families may wish to see their relative while still at home, as this might be their last visual memory of them.

In the event of a fire, flood, gas leak or civil emergency, the Support Worker will assist the Client and any others present to leave the building, contact the relevant emergency service and follow their instructions.
They must not attempt to tackle a fire unless it is containable and the appropriate extinguisher or fire blanket is to hand, and must not put themselves at risk in doing so.
If the Client has to leave their home as a result of the emergency, the Support Worker will ensure that they have necessary belongings with them, if they can do so safely, and secure the premises if possible.

This document was updated in January 2007