Safeguarding Statement

Everyone has the right to live free from abuse and neglect and to be treated with dignity and respect. Home Physio & Rehab is committed to the safety and wellbeing of every patient we visit, particularly adults and children who may be at greater risk because of age, illness, disability, isolation or dependence on others.

Abuse can take many forms, including:

• physical abuse;
• emotional or psychological abuse;
• sexual abuse;
• financial or material abuse;
• neglect and acts of omission, including self-neglect;
• discriminatory abuse;
• domestic abuse;
• organisational abuse;
• modern slavery.

Home visits give our clinicians a view of a patient's everyday circumstances. Clinicians are expected to remain alert to indicators of harm, to listen to patients and carers, and to act proportionately. Where a patient asks us to make additional safety or verification arrangements for visits (for example that a carer should be present), we record and respect that request. We do not label anyone publicly as "vulnerable".

Confidentiality is important, but it is not absolute. Where a lawful safeguarding disclosure is required to protect a patient or another person from harm, information may be shared with the appropriate local authority, the police or health services. Any sharing is proportionate and limited to what is necessary. Wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so, we discuss our concerns with the patient first.

We presume that adults have the capacity to make their own decisions unless there is reason to believe otherwise. Capacity is decision-specific and time-specific. Where there is doubt, decisions are approached in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (England and Wales) and in the person's best interests, involving those close to them where appropriate. See our Consent, Capacity & Representatives page.

Clinicians who identify a safeguarding concern report it internally so that it can be reviewed and, where necessary, escalated to the appropriate local authority safeguarding team, the police or a health service. Patients, carers and family members can also raise concerns with us at any time using the contact details below, or directly with their local authority adult or children's safeguarding team.

Detailed internal escalation procedures, staff training records and lone-worker arrangements are maintained in our internal governance documentation and are not published here.