Risk Management In Mental Health Services Page 13
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legislation
, such as taking reasonable care to protect his or her safety,
health and welfare and the safety, health and welfare of others. However,
the dynamic concept of risk requires that the range of partners in mental
health services each play their part in effective risk management including
the service user and to a lesser extent the carers and family members.
This can be achieved most effectively through the type of partnership
working embodied in the recovery approach, where these individual
responsibilities can be teased out and negotiated. Service users may
require additional support to understand and comply with their
responsibilities in this regard, such as advice and support from an
independent advocate. Effective risk assessment and management, which
actively involves the service user in the process, can and should be
empowering and health facilitating. Some interventions can present a risk
to service users, such as some types of medication which may have
unwanted side effects. So the concept of risk is much broader than often
portrayed or acknowledged.
1.7 Conclusion
The HSE approach to risk management is based on the principle that
people with mental illness (whatever the nature) should be treated in the
same way as people with any other illness or medical condition. Care and
treatment needs should be properly assessed and wherever possible
provided with the full agreement and input of the service user and his/her
significant others (family or carers). Common principles can be identified
and used to form the basis for guidance; however the design of a risk
management system will be influenced by and tailored locally to the
specific services provided. Although risk will never be eliminated
completely, it can be minimised by implementing good processes and
procedures. The risk management process is dynamic so that learning
should continuously feed back at two levels – the individual care plan and
the organisational systems. Effective risk assessment and management,
which actively involves the service user can and should be empowering
and health promoting.
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The Safe t y, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005
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