Dungarvan Community Hospital in Co. Waterford was the venue on Friday last for the launch by the Minister of State at the Dept. of Health for Mental Health and Older Persons Mary Butler TD of the “Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) toolkit of Resources”.
Developed by the HSE’s National Safeguarding Office, MSP will serve as a reference point for advancing a person-centred and outcome-focused practice in adult safeguarding screenings and plans in place across HSE and HSE funded services.
In emerging from procedural and compliance driven contexts, adult safeguarding across older persons and disability services in Ireland sees proportional working processes evolving with investment support from the Dept. of Health and the HSE (including for further education, research and public awareness in this area). The MSP practice tools give guidance to staff that advances person-centred and rights based practice, in line with the principles of assisted decision making legislation. The tools are designed to advance empowerment, choice and control by persons using the HSE’s services and those supported by it.
To support the adoption/implementation of this model, a Design and Education Support Group in the HSE has developed MSP toolkit resources for an Irish context containing 12 practice tools (based on the work originally undertaken in this area by the UK Local Government Association). The toolkit guides social workers and other health care professionals on how to focus on the user and their perception of what is happening. The focus is on what is important to the user to enhance their engagement, choice and control, with an overall aim of resolution and recovery. The toolkit include resources in risk enablement, addressing restrictions and restorative justice as some risks are managed or mediated rather than eliminated. These materials include practice guidance and interactive case scenarios.
Presentations at the launch acknowledged that safeguarding is a very challenging area of work and that everyone has a part to play in preventing abuse and in responses to it if it occurs.
Minister Butler was joined at the launch in welcoming the practice tools for nursing and health and social care professionals (in how they support older persons and persons with disabilities keep themselves safe at home or in a care environment) by staff and residents from Dungarvan Community Hospital, Directors of Nursing from HSE Community Nursing Units, Safeguarding Social Workers and representatives from the HSE’s Older Persons and Disability Services, the HSE’s National Safeguarding Office and the Social Care Projects Unit of the Department of Health, in addition to members of the HSE’s MSP Design and Education Support Group. Also represented at the launch were An Garda Siochána, SAGE Advocacy, Safeguarding Ireland and Disability and Older Persons Organisations.
Also addressing the launch were Tim Hanly (General Manager, HSE National Safeguarding Office), Michelle Doyle (Acting Chief Officer, HSE South East Community Healthcare), Amanda Casey (Chief Social Worker, HSE), Robert O Connor (Principal Social Worker, Safeguarding and Protection team, HSE South East Community Healthcare), Sarah Mahon (Principal Social Worker, National Safeguarding Office, HSE) and Teresa Cronin (Director of Nursing, HSE National Safeguarding Office).
The Director of Nursing of Dungarvan Community Hospital Paula French also welcomed guests to the launch, saying it was an honour for them to host a national launch of something her staff colleagues and others throughout the HSE and its supported organisations looked forward to referring to.
Minister Butler and other guests were also delighted to be welcomed to the launch by Fr. John Kiely (a resident of Dunabbey House/Dungarvan Community Hospital and representing its Residents Committee) and Mary Harney, who is a family member representative on the Residents Committee
Last updated on: 23 / 09 / 2024
