Frequently Asked Questions

Someone told me about abuse but begged me to keep it secret. Can I?

No — and you shouldn't promise to. Explain kindly that you have to pass it on to keep them safe, report it to your manager or safeguarding lead the same day, and record their exact words. Their wishes shape what happens next (Making Safeguarding Personal), but silence is not an option. See Safeguarding Adults.

My manager is the person I'm worried about. Who do I tell?

Go above them, or straight outside: the local authority safeguarding team for concerns about a person at risk, CQC (03000 616161) for concerns about the service. The law protects you. See Whistleblowing.

A client refuses their medication. Do I hide it in their food?

No. Respect the refusal, record it with the correct MAR code, and report it. Covert medication is only lawful after a best-interests process involving the prescriber and pharmacist, written into the plan. See Medication Management.

I made a medication error. What now?

Person first: check them and get clinical advice (GP, 111, or 999 if unwell). Then tell your manager immediately, record the facts, and complete an incident form. Honest, fast reporting is what good services want from you. See Medication Management.

When is a fall RIDDOR-reportable?

For workers: death, specified injuries, or over-7-day incapacitation from a work-related accident. For people receiving care from a CQC-registered provider in England, serious harm is generally a CQC notification instead. Try the RIDDOR checker.

Can I check my phone or take photos at work?

Follow policy — but as a rule personal phones stay out of care delivery, and photos of people, records or premises on personal devices are a confidentiality breach waiting to happen. See Confidentiality and UK GDPR.

Does a dementia diagnosis mean someone lacks capacity?

No. Capacity is presumed, and it's decision-specific: many people with dementia decide plenty for themselves. Assess only when there's real doubt, for a specific decision, after supporting them to decide. See Mental Capacity Act.

Can a family member consent to care on their relative's behalf?

Only if they hold the right legal authority (a health and welfare LPA or deputyship) and the person lacks capacity for the decision. Otherwise their views inform best interests but don't decide. See Consent to Care.

Someone with capacity is making a decision I think is dangerous. Can I stop them?

No — an unwise decision is theirs to make. Your job: make sure they're informed, reduce the risks they'll accept, record it, and keep the door open. See Risk Assessments.

Is DoLS still a thing in 2026? I heard it was replaced.

DoLS still applies. The Liberty Protection Safeguards are not yet in force (2027 at the earliest), and a June 2026 Supreme Court judgment changed how deprivation of liberty is defined — follow current official guidance and your DoLS team's advice. See DoLS and LPS.

Can we use a sensor mat / lock the front door / hold someone's cigarettes?

Only with an individual assessment: is it necessary, proportionate, the least restrictive option — and does the person consent, or is it a documented best-interests decision? Blanket rules for everyone are the thing to avoid. See Recognising Deprivation of Liberty.

How soon do I need to write my notes?

At or as near the time as practicable — same visit or same shift, never "in advance". If you write late, say so in the entry. See Documentation.

What does "notify CQC without delay" actually mean?

As soon as reasonably possible — in practice treat it as the same working day. Late notifications are themselves a breach. See CQC Regulations.

What's the duty of candour in one sentence?

When care goes wrong and causes (or could cause) significant harm, tell the person or family promptly and honestly, apologise, and follow up in writing — an apology is not an admission of liability. See CQC Regulations.

What training is legally "mandatory"?

Strictly, the law requires training appropriate to your role rather than one fixed list — but the sector core (safeguarding, moving and handling, medication, IPC, fire, BLS, MCA, plus Oliver McGowan training) is what CQC expects to see. See Training and Development.

How do I get ready for a CQC assessment?

Run the service you'd want them to see every day: evidence findable, notifications reconciled, staff confident, audits closing their actions. Then let it speak for itself. See CQC Inspection Preparation.

Where do complaints go if we can't resolve them?

After the provider's own procedure (and the council's, where they fund care), the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman takes unresolved adult social care complaints; the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman covers NHS complaints. See the Sources page.