The Rectory Clinic is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and protecting them from harm. Our team accepts and recognises our responsibilities to develop awareness of the issues which may cause harm to children and vulnerable adults.

The Child Protection and Safeguarding Lead at our Clinic is Alfie Chan. Alfie is the relevant point of contact for raising concerns and has responsibility for
ensuring that our policies and procedures for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults are kept up-to-date and operated correctly.

The Rectory Clinic will endeavour to safeguard children and vulnerable adults by:

• developing an awareness of safeguarding issues.
• promoting good safeguarding practice through all our practice policies and procedures.
• making team members and patients aware that we take child and vulnerable adult protection seriously and respond to concerns about the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
• sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know and involving parents and children appropriately.
• following carefully the procedures for staff recruitment and selection (including referencing and DBS disclosure); and
• providing effective management for staff by ensuring access to supervision, support and training.

Our Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy is underpinned by the following principles:

• patients have access to information and knowledge to ensure that they can make an informed choice.
• patients are given the opportunity to consider the various treatment options available to them and are encouraged to fully participate in their care.
• patients are supported to make their own decisions and to give or withhold consent to treatment – unless provided for otherwise by law, no-one can give or withhold consent on behalf of another adult.
• information about patients held by the Clinic is managed appropriately and all members of the team understand the need for confidentiality.
• the individual needs of the patient are respected.
• the background and culture of all patients is respected.
• clinic procedures ensure the safety of patients at all times.
• recruitment and selection procedures at the practice are followed routinely and ensure that all required checks are carried out.

West Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Team – 01635 519 056
Brighter Futures for Children (Children’s Single Point of Access CSPA) – 0118 937 641
Out of hours social care and safeguarding emergencies for vulnerable adults & children – 01344 351 999
A copy of the full policy for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults is available to all staff and patients.