Citation

Griffith R, Tengnah C. Br. J. Community Nurs. 2009; 14(7): 309-313.

Affiliation

Health Law, School of Health Science, Swansea University. richard.griffith@swan.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Mark Allen Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19597384

Abstract

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was enacted as a result of the Government adopting the recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry (2004), that looked into the circumstances surrounding the death of two children in Soham in 2002. The 2006 Act provides a new vetting and barring scheme to replace the existing arrangements for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from harm, or the risk of harm, by employees and volunteers whose work gives them significant access to these vulnerable groups. The Act extends statutory vetting and barring schemes to the health service as well as the social care sector. It is therefore important that district nurses are aware of the provisions of the Act and the timetable for implementation. This will enable them to better understand their legal duties, in order to protect themselves from liability and to protect their patients from abuse.

Language: en