Safeguarding vulnerable adults

GDC development outcomes C and D

Introduction

As healthcare professionals, we have a duty to help protect our patients’ welfare and human rights. This is known as safeguarding and is a statutory responsibility under the Care Act 2014. The eighth principle of the GDC’s Standards for the Dental Team further supports this and stresses the importance for awareness of local procedures involving raising concerns.¹ This is explored in subsections 8.5.1 and 8.5.2, as well as in the GDC paper Guidance on child protection and vulnerable adults published in November 2013.²

A vulnerable adult is defined by the Department of Health and Social Care as an individual who is “aged 18 or over that is or may need community care services because of a disability (mental or other), age or illness and is someone who may be unable to look after themselves or protect themselves from harm or exploitation”.