Safe to wander - Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

8The care planFollowing individualassessment, any factorsidentified can be addressedin his or her care plan. If adecision is taken to introducewandering technology thena specific care plan relatingto its use should be drawn up.This care plan should address:How the technology works?There should be clear,explicit instructions forstaff about how the systemworks and training inthe use of the system,including maintenanceand contingency plans inthe event of malfunction.Training should be viewedas an ongoing need, nota one-off occurrence.The plan will includedefinition of which areasare considered safe for theindividual and which arenot. There must be clearidentification of who willrespond to the alarm andwhen, of what shouldhappen if the individualrefuses to return. This mayinvolve external agenciessuch as the police. Thepolice will need to beconsulted if they maybe required to respond.Involvement of the individualand relevant othersThere must be a clear verbalexplanation of the systemgive to the individual,relatives, visitors andadvocacy workers. It wouldbe good practice to providewritten information aboutthe system.MonitoringIt will be extremely importantto monitor how well, or not,the system is working. Thisshould include reports ofhow often the system is beingtriggered and the individual’sreaction to it. It will beimportant to monitor if therehas been a change in theindividual’s general wellbeing.ReviewRegular review dates shouldbe set and all involvedprofessionals and caregivers,both informal andformal, should be invitedto the review. It would bebest practice for the keyworker/named nurse andunit manager to be present.There should be an identifiedsenior manager who receivescopies of the reviews. Theprimary purpose of thereview is to considerwhether ongoing use of thesystem is indicated or not.Consulting with theCare CommissionIt is of vital importance thatmanagers of care homesconsult with the CareCommission if considering theuse of wandering technology.Under the Regulation ofCare (Requirement as toCare Services) (Scotland)regulations 2002, 19 (3),‘A provider shall keep arecord of: any occasion onwhich restraint or control habeen applied to a user, withdetails of the form of restraintor control, the reason why itwas necessary and the nameof the person authorising it’.