Audit Services in Health and Social Care
At KA Safeguarding Solutions, we offer comprehensive safeguarding audits and Mental Capacity Act (MCA) compliance reviews to ensure that your organisation is meeting its legal and ethical obligations.
Whether you’re a hospital, adult social care department, residential care provider, or home care agency, these services help safeguard the wellbeing of adults at risk and ensure that their rights are respected in all aspects of care and decision-making.
What We Offer
Safeguarding Audits
We conduct thorough audits of your organisation’s safeguarding policies, procedures, and practices. This includes reviewing how safeguarding concerns are identified, reported, and acted upon within your organisation. We work with you to ensure that your safeguarding processes meet both legal and best practice standards, providing a safe environment for vulnerable individuals.
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) Compliance Audits
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is crucial for ensuring that adults who may lack mental capacity are protected, and that decisions made on their behalf are in their best interests. We assess your organisation’s compliance with the MCA, reviewing key areas such as:
- Capacity Assessments: Ensuring that capacity assessments are conducted accurately, fairly, and in line with MCA principles.
- Best Interest Decisions: Reviewing how decisions are made on behalf of individuals who lack capacity, ensuring they are made in the individual’s best interests and with the least restrictive option.
- Advanced Decision Making: Assessing how your service supports individuals in making decisions about their care in advance, including Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and advanced directives.
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS): Reviewing whether DoLS procedures are properly applied when individuals are deprived of their liberty for their own safety or care, ensuring that the process is legal and compliant with the MCA.
Case File Audits & MCA Documentation Reviews
We conduct detailed reviews of case files to ensure that MCA-related decisions are properly documented, and that staff are adhering to both MCA principles and organisational policies. We ensure that best interest meetings, mental capacity assessments, and decision-making processes are well recorded and legally sound.
MCA Training & Staff Competency Reviews
We assess the training provided to staff regarding the Mental Capacity Act, including how well staff understand and apply the MCA in practice. We also evaluate staff competencies in carrying out mental capacity assessments and making best interest decisions.
Policies & Procedures Review
We review your organisation’s policies and procedures related to MCA compliance. This includes evaluating how staff are trained to recognise when the MCA applies, the steps taken to ensure compliance, and how your organisation manages deprivation of liberty and best interest decisions.
Action Planning & Recommendations
Following the audit, we provide a detailed report with clear, actionable recommendations to improve both safeguarding and MCA compliance. We work with you to develop practical solutions and action plans that support continuous improvement in these key areas.
Why Choose Our Safeguarding & MCA Audit Services?
Extensive Experience in Health & Social Care
With over 30 years of experience in safeguarding, mental capacity, and health and social care audits, we bring in-depth knowledge of the legal and practical requirements of both safeguarding adults and ensuring compliance with the Mental Capacity Act.
Holistic Approach
We take a holistic approach to safeguarding and MCA compliance, ensuring that policies, procedures, staff training, and case practice are all aligned and fully compliant with the law. We focus on providing a comprehensive review that considers every angle of your safeguarding and MCA processes.
Tailored to Your Setting
We understand that each organisation, whether a hospital, adult social care department, or residential care provider has different needs. Our audits are tailored to meet the specific challenges and responsibilities of your setting, ensuring a bespoke approach that suits your service.
Practical, Actionable Insights
Our audits go beyond just identifying areas of non-compliance. We provide practical, realistic solutions and recommendations that are easy to implement, ensuring that your service can continuously improve its safeguarding and MCA compliance.
Non-Judgmental & Supportive Approach
Our audits are designed to support your organisation, not penalise it. We work collaboratively with your team to identify areas for improvement and provide guidance on how to make necessary changes in a constructive and supportive environment.
Enhanced Safeguarding & MCA Practices
Regular audits ensure that your organisation’s safeguarding and MCA processes are up to date, effectively protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring their rights are upheld. This helps foster a culture of safety and respect for autonomy.
Legal Compliance & Risk Reduction
By conducting regular safeguarding and MCA compliance audits, you reduce the risk of legal challenges, complaints, and regulatory action. Ensuring compliance with the Care Act 2014, MCA 2005, and DoLS safeguards your organisation from legal and reputational risks.
Staff Confidence & Competency
With the right training and clear policies in place, staff are better equipped to make decisions in the best interests of service users, particularly those who may lack capacity. This boosts confidence and supports ethical decision-making at all levels.
Better Outcomes for Service Users
Safeguarding and MCA compliance directly contribute to better outcomes for individuals receiving care. Ensuring that decisions are made in their best interests, and their rights are protected, promotes dignity, choice, and independence. Adopting the principles of Making Safeguarding Personal ensures that safeguarding interventions are person-centred, empowering individuals to make decisions about their own lives. By listening to and involving individuals in safeguarding processes, we ensure that their views, wishes, feelings, and preferences are central, leading to more positive and respectful outcomes.
Assurance for Regulators & Stakeholders
Regular safeguarding and MCA audits demonstrate your commitment to high-quality care and compliance, which can be critical when engaging with regulators, commissioners, and service users.
If you are seeking expert support in improving your safeguarding practices and MCA compliance, we can help.
Whether you’re a hospital, social care team, or care provider, our audit services ensure that your organisation meets legal requirements, provides the best possible care, and protects the rights of vulnerable adults.
