Best Practice Policies and Procedures for Mental Health Services

Policies and Procedures are central to supporting the delivery of safe, high quality mental health services. Well document policies and procedures provide standardised processes that will support staff in knowing what to do in certain situations. They are an important tool to support regulatory compliance and assist in decision making.

To support Mental Health Services in Ireland, HCI have developed a suite of 21 core non-clinical regulatory policies and procedures relating to the Mental Health Act, 2001 and other applicable Regulations.

These policies and procedures address the primary Quality and Safety Management requirements and will support you in implementing best practice in your service.

Policy and Procedure listing includes:

• Management of Complaints
• Quality and Safety Audit Management Policy
• Health and Safety Risk Management
• Incident Management
• Protected Disclosure Policy
• Use of C.C.T.V. for Continuous Observation of Service Users
• Safeguarding and Protection of Vulnerable Service users from Abuse
• Recognising and Responding to Allegations of Abuse
• Development and Review of Strategic Operational Plans
• Organisational Structure and Communication
• Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement
• Manual Handling Policy
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Management of Infectious Diseases and Outbreak
• Service user Rights, Privacy and Dignity Policy
• Service User Involvement
• Change Management Policy and Procedure
• Supplier Review and Approval
• Staff Education and Training
• Individual Risk Management Planning

Regulatory Compliance Framework

Our policies and procedures have been developed using best practice and regulatory requirements, including:

• Mental Health Act, 2001
• Mental Health Commission Judgement Support Framework (2020)
• HSE Mental Health Services (2017). Best Practice Guidance for Mental Health Services.
• MHC Quality Framework for Mental Health Services in Ireland (2007)
• HIQA and Mental Health Commission National Standards for Adult Safeguarding (2019)
• HIQA and Safeguarding Ireland Guidance on a Human Rights-Based Approach in Health and Social Care Services (2019)
• HIQA National Standards for infection prevention and control in community services (2018)
• HSE Your Service Your Say (2017)
• HSE Open Disclosure Policy (2019)
• HSE Protected Disclosures Procedures (2018).
• HSE Incident Management Framework (2020)
• HSE Risk Management Framework (2017)

If your Mental Health Services is looking for a suite of non-clinical regulatory policies and procedures to support your staff in implementing best practice and meeting regulatory compliance, then contact HCI today.