Organisational Abuse
Organisational abuse is neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment.
It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
Indicators of organisational abuse include:
- Misuse of medication / inappropriate restraint methods
- Sensory deprivation e.g. denial of use of spectacles, hearing aids / denial of visitors or phone calls
- Restricted access to toilet or bathing facilities, medical or social care, lack of clothing or possessions
- Controlling relationships between staff and service users
- Poor professional practice, poor communication and recording of essential care information
- Lack of respect shown to person
- Failure to ensure privacy, personal dignity
- Lack of flexibility and choice
- Insufficient account taken of views of adult, relatives or carers
- Significant numbers of low level concerns