SectorConnect - Making handovers count

The July, the SRS Provider Community of Practice had a guest speaker - Naomi Petersen, SRS Outreach and Assistance Program Practitioner at CatholicCare. 

Naomi talked about why handover notes are so important for keeping workers connected across different work periods. Here are her main points: 

• Handover notes are an important communication tool in SRS because staff operate across multiple work shifts, which means no single worker sees a resident’s whole day. 
• A handover book or notes do not replace a resident’s official file. 
• Handover notes should not be used as the main document to record a resident’s care, support needs, changes in condition, risks, incidents or ongoing management. These must always be recorded in the resident’s official file. 
• Handover notes can be short bullet points to remind the next shift worker about upcoming tasks. They should remind staff to check resident’s official file for more details. 

Further guidance on handovers is available via the Social Services Regulator.