Reading List

This Reading List supports and extends your learning from the Safeguarding Adults at Risk for Clinical Pharmacy Staff course.

These resources are selected for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in patient-facing clinical roles where safeguarding overlaps with prescribing, vaccination, medicines optimisation, long-term condition support, hospital discharge, care home work and multi-agency decision-making. Some resources are UK-wide; others are country-specific or NHS England-specific. Always follow your national guidance and local procedures alongside these references.

1. Adult Safeguarding Frameworks Across the UK

• GOV.UK - Care and Support Statutory Guidance
  The main statutory adult safeguarding guidance for England, covering safeguarding duties, enquiries, advocacy, information sharing and Safeguarding Adults Boards.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance

• GOV.WALES - Safeguarding adults at risk of abuse or neglect
  The Welsh code of practice linked to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, detailing adult-at-risk definitions, reporting and safeguarding processes in Wales.
  https://www.gov.wales/safeguarding-adults-risk-abuse-or-neglect

• Scottish Government - Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007: guidance for General Practice
  A clinically focused Scottish resource on referral, information sharing, undue pressure, trauma and the role of primary care professionals when adults may be at risk of harm.
  https://www.gov.scot/publications/adult-support-protection-scotland-act-2007-guidance-general-practice/

• Department of Health Northern Ireland - Adult Safeguarding: Prevention and Protection in Partnership
  The Northern Ireland adult safeguarding policy framework, setting out prevention, early intervention and protection expectations across services.
  https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/adult-safeguarding-prevention-and-protection-partnership

2. Clinical and Pharmacy-Specific Safeguarding Guidance

• NHS England - Safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk in the NHS
  The safeguarding accountability and assurance framework for NHS organisations in England, covering roles, governance, reviews and system responsibilities relevant to Level 3 practice.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/safeguarding-children-young-people-and-adults-at-risk-in-the-nhs/

• CPPE - Safeguarding
  Pharmacy-focused learning and reference material to help pharmacy professionals apply safeguarding duties and meet training requirements.
  https://www.cppe.ac.uk/services/safeguarding

• GPhC Knowledge Hub - Safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
  A regulatory learning example that highlights why safeguarding knowledge, escalation routes and clear local procedures matter in practice settings.
  https://inspections.pharmacyregulation.org/knowledge-hub/notable-practice/safeguarding-vulnerable-adults-and-children-101

3. Capacity, Consent and Lawful Information Sharing

• NICE Guideline NG108 - Decision-making and mental capacity
  Guidance for health and social care practitioners on supporting decision-making, assessing capacity for specific decisions and keeping the person central to best-interest processes.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG108

• NHS England - Information governance and data protection
  An overview of information governance, including the Caldicott Principles, for situations where safeguarding concerns and confidentiality need careful handling.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/information-governance-and-data-protection/

• NHS England - Coercion
  Guidance on coercion, record access, redaction and digital safeguarding, useful when controlling behaviour affects consent, privacy or safe documentation.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/coercion/

These resources will help you apply Level 3 safeguarding practice in clinical pharmacy settings by clarifying law, clinical judgement, capacity and consent issues, confidentiality and multi-agency working.