News
Restraint in the Emergency Setting: Clinical and Legal Perspectives
Download page as PDFThe OCP has now run two Community of Practice sessions focussing on the legal and clinical perspectives of the use of restraint to prevent harm in Emergency Departments and other emergency situations. The recording, notes and Q&A from the session held on 30 March 2023, run jointly with Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department, are available on our website’s Community of Practice page.
These scenarios often involve rapid decision making in complex and challenging circumstances. While our Community of Practice resources cannot be considered formal legal advice, they aim to help clinicians and others understand the frameworks for making these decisions, and the factors that need to be considered. This is a hugely important and topical issue. We are conscious of the current level of concern across services, as well as the systemic factors that impact front line work. We are committed to supporting WA’s clinical and security staff by providing guidance to help navigate acute clinical situations, while always keeping consumers and families at the forefront of decision making. Further resources are in development and will be shared as soon as available.
The OCP’s Clinical Helpdesk is available to discuss and offer advice about specific cases (contact details available here).