This policy will assist you to demonstrate that you are committed to delivering the highest standards of health and social care and ensuring the safety and welfare of your service users, relatives, and team members. Violence and aggressive behaviour can escalate to the point where restraint may be needed to protect the person or team member(s) from significant injury or harm, even if all best practice to prevent such an escalation is deployed. Physical intervention must only be considered once de-escalation and other strategies have failed to calm the situation. These interventions are management strategies and are not regarded as primary treatment techniques.

This policy refers to restraint – meaning a reactive physical intervention to stop someone harming themselves, those around them or damaging property.  Restraint referring to a pre-planned deprivation of liberty such as a bed rail or wheelchair belt is covered by the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS Policy.

This policy is intended to provide guidance in relation to the nature, circumstance and use of approved restraint techniques . Its aim is to help all involved to act appropriately in a safe manner, thus ensuring effective responses in potential or actual difficult situations. It sets out a framework of good practice, recognising the need to ensure that all legal, ethical, and professional issues have been taken into consideration.

This policy should only be used by companies that have approved the use of accredited breakaway and/or restraint training providers. This should match with the paragraph on restraint provided in the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS policy. Companies not using an accredited breakaway and/or restraint training should document their policy towards restraint in the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS policy.