Code of Conduct for Staff and Volunteers
It is important that users, staff and volunteers can participate in all activities that HCS offers in a safe and secure environment. HCS therefore requires all its staff and volunteers to abide by this Code of Conduct while on HCS duties.
What is required
Each Staff Member or Volunteer is required to:
What is required
Each Staff Member or Volunteer is required to:
- abide by the guidelines in the contracts, job descriptions, staff handbooks and the policies held on file;
- inform HCS of any relevant policy record or any change in his/her circumstances which may make him/her unsuitable as a HCS staff member or volunteer;
- recognise that the role of a staff member or volunteer places him/her in a position of trust with regard to anyone who is participating in any activity associated with the HCS and to other staff and volunteers and to undertake to uphold that trust at all times;
- undertake to maintain the confidentiality of any information made available to him/her in the course of his/her role at HCS,;
- not knowingly place him/herself in a situation where he/she is alone with a vulnerable person or child and endeavour to ensure as far as possible that there is another adult in the immediate vicinity. (It is recognised that the necessary allowances are to be made for privacy e.g. during confidential conversations etc);
- not offer a vulnerable adult or a child a lift alone in a car, except in exceptional circumstances; any such car journeys undertaken are to be recorded in the incident book stating the date, time, circumstances and purpose of the journey;
- not use HCS to bring financial advantage to him/herself or his/her business (e.g. by directly selling or promoting his/her own company’s products or services or those of family and friends);
- not behave in any way, physically or verbally, that could be construed as intimidating or inappropriately intimate to a colleague;
- not accept any personal gifts or tips from any HCS users; anyone expressing a wish to make a gift to HCS CRP should be directed to the manager;
- not use their position to obtain preferential treatment or favours for themselves, family or friends. Any such preferential treatment offered, in certain circumstances, by the manager or Steering Group members must be recorded in writing in advance.