Policies

For the safety and security of all, CCTV is in operation within the hospital, identified by appropriate signage.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

We are dedicated to promoting the well-being of all adults and children within our services. Our goal is to create a caring environment where every individual is treated with dignity and respect. We uphold the highest standards of child safeguarding, recognising the paramount importance of children's welfare. We strictly adhere to The Children First Act 2015 and Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, ensuring our staff and services are well-equipped to prevent and address any harm to children.

Ginesa Suite

The Ginesa Suite is our adolescent inpatient mental health service, catering to 12 young people aged 14 to 18 years experiencing mental health difficulties. We offer a range of therapeutic services, including continued access to education, to support young people on their recovery journey. Individual and group therapeutic interventions are available, and young people have access to an independent advocate. Visitors are welcome during designated times, with all visitors requiring prior approval by parents or guardians. An information handbook is provided for young people and their parents.

Definition of Harm

As defined in the Children First Act 2015, harm refers to:

(a) Assault, ill-treatment, or neglect of a child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development, or welfare.
(b) Sexual abuse of a child, whether caused by a single act or a series of acts.

Risk of Harm Assessment

We have conducted a thorough assessment of potential risks to children within our services:

Visitors and Hospital Grounds: Children visiting the hospital must be accompanied by a responsible adult and remain under their supervision.
Adolescent Patients: The Adolescent Unit/Ginesa Suite maintains a Risk Register identifying potential risks and control measures. Children attending outpatient appointments must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Meetings Involving Children: Children attending meetings as part of their parent’s or relative’s treatment must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Staff facilitating these meetings receive Children First training.

Procedures and Policies

Our Child Safeguarding Statement aligns with the Children First Act 2015 and TUSLA’s guidelines. Key procedures include:

Managing Allegations of Abuse Against Staff (February 2016) & Trust in Care Policy (May 2005)
Safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers (HR Policy 29.07.2022)
Mandatory Child Safeguarding Training for all staff and volunteers
HSE e-Learning Module “An Introduction to Children First”
In-person Mandated Persons Training every 3 years
Reporting Internal Safeguarding Concerns SOP
Maintenance of an Adolescent Service Risk Register
Implementation of a Bullying Policy
Availability of Child Safeguarding Reporting Process Flow Charts
Operation of CCTV for safety and security

Reporting Procedures

All staff have a duty to report concerns to TUSLA when they suspect a child may be at risk. Mandated Persons must comply with their legal obligation to make a Mandated Report in accordance with Children First National Guidance 2017. St John of God Hospital fully adheres to The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, ensuring serious offences are reported to An Garda Síochána.

Online Safety for Children

Internet access for young people in the Ginesa Suite is restricted, with limited access to approved sites. Smartphones are not permitted, and devices without internet access or cameras are used. Communal computers and restricted tablets are monitored by staff.

Designated Liaison Persons:

Grainne Lawlor (Designated Liaison Person)
Alina Popescu (Deputy Designated Liaison Person)

Relevant Person:

Damien O’Dowd, Chief Executive Officer, is the appointed Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015.

Implementation

We are committed to the ongoing implementation of our Child Safeguarding Statement. This statement will be reviewed in March 2026, or sooner if there are material changes. For queries, please contact Damien O’Dowd at St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin. Phone: 01 277 1400.

"Social media consists of the internet or web-based technologies that allow people to connect, communicate and interact in real time to share and exchange information" (Rowe, 2011).

While the term 'social media' relates to websites with a connective or linking function, 'social networking' is more an active process of reaching out. It means using social media sites to network with others online whether they are professionals, friends or strangers with similar interests and goals. Examples of social media and social networking include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter.

Introduction

1.1. The use of the internet and social media has become an integral part of everyday life. St John of God Hospital CLG must embrace this for its opportunities, but also carefully manage its use to ensure appropriate protection for all users.

1.2. Used well, the internet and social media can improve the way we share information, can empower patients and staff and can improve the openness and transparency of our interactions. We have an obligation to ensure those using the internet and social media at St John of God Hospital CLG, or in relation to our activity, is clear about our expectations regarding professional behaviour, protecting patient confidentiality and safeguarding.

1.3. This policy sets out our expectations for internet and social media use for our patients and those visiting the hospital.

Patient / Visitor Use of Internet And Social Media

2.1. Patients and visitors to St John of God Hospital will be able to access guest Wi-Fi where installed. The appropriateness of accessible content will be automatically managed by the IT team using existing security protocols.

2.2. Patients and visitors may be able to access social media and internet sites via their mobile phone networks whilst at St John of God Hospital, which are not subject to the same security protocols.

2.3. St John of God Hospital requires all users of mobile devices to use them in a courteous, considerate and non-intrusive manner to help maintain a caring environment and effective working environment for staff. Patients must not use mobile devices during consultations with St John of God Hospital staff.

2.4. Mobile devices must not be used to photograph staff, patients or facilities without the explicit permission of the individual and the ward/department manager.

2.5. Patients may take photos of themselves and/or their relatives for personal reasons, and for their own personal use only. Patients and visitors must ensure that other patients are not visible in any part of such photography, to ensure confidentiality and to protect privacy and dignity.

2.6. Express permission is needed for photographs to be taken of the inside of hospital premises, particularly wards and clinical areas (including hospital staff). This should be obtained from the ward manager in the first instance. Taking photographs on our site of other patients, staff, or visitors without their informed consent is not permitted.

2.7. We understand that our patients will want to stay in touch with their friends and family while in our care. We also have a duty to protect patient confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable patients in our care. The following guidelines apply to all our patients:

You may overhear conversations about other patients while in our wards or departments. Please respect the confidential nature of these conversations by not sharing details about others in our care without their prior consent. If we obtain evidence of internet or social media activity that shares such confidential information, we will ask you to remove that content.
Defamatory comments about members of our staff should not be shared in any public forum. Legal advice will be sought, and action taken where necessary.

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