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A framework for supporting decision making

Independence, choice and risk provides a risk framework for everyone involved in supporting adults using social care within any setting, whether community or residential, in the public, independent or voluntary sectors. This includes all NHS staff working in multi-disciplinary or joint teams.

This best practice guidance aims to:

• outline a common set of principles to encourage people and their organisations to use as the basis for supporting people in making decisions about their own lives and managing any risk in relation to those choices
• support the principle of empowerment through managing choice and risk transparently in order to enable a fair appraisal of the decision process, if required
• provide a common approach to risk as the basis for working practices, and encourage practitioners and organisations to embed this guidance into their policies, their agreements with other agencies, and their own cultures and working practices
• highlight how to balance necessary levels of protection and preserve reasonable levels of choice and control, in order to help people achieve their potential without their safety being compromised.

The proposals suggested in the guidance do not replace any existing risk guidance, including those risk management processes contained within the Care Programme Approach, Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) or on safeguarding vulnerable adults. They provide a common approach to risk for use across health and social care systems, complementing professional codes or clinical practice guidelines.