I think you have to start getting your own act together and not rely on your manager to appear to be taking all the steps. Should this go to any form of grievance or disciplinary issue, and I really hope it doesn't,
you must be able to demonstrated that
you have taken all credible steps to alleviate your own concerns. If you leave it to your boss, or others, it will look like you are setting them a challenge, rather than trying to resolve matters. I'm sure that's not the case, just presenting what I would look for as a hearing or appeal manager is such a circumstance. And I would consider 6 weeks to be too long for a response to any email. There must be an escalation process in place.
So, the steps I would take would be:
- Contact H&S, and Occupational Health, if you have one, yourself, to raise your concerns relating to your circumstances. This must be in writing. That way you can review it to your heart's content and be sure you are including all your important messages. It's easy to become emotional or side-tracked on the telephone.
- Concentrate on the core issue. Don't muddy the waters by mixing in things like your insulin storgae. Certainly mention it, but almost under a heading of "other concerns"
Your employers should not be relying on H@S to decide the problem as it is their problem. Nobody should be put in this situation and they need to know, loud and clearly, that they are putting you at risk. An alarm is all very well but if you are being assaulted/attacked then it is not always possible to activate an alarm. What does this client's care plan say? If it says something like, "one to one' at all times then that proves that they have not done a risk assessment. Are they short staffed and decided that you are the muggins that will be least likely to complain.
This is an atrocious situation and one that would not be tolerated in a Hospital setting where people are at risk from attacks/assaults. There would be at least two staff looking after him.
I hope you are reporting the incidents and that they are being recorded as you will need documentation if things should escalate and you suffer injuries,
I am gobsmacked at your situation.
Your employers should not be relying on H@S to decide the problem as it is their problem. Nobody should be put in this situation and they need to know, loud and clearly, that they are putting you at risk. An alarm is all very well but if you are being assaulted/attacked then it is not always possible to activate an alarm. What does this client's care plan say? If it says something like, "one to one' at all times then that proves that they have not done a risk assessment. Are they short staffed and decided that you are the muggins that will be least likely to complain.
This is an atrocious situation and one that would not be tolerated in a Hospital setting where people are at risk from attacks/assaults. There would be at least two staff looking after him.
I hope you are reporting the incidents and that they are being recorded as you will need documentation if things should escalate and you suffer injuries,
I am gobsmacked at your situation.
- Always add yourself as a primary recipient to any correspondence you send, to reassure yourself it has gone, and is likely to have been delivered. If you get it, the other recipients are also likely to receive it. You could also ask for a system generated read receipt.
- Set a diary reminder for your actions, so that it doesn't drag on.
- Make notes of every conversation, memo, interaction relating to this issue
- Ensure you have accurate blood reading records, and behavioural stress records, which can be reviewed to see correlations between blood glucose activity and potentially violent episodes.
- If you are unable always to reach your alarm, it may not be fit for purpose, given your current circumstances. Could your alarm be upgraded/modified to be worn, on say a belt, at all times. Obviously you would not be advised to suspend anything from your neck.
So, a few actions for you there. Some or many of them, you may already have in hand, but record keeping can be critical if this moves onto something formal. The view can be taken that is it isn't written down, it didn't happen. It's harsh, but we're talking balance and what a reasonable person might do in any given circumstance.
Good luck. I can't imagine spending my working life working with violent people. I take my hat off to you.