All employers have a legal duty to protect the health and safety of employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974/The Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.
Furthermore, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999/Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, they must assess the risk of harm to workers and take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to members of staff exposed to the risk.
Our guidance below outlines your employer's responsibilities to protect lone working community staff, as well as the steps you can take to raise and escalate your concerns. We have also included example scenarios where we would expect an employer to take action. The list is not exhaustive, and actions are illustrative.
If unsustainable pressures at work mean that you have started working alone, or are working alone more frequently, this guidance may be helpful.
Please also see our Nursing Workforce Standards, in particular standard 10c.