Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Advanced forensic practitioner (custody or sexual offence) standard?
Knowledge
K1: Core. The Resuscitation Council Standards for resuscitation.
K2: Core. Risk factors in sexual violence, domestic violence, child sexual abuse and wider vulnerability.
K3: Core. Legislative and professional frameworks for consent, confidentiality, best interest decisions, public disclosure and sharing information lawfully.
K4: Core. Principles of forensic science, Locards principle and sample collection techniques in accordance with the the Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine (FFLM) Recommendations for the Collection of Forensic Samples from Complainants and Suspects.
K5: Core. Different injury types and their significance as evidence.
K6: Core. Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) Guidelines and their relevance to practice.
K7: Core. Principles of good statement construction.
K8: Core. Courtroom etiquette.
K9: Core. Difference between a witness of fact and an expert witness.
K10: Core. Know unconscious bias and its importance in the criminal justice system and the need for objectivity.
K11: Core. Principles of organisational learning and quality improvement.
K12: Core. Professional bodies framework for governance.
K13: Core. The evidence base related to improving outcomes in the health and justice setting.
K14: Core. Professional bodies requirement for ensuring duty of care and continuity of care and the impact from not having effective handovers and ongoing care.
K15: Core. Coaching, mentoring and supervision strategies, including management of poor performance.
K16: Core. How feedback can improve training delivery.
K17: Core. How shame, stigma, discrimination and prejudice can impact those in the criminal justice setting.
K18: Core. Symptoms of common mental health disorders and the evidence-based management plan.
K19: Core. The evidence base related to undertaking a risk assessment for suicidal ideation and self-harm thoughts.
K20: Core. The resources available for ongoing care including acute symptoms, health promotion, such as: sexual health, advocacy, mental health and emotional distress, alcohol and substance misuse and wider needs.
K21: Core. The local medicines management processes of their organisation.
K22: Core. Forensic principles to managing community and off-site examinations in accordance with the FFLM Recommendations for the Collection of Forensic Samples from Complainants and Suspects.
K23: Core. Forensic strategy for cross contamination and evidence base.
K24: Custody. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for management of medical emergencies.
K25: Custody. The relevant guidelines for acute and chronic healthcare according to National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE) and the evidence base underpinning the management plan.
K26: Custody. How interviewees can be vulnerable and common miscarriages of justice related to false confessions.
K27: Custody. Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984), Approved Police Practice and safety measures in police custody.
K28: Custody. The evidence base underpinning drug and alcohol dependency including National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) resources.
K29: Custody. Drugs & alcohol management, symptoms of withdrawal, brief interventions and referrals to ongoing services and harm reductions strategies, according to NICE and RCGP.
K30: Custody. De-escalation techniques: restraint, Taser and other sequelae.
K31: Sexual Offence. The Sexual Offences Act (2003) and pathways related to disclosure.
K32: Sexual Offence. Trauma informed care and the impact on individuals who experience trauma and strategies to support recovery.
K33: Sexual Offence. The British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and Faculty of Reproductive and Sexual Health (FRSH) guidelines and the evidence base underpinning sexual health.
Skills
S1: Core. Using appropriate tools such as DASH and CSE to assess the patient and identify sexual abuse, domestic violence and wider vulnerability needs.
S2: Core. Identifies a forensic strategy, which includes consideration of account, cross-contamination and evidence base in accordance with the FFLM Recommendations for the Collection of Forensic Samples from Complainants and Suspects.
S3: Core. Take evidential samples competently such as: skin swabs, intimate samples, toxicology and others in accordance with the FFLM Recommendations for the Collection of Forensic Samples from Complainants and Suspects.
S4: Core. Document injuries accurately including use of camera systems where appropriate.
S5: Core. Use an exhibit list and ensure chain of evidence process is completed.
S6: Core. Construct a written statement for court.
S7: Core. Give oral evidence in court and respond to cross examination.
S8: Core. Critically appraise the evidence in written statements and write objectively.
S9: Core. Undertake governance processes such as audit, clinical incident reporting, feedback and to follow policy and processes, especially related to infection control, medicines management and health and safety.
S10: Core. Obtain valid consent and record it.
S11: Core. Undertake an assessment of capacity and document the outcome including best interests’ decisions.
S12: Core. Manage confidentiality in a forensic environment.
S13: Core. Establish duty of care and continuity of care of patients by creating care plans, referrals and signposting.
S14: Core. Mentor, coach and supervise others, such as the wider professional team.
S15: Core. Recognise the needs of those who are poorly performing and identify and implement, an appropriate performance plan for improvement.
S16: Core. Communicate within a criminal justice setting in accordance with the Forensic Science Regulator Legal Guidance (FSR, 2020).
S17: Core. Identify your personal belief systems.
S18: Core. Participate in clinical supervision.
S19: Core. Assess an individual and identify and record acute and chronic mental health conditions and disorders.
S20: Core. Undertake a suicide/self-harm risk assessment.
S21: Core. Clean the room in preparation for a forensic examination.
S22: Core. Administer and dispense medication, following their local processes regarding safety and medicines.
S23: Core. Apply forensic principles to managing other scenarios such as: hospital patients, those in prison or other environments.
S24: Core. Acts in accordance with legislation, standards, policies, guidelines, professional frameworks and procedures.
S25: Core. Manage organisational learning and quality improvement.
S27: Core. Identify their own unconscious bias and act with objectivity.
S28: Core. Make decisions using evidence base.
S29: Core. Identify the different injury types and their significance as evidence.
S30: Custody. Manage acute medical symptoms including: shortness of breath, seizures & chest pain.
S31: Custody. Assess, treat and refer for acute and chronic health conditions.
S32: Custody. Assess an individual for fitness to detain and identify a management plan, including observations where there is an additional medical need.
S33: Custody. Assess an individual for fitness to interview and charge, and identify if an appropriate adult is required and interview strategies where there is an additional medical need.
S34: Custody. Using approved assessment tools (CIWA/COWS), assess, treat and refer those who are dependent on drugs\alcohol, such as: manage symptoms of withdrawal, referrals to ongoing services, harm reduction strategies.
S35: Custody. Identify de-escalation techniques such as restraint, Taser and other sequelae.
S36: Custody. Undertake a field impairment test and other road traffic procedures Section 4/Section 5 and Section 5a of the Road Traffic Act (1988).
S37: Sexual Offence. Assess, treat and refer for identified sexual health needs such as, risk of pregnancy and risk of sexually acquired infections.
S38: Sexual Offence. Communicate to patients who have been exposed to sexual violence.
S39: Sexual Offence. Identify strategies to support recovery for individuals who experience trauma.
Behaviours
B1: Core. Be professional and confident with knowledge for court.
B2: Core. Honest and trustworthy ensuring a high standard of professional integrity.
B3: Core. Challenge areas of concern.
B4: Core. Reflective and open to constructive feedback.
B5: Core. Exhibit resilience, self-awareness and ability to adapt.
B6: Core. Work collaboratively with multiple agencies to ensure safe and effective care in ways that respect professional differences.
B7: Core. Shows attention to detail, accuracy and precision.
Core occupation duties
DUTY: Lead and manage a medical emergency.
K1
K14
K24
K30
S13
S30
DUTY: Assess and identify risks related to safeguarding and vulnerability in patients and signpost, refer and identify appropriate interventions for each area.
K2
K3
K13
K14
S1
S13
S18
B3
DUTY: Identify a forensic strategy and undertake an assessment including: collection and storage of forensic samples, toxicology, documentation of injuries and other relevant evidential outcomes, with a robust chain of evidence.
K4
K5
K6
K22
K23
S2
S3
S4
S5
S29
B7
DUTY: Review and analyse the evidence base of key finds and provide written and oral evidence for court.
K5
K7
K8
K9
K10
S6
S7
S8
S16
S27
S29
B1
B2
B4
DUTY: Comply with local and national governance processes to ensure the safety of the client such as audit, clinical incident reporting and quality improvement.
K11
K12
S9
S25
B3
B4
B5
DUTY: Obtain valid consent from client and manage those individuals who lack capacity to consent and ensure confidentiality and public disclosure framework are met.
K3
S10
S12
S21
S26
DUTY: Work collaboratively with multiple agencies to ensure safe and effective care of client by effective care plans, referrals and signposting.
K3
K14
S4
S13
S16
B6
DUTY: Teach and supervise others including junior members of staff and training of the wider professional team.
K15
K16
S14
S15
B3
B4
DUTY: Due to the impact of bias within the criminal justice system be able to review their practice to remain impartial and objective.
K10
K17
S17
S18
B4
DUTY: Assess an individual and identify acute and chronic mental health conditions and undertake a suicide\self-harm risk assessment and formulate a management plan prior to release or discharge.
K18
K19
K20
S19
S20
B6
DUTY: Follow robust processes for cross contamination of evidence.
K6
K23
S2
S21
B7
Custody duties
DUTY: Assess and identify acute and chronic conditions of individuals whilst in custody including fitness to release.
K1
K14
K24
K30
S13
S30
DUTY: Assess an individual for their fitness to interview and charge and identify if an appropriate adult or additional medical needs are required.
K2
K3
K13
K14
S1
S13
S18
B3
DUTY: Assess, treat and refer those who are dependent on drugs alcohol including management of symptoms of withdrawal, brief interventions and referrals to ongoing services and harm reductions strategies.
K4
K5
K6
K22
K23
S2
S3
S4
S5
S29
B7
DUTY: Undertake wider skills in assessment of victims, officers, road traffic procedures, intimate searches and taser/restraint sequelae.
K5
K7
K8
K9
K10
S6
S7
S8
S16
S27
S29
B1
B2
B4
Sexual Offence duties
DUTY: Identify pathways of care for both acute and non recent sexual abuse, domestic violence and wider needs individuals and empower them to choose the pathway which best fits their needs.
K1
K14
K24
K30
S13
S30
DUTY: Assess, treat and refer individuals for identified sexual health needs including risk of pregnancy and risk of sexually acquired infections.
K2
K3
K13
K14
S1
S13
S18
B3
DUTY: Identify trauma in individuals and use empowering and re framing techniques to improve the experience of individuals.
