New training standards have been issued by the Restraint Reduction Network in England to reduce the use of restrictive practices for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Commissioned by NHS England, the ‘Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards 2019’ provide a national and international benchmark for training in supporting people who are distressed in education, health and social care settings.

The Restraint Reduction Network is an independent body in England that brings together government departments, professional bodies, people with lived experience, practitioners and academics.

The standards will be mandatory for all training in England with a restrictive intervention component that is delivered to NHS-commissioned services for people with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autistic people and people living with dementia. Implementation will be via commissioning requirements and inspection frameworks from April 2020.

The standards include specific considerations and adaptations to the training standards for services in Wales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland.

Aims of the standards

In addition to improving training and practice, the standards will:

  • protect people’s fundamental human rights and promote person centred, best interest and therapeutic approaches to supporting people when they are distressed
  • improve the quality of life of those being restrained and those supporting them
  • reduce reliance on restrictive practices by promoting positive culture and practice that focuses on prevention, de-escalation and reflective practice
  • increase understanding of the root causes of behaviour and recognition that many behaviours are the result of distress due to unmet needs
  • where required, focus on the safest and most dignified use of restrictive interventions including physical restraint.

Who are the standards for?

The standards can be applied to training provision where restrictive interventions are included in the curriculum. They can be applied to services

  • across education, health and social care
  • across children and adult services
  • across the UK and internationally
  • for people with mental health conditions, dementia, learning disabilities and autistic people.

The standards can apply to all training providers, including:

  • commercial training providers who deliver training to a range of organisations
  • in-service training providers who develop and deliver the training within their own organisation and may or may not deliver training to other organisations such as other NHS trusts.

The standards will be mandatory for all training with a restrictive intervention component that is delivered to NHS commissioned services for people with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autistic people and people living with dementia in England. Implementation will be via commissioning requirements and inspection frameworks from April 2020. This includes services in the independent private and voluntary sectors.

Wales, and other UK countries, have been advised they “may benefit from following the principles and standards, albeit within a devolved legislative context, where country specific legislation applies.”

You can download the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards 2019 and related resources here.