2.2 Describe why it is important to adhere to the agreed scope of the job role

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Describe why it is important to adhere to the agreed scope of the job role.

Adhering to your job role’s boundaries shapes your day-to-day work in health and social care. You might feel tempted to help someone beyond your set duties. Still, you must stay within what your employer and your training set, for good reasons. Your agreed scope describes your duties, the tasks you should carry out, and the limits of your authority. It is usually explained in your job description, workplace policies, and procedures.

In this guide, we will look at why keeping to this agreed scope is so important in mental health settings.

Keeping People Safe

Your main job as a care worker is to keep everyone safe, including yourself. Staying within your job role helps lower the chance of something going wrong.

• If you only do tasks you are trained and allowed to do, you lower the risk of accidents.
• For example, giving medication is often not allowed unless you have had the correct training.
• You might spot a health issue, but only a nurse or doctor should diagnose or treat it.

Accidents, mistakes, or serious incidents often happen when staff act outside their job description. Maybe someone tries to lift a person without training or uncovers a problem but does not report it correctly. These actions can put people at harm.

Upholding Professional Boundaries

Professional boundaries mean knowing what is and isn’t your responsibility. These boundaries protect:

• People who get care
• You, as a worker
• The organisation

If you overstep these boundaries, you can confuse or upset the person you support. They may stop trusting staff and feel anxious. You might find yourself in awkward or risky situations.

Sticking to your agreed scope means:

• Keeping your relationships with people you support professional, not personal
• Not sharing your own personal troubles
• Reporting concerns instead of ‘fixing’ things alone

Legal Protection

UK law sets out rules for care workers. If you work outside your agreed job scope, you might break the law. This could include:

• Giving medication or treatment without the right permissions
• Carrying out tasks you have no training for
• Failing to report concerns about abuse or neglect

These actions might risk:

• Disciplinary action from your employer
• Police involvement if serious harm occurs
• Being barred from working in health and social care again

Following your job description helps you work within the law. The Mental Health Act 1983, the Care Act 2014, and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 all set out these requirements.

Avoiding Confusion and Conflict

Every role in health and social care is designed for a reason. Each team member has set duties. If you try to do a colleague’s job, you can cause confusion or delays. Tasks may get missed, or two people might do the same thing.

This can upset team relationships. Arguments or bad feeling may happen if you ‘step on someone’s toes’. It damages teamwork and makes work harder for everyone. Sticking to your own duties keeps the team working smoothly.

Delivering Safe and Quality Care

People need to get the right type of care at the right time. If you go outside your job role, you may not have the skills or knowledge for the task. This might lead to mistakes that cause:

• Harm or distress to the person
• Missed opportunities to involve clinical or specialist staff
• Wrong advice or information being given

Keeping to the agreed scope of your job means the person you care for gets the best possible support from the person best suited for the task.

Respecting Individual Rights

Everyone has the right to safe, fair, and respectful care. When you stick to your agreed job scope, you treat everyone equally. You do not make promises you cannot keep. You do not judge or assume you know what is best for someone, unless it’s covered under your duty of care.

Respecting the boundaries of your role supports dignity and privacy. It helps you treat each person as an individual.

Supporting Organisational Values

Every care setting has a set of values and aims. These might include respect, honesty, dignity, and teamwork. When workers stick to their agreed roles, it shows respect for these values.

Organisations design job roles so that tasks are shared and all needs are met. This is part of high-quality care. If everyone sticks to their role, the workplace runs smoothly and meets required standards.

Following Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures guide your daily work. They:

• List the tasks allowed in your role
• Tell you what to report, and when
• Outline where to find advice or support

Sticking to your job scope means following these guidelines. You do not make decisions or take actions outside what is allowed. This includes reporting concerns about abuse, or following infection control measures.

Promoting Trust

People you support trust that you know what you are doing. They rely on you to behave as your employer and the law expects. When you follow your job role limits, you build trust.

If you ever make promises or offer help outside your training, you risk breaking that trust if you cannot help. People may feel let down, confused, or unsafe. Trust and relationships depend on staff working within their job scope.

Receiving Supervision and Support

Your manager is responsible for giving you training, supervision, and support in your job. If you take on tasks outside your role, your manager cannot support you in the best way. You may need help, or further training, before taking on new duties.

Always ask your manager or supervisor if you are unsure if something is part of your job role. Keeping within your agreed scope helps you get the right support for your development.

Accountability

Accountability means being responsible for what you do at work. If you stick to your agreed job role, you can clearly describe and explain your actions. If a mistake happens, it is easier to see where things went wrong and to learn from it.

You stay accountable by:

• Keeping clear records of your work
• Reporting to your supervisor when needed
• Being open about what you can and cannot do

If you go beyond your job role, it is harder to track what happened, which can cause problems later.

Dealing with Mental Health Needs

People with mental health needs rely on skilled staff. You might notice changes in someone’s mood or behaviour. It is not your job to diagnose, but to observe and report.

If you ever try to act as a counsellor, therapist, or prescriber without the right qualifications:

• You could do more harm than good
• You might miss important warning signs
• The person may be put in danger

Your role is to support daily living, encourage positive choices, and pass on concerns to specialists when needed.

Examples of Overstepping the Agreed Scope

It may help to see what overstepping your agreed scope looks like:

• Giving medication without permission
• Trying to restrain someone when you are not trained
• Making health or treatment decisions for others
• Promising treatment or outcomes you cannot deliver
• Using physical interventions without guidance
• Giving personal advice about finances or legal issues
• Contacting family or outside agencies without consent or authority
• Modifying someone’s care plan on your own

Each of these can cause harm and lead to disciplinary or legal consequences.

Practical Steps to Stay Within Your Agreed Scope

To stick to your agreed job role:

• Read and understand your job description
• Ask your manager if you are unsure about a task
• Follow all induction and ongoing training
• Keep up with organisational policies
• Record your actions clearly
• Let your supervisor know if you think the person needs extra help
• Decline tasks that are outside your role, explaining calmly and confidently

Role of Training and Supervision

Your training shapes what you can and cannot do. Some tasks are reserved for experienced or specially trained staff. Supervision gives you a regular chance to talk about your workload and any challenges.

Never do something you are not trained or confident to do. Training is the main way your organisation protects you and the people you support.

Adapting When Situations Change

Sometimes situations change unexpectedly. The needs of a person may grow, or something unusual might happen. Still, you must keep to your agreed scope. If in doubt:

• Speak to your supervisor urgently
• Record what concerns you
• Follow guidance for reporting or escalating worries

Never try to solve new, complex problems by yourself. Many workplaces have emergency policies for these occasions.

How Your Scope Links to Organisational Objectives

Sticking closely to your job scope helps the whole team meet shared goals. These include:

• Safe care
• Happy and healthy service users
• Legal compliance
• Satisfied families and professionals
• Good inspection results

If staff overstep their scope, mistakes and complaints are more likely.

Final Thoughts

Sticking to the agreed scope of your job role is not about saying ‘no’ to extra work. It is about protecting people—both those you support and yourself. It means delivering high quality, safe care, being clear about your duties, and keeping within the law.

Every task in the care sector connects to training, policy, and agreed duties. If you stick closely to your job description, you help everyone work well together. When you face something outside your scope, raise it for discussion. This professional approach keeps the workplace safe and positive for everyone.

Always value your role, know its boundaries, and ask for help if something feels outside your experience. By doing this, you provide the best possible support to those with mental health needs and remain a trusted member of your team.