A duty of care is the requirement that all health and social care professionals, and organisations providing health and care services, must put the interests of service users first.
Working in the health and social care sector involves working with lots of different people with a variety of needs, dependencies, backgrounds and wishes. As a care worker, you have a duty of care towards all the people you are involved with, during your working hours. This means you have to employ a reasonable level of care, to ensure they are kept safe from harm, abuse and injury.