Policies And Procedures

Question 1

What is a policy?

Answer 1

Plan that outlines the policy purpose and the instructions for carrying out the necessary actions to achieve its aim of keeping service users safe and promoting their rights
Ensure care settings comply with th requirements of legislation
Procedures provde step by step guide on how to complete a task or implement policy

Question 2

Fire safety policy

Answer 2

Every care setting is required by law to have a fire emergency evacuation plan
Fire exits and escape routes kept clear
Care settings have regular fire drills and fire alarms should be tested regulrly to check they are working

Question 3

What is Asbestos?

Answer 3

Found in any building built before the year 2000, causes around 5000 deths every year
Materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged fibres arfe released into the air, when inhaled can cause serious diseases such as lung cancer
Anyone who owns a building is responsible for the maintenance of premise has duty to manage asbestos in the building

Question 4

Duty to manage asbestos responsibilities

Answer 4

Find out if asbestos is present
Make a record of the location, type and condition of asbestos
Assess the risk of anyone being exposed to the asbestos
Prepare plan to manage the risks
Put plan into action, monitor and keep it updated
Provide this info to anyone who might work on or disturb the asbestos

Question 5

Transport policies

Answer 5

Covers the maintenance and safety of vehicles used eg. minibus used for school trips or taking residents on an outing and reassessing risk assessments procedures

Question 6

Transport procedures to follow

Answer 6

Appropriate insurance, driver lisenced to drive vehicle with passesngers
Sat belts fitted and working
Parental consent forms for school/ nursery trips

Question 7

How does implementation of policies and procedures improve Health and safety management systems?

Answer 7

Leadership and the setting of standards by management
Trained employees
A trusting and supporitng environment
Understanding if the risks specific to a particular workplace

Question 8

How does the implementation of policies and procedures impact workplace hazards and risk controls?

Answer 8

Helps avoid injuries, illnesses and incidents
Minimise/eliminate health and safety risks
Safe and healthy working conditions

Question 9

Reasons for risk assessments

Answer 9

Legal requiremtn under HASAWA, written records provide evidence of risk assessments being carried out
Staff, service users and visitors have a right to be protected and kept safe from harm
Check what could cause harm to people using the care setting
Prevent accidents, illnesses and danger

Question 10

Purpose of risk assessment

Answer 10

Check equipment is safe and fit for purpose
Identify potential dangers eg. trip hazards
Work out what could go wrong with an activity
Assess what supervision is needed

Question 11

What are the five steps of carrying out a risk assessment?

Answer 11

1) Look for hazards associated with the activity
2) Identify who might have been harmed and how
3) Consider the level of risk
4) Make a written record of findings
5) Review risk assessments regularly and improve precautions or control measures if necessary

Question 12

What is electrical safety?

Answer 12

Electrical appliances belonging to care settings and residents need to be maintained and checked for safety
Good practice guidance when using electrical appliances

Question 13

Electrical safety policies and procedures

Answer 13

Portable electrical equipment should be tested regularly (PAT testing) depending hwo frequently it’s used
Staff make frequent visual checks for:
-damage to cables#
- damage to plugs
- broken socket covers

Question 14

Safeguarding policy

Answer 14

All care environments must have safeguarding procedures in place, must have namd person responsible for safeguarding, all staff and service users should be aware of procdures to follow to report safeguarding issues

Question 15

Safguarding policies and procedures

Answer 15

All staff must be DBS checked
All staff must hav safeguarding training
All staff must know potential indicators of abuse
Rporting system exists for concerns of abuse

Question 16

Food safety policy

Answer 16

Essential care settings have food hygiene policies and procedures to protect at risk individuals and to comply with food safty legislation

Question 17

Food hygiene procedures

Answer 17

Ensure all work surfaces and equipment are clean before preparing food
Cln surfaces with hot water and anti-bac washing up liquid then anti- bac spray
Wash fruit and vegetables before use
Check use by dates

Question 18

Chemical and biological health hazards policy

Answer 18

Care settings have a policy for dealing with hazardous substances and waste
Stff will have training and agreed ways of working for handling hazardous substances following COSHH guidelins

Question 19

What are examples of chemical and biological health hazards?

Answer 19

Cleaning materials
Disinfectants
Bodily fluids
Medication
Clinical waste such as dressings
Contaminated clothing

Question 20

Disposing of clinical waste and dressings

Answer 20

Yellow bags/ burnt/ incinderated

Question 21

Disposing of body fluids, urine, faeces

Answer 21

Flushed down toilet

Question 22

Disposing of medication, out fo date or no longer required

Answer 22

Taken to local pharmacy or GP surgry

Question 23

Disposing of needles, sharps and syringes

Answer 23

Yellow sharps box or contact local council to collect

Question 24

Disposing of spoiled linen

Answer 24

Red bags put directly into the washing machine; bags dissolve, wash at high temp

Question 25

Storage and dispensing of medicine policy

Answer 25

Should be a medicines policy and clear procedures giving correct ways of working for employers to follow, only stff who have completed appropriate training can give medication

Question 26

Lone working policy

Answer 26

Individuals who work in the community in a separate location ot their team or manager eg. social workers, personal care staff
Enables safe systems to be developed by helping staff identify the risks and consider appropriate ways to reduce those risks
Includes incident reporting, helps to establish what the problems are to develop appropriate prevention masures

Question 27

Key risks of lone working

Answer 27

Satff oftn required to work all hours including late nights
Social workrs take children away from their home, highly intense and emotional experience for parents, chilren and social workers
Personal care staff can be mistaken for health visitors carrying drugs and may be attacked

Question 28

Procedures for safe lone working

Answer 28

Carrying a personal alarm
Carrying a basic mobile phone
Take self defence training

Question 29

Security of premises, possessions and individuals policy

Answer 29

Necessary to keep staff and service users safe from intruders by preventing unauthorised individuals who may be violent or steal individuals possessions from entering the care settings
Necessary to prevent vulnerable individuals from leaving the care setting unsupervised will also ensure the setting complies with health and safety legislation

Question 30

Security procedures

Answer 30

Staff wearing ID lanyards
Locking external doors and gates
CCTV monitoring external entrances

Question 31

Reasons for reviewing policies and procdures

Answer 31

Ensure they reflect any chnags in legislation
Keep them up to date
Check they ar being implemented effectively