Welcome to the UKQCS newsletter. If you cannot see this email in graphical format, a formatted copy is available at www.ukqcs.info/newsletters.htm, together with an archive of past copies. This newsletter is free, so please pass it on to your colleagues, who can sign on for their own copy by visiting our website at www.ukqcs.com and completing the brief details requested. www.ukqcs.info has been launched to provide clients and others with full information on the rapidly expanding range of support services provided by UKQCS. Up dates loaded this week include: C0400 - Avoidance of Abuse Policy and Procedure, edited to include Scottish law references and generally reviewed. A2760 - Smoking Policy and Procedure – Care Home, edited to include Scottish law references and generally reviewed. M0420 - Fire Safety Policy and Procedure, edited to include a checklist for fire safety checks to be completed during each shift, and a designated smoking room checklist, and generally reviewed. M0310 - Fire Alarm Response Policy and Procedure, edited to include customised references to on-site fire evacuation gathering areas, off-site places of safety and contact details, and generally reviewed. Existing clients will need to supply us details of these new customisable fields so we can add them to their manuals. This is a no cost upgrade. A1775 – Home Closure Policy and Procedure, a new policy required by regulation in Scotland, and advisory in England and Wales. A2625 – Residency Agreement (Scotland), a required document in Scotland, with a standard format, which includes considerable customisation. H1550 Laundry Safety Checklist, a new document to formalise laundry machine safety checks as part of fire safety checks. K1050 Kitchen Safety Checklist, a new document to formalise kitchen safety checks as part of fire safety checks. K0500 Catering Policy and Procedure, edited to include improved references to HACCP and “Safer Food, Safer Business” guidelines. Click here for details of the UKQCS Quality Management System the following have been added to the Useful Documents section of your client website CSCI - Policy and Guidance CRB POVA and POCA checks Scottish Executive - info-leaflet on smoking CSCI - CSCI internal safeguarding adults strategy meeting form CSCI - guidance on immunisation in care homes CSCI - guidance on medicine administration CSCI - regulation 37 notification of death illness and other events CSCI - safeguarding adults protocol CSCI - their internal POVA referral form CSCI - training care workers to administer medicine DoH - health work and well being Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice Click here for details of the UKQCS indemnified HR Support package Click here for details of the UKQCS Quality Management System Welcome to several new clients taken on during the past 2 weeks who came to us for help with their AQAA returns, and found that the Management System substantially solved their problem. In two cases we obtained the data and loaded the customised system within 72 hours, allowing one home to return their AQAA on time only four days after placing the order. Click here for details of the UKQCS indemnified HR Support package Several newspapers have reported that deep on the Chancellors recent announcement documentation is a hint that consideration may be given to aligning England with Scotland, and the State paying the personal care element of care home fees. The text says that a green paper (a consultation exercise) will be published maybe as early as November. Ministers have tried to pour cold water on the idea, but not with much conviction, and the reports are persistent nonetheless. Maybe it is an election year after all? See http://tinyurl.com/26vuzq and http://tinyurl.com/32884o Click here for details of the UKQCS Quality Management System A very recent Tribunal decision ruled that it is not necessary to state in a disciplinary letter, such as one inviting an employee to an interview, that the employer need not necessarily say that dismissal is contemplated, as long as the letter makes it clear that the invitation is part of “formal disciplinary proceedings”. Click here for details of the UKQCS indemnified HR Support package There has been publicity recently, due to the interest taken in the matter by a Scottish MP, on the issue of covert medication. Covert medication can be a serious breach of personal rights, and dangerous in that tablets in particular are layered constructions and crushing dramatically changes the action of the active ingredient. We repeat the relevant section of the UKQCS policy Only administer crushed tablets if: There are no alternatives forms. The GP and Pharmacist have been consulted about the issue The Service User has been informed of the risks of administering crushed tablets, and given valid consent to this form of administration. A respected body of professional opinion would have crushed the medication in the same circumstances. The evidence stands up to logical analysis. Click here for details of the UKQCS Quality Management System The Caroline Walker Trust has launched a new web site at www.cwt.org.uk. The CWT is an excellent source of publications about nutritional matters. Click here for details of the UKQCS indemnified HR Support package Laing and Buisson’s latest report on the older people care home market predicts that the number of care home beds is set to rise from now on, as a result of the end of the dip in the number of older people coupled with the reducing influence of the policy of promoting care in the home Online care sector management and quality assurance systems, information at www.ukqcs.info/online_manual.htm Care Training including NVQ, information at www.ukqcs.info/training.htm Personnel/Employment Law support/HR indemnity package, information at www.ukqcs.info/hr_support.htm HR/Personnel/Payroll outsourcing (details to follow) Audits; CSCI and RDB pre-audits, information at www.ukqcs.info/health_check.htm CRB/POVA checking, information at www.ukqcs.info/health_check.htm Induction, including LDAF, information at www.ukqcs.info/induction.htm Care and Business Consultancy, information at www.ukqcs.info/consultancy.htm Company registered in England & Wales Reg No 5776646. Registered Office 1 Blackley Hall Cottages, Pont-y-Capel Lane, Gresford, Wrexham. LL12 8SA Tel: 08707 489 899 Fax: 08701 316 817 Email: info@ukqcs.info Web: www.ukqcs.info
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