Unauthorised Replication of This Document, in Whole Or in Part

STAFF HANDBOOK

PROCEDURAL MANUAL

© January 2009Copyright Westminster Homecare Ltd

Unauthorised replication of this document, in whole or in part,

will lead to legal proceedings being implemented against any perpetrator.

Ver 4.0 Jan 2009

Members of
UKHCA

This handbook contains Company Policies &

Procedures pertaining to Employment &

Health & Safety

IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR CONTRACT OF EMPLOYEMENT WITH WESTMINSTER HOMECARE LTD.

IT IS IMPORTANT AND OBLIGATORY THAT YOU READ AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONTENTS.

Further documented Policies and Procedures are in place, which detail all of the aspects covered by this document. These are either referred to, outlined where appropriate within this manual or are available upon request.

CONTENTS OF HANDBOOK

Part 1INTRODUCTION

1Welcome

Part 2CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT &

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT:

2.1Contract of Employment

2.2False Declarations

2.3Salary/Wage Arrangements

and Payments

2.4Training, Supervision and Monitoring of Job Performance

2.5Attendance at Meetings

2.6Staff Performance Appraisals

2.7Identity Cards

2.8Rights of Search

2.9Equal Opportunities

and Discrimination:

2.10Complaints & Compliments

2.11Working Standards

2.12Standards of Dress, Appearance

& Personal Hygiene

2.13General Behaviour/Conduct

at Work

2.14Alcohol Policies

2.15

Smoking Policies

2.16Substance Abuse

2.17Unacceptable Behaviour/Conduct

2.18Behaviour Outside of Working Hours

2.19Completion of Time Sheets

2.20Use and Completion of Service User Notes and Care Plans

2.21Confidentiality & Data Protection

2.22Disciplinary Procedures

2.23Grievance Procedures

& Appeals

2.24Whistle-blowing

2.25Duties NOT to be undertaken

by Care Staff

Part 3ATTENDANCE AT WORK:

3.1WorkingPattern/’Fixed’ Availability

3.2Time-keeping/Punctuality

3.3Sickness/Inability to Attend Work

3.4Unauthorised Absences

3.5Persistence Absences

3.6Medical Health Checks

3.7Authorised/Acceptable Absences

3.8Redundancy

3.9Dismissal

Part 4GENERAL RULES:

4.1Food

4.2Gambling

4.3Refusal of Gifts, Gratuities & Bequests

4.4Use of Mobile Telephones

4.5Loans

4.6Key-holding

4.7Vehicles, MOT, Insurance and Mileage Allowance

4.8Parking

4.9Drivers’ Licences

4.10Personal Property

4.11Personal Mail

4.12Personal Telephone Calls

4.13Private Trading / Enterprise

4.14Audio/Radio Equipment

4.15Unauthorised Persons

4.16Statements to the Media

4.17Notice Boards

& Communications

Part 5OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:

5.1General Health & Safety Policy

5.2Employees’ Responsibilities

5.3Moving and Assisting/Lifting

& Handling Activities

5.4Safety in the Service User’s

Home

5.5Handling Drugs & Medicines

5.6Dealing with Infection Hazards

5.7Use of Household Electrical

Equipment

5.8Fire Hazards

5.9Gas

5.10Water

5.11Handling Hazardous Substances

5.12Food Hygiene

5.13Dealing with Pets

5.14Out-of-Hours Working

& Working in Remote Locations

Part 6DEALING WITH EMERGENCY

SITUATIONS:

6.1Dealing with Accidents

& Non-Medical Emergencies

6.2Dealing with Medical

Emergencies

6.3‘No Reply’ Procedures

6.4Dealing with Violence

& Aggression

6.5Accident/Incident Reporting

Procedures

Part 7SAFE/GOOD WORKING PRACTICES

and INFORMATION:

7.1Hand Washing

7.2Medication and Monitoring

7.3Aids and Adaptations

7.4Personal Care and Hygiene:

• General things to

remember

• Dressing and Undressing
• Bathing (including showering and

bed-bathing)

• Check List

7.5Continence

7.6Stoma Care

7.7Disposal of Body Waste

7.8Food Preparation, Handling

and Storage, and Use of

Cooking Appliances

7.9Domestic/Household Tasks

7.10Shopping/Pension Collection

and Transportation

7.11Social Care/Life

7.12Transmittable Diseases

(Aids, Hepatitis, MRSA)

Part 8EXTRACTS OF ESSENTIAL

POLICIES and PROCEDURES:

POLICY / POLCY NUMBER
CODE OF CONDUCT / 100
TABOO DUTIES (tasks which the Care Worker should NOT do) / 101
STAFF SMOKING & ALCOHOL POLICY / 106
STAFF PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS & TRAINING REVIEW / 107
STAFF SUBSTANCE ABUSE / 108
STAFF UNIFORM AND DRESS CODE POLICY / 109
WHISTLE-BLOWING / 111
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY / 113
CARE STAFF RULES AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS / 115
STAFF DISCIPLINARY, GRIEVANCE & APPEALS PROCEDURES / 116
STAFF SICKNESS, ABSENCE & TIME-KEEPING POLICY / 117
STAFF RETIREMENT & REDUNDANCY POLICY / 118
STAFF SUPERVISION POLICY / 119
DATA PROTECTION / 127
HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY / 204
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES / 205
FOOD PREPARATION AT THE SERVICE USER’S HOME / 309
ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICAL CARE / 310
ASSISTANCE WITH FEEDING / 311
ASSISTANCE WITH BED BATHING / 312
HANDLING SERVICE USERS MONIES & PENSIONS / 322
GIFTS & GRATUITIES / 323
USE OF DISPOSABLE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING / 400
KEY AND ALARM CODE HOLDING / 405
STAFF IDENTIFICATION / 406
ENTERING AND LEAVING A SERVICE USER’S HOME / 407
NO REPLY / 408
ATTEMPTED BREAK-INS/THEFT AT A SERVICE USER’S HOME / 412
VISITS BY BOGUS WORKERS & CALLERS AT THE SERVICE USER’S HOME / 413
HARRASSMENT, ABUSE & AGGRESSION FROM A SERVICE USER / 415
HANDLING SERVICE USER’S PETS / 416
SAFE USE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AT THE SERVICE USER’S HOME / 418
SAFE USE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AT THE SERVICE USER’S HOME / 419
MOVING & ASSISTING / LIFTING & HANDLING ACTIVITIES SUMMARY / 420
ACCIDENTS & INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES WHILE ON DUTY / 428
STAFF WORKING LATE OR ALONE WITH A SERVICE USER / 429
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION / 430

Part 1 - INTRODUCTION

1WELCOME

Welcome to Westminster Homecare Ltd.

We hope that your career with us will be rewarding and happy. Starting a new job is an important move and the purpose of this Handbook and Procedural Manual is to help you to learn about Westminster Homecare, the Conditions of Employment and our Codes of Conduct so that you can settle in quickly and carry out your job duties professionally and with confidence.

As referred to on the cover of this handbook, this document forms an integral part of your Contract of Employment and also serves as a point of reference for guidance throughout your employment with Westminster Homecare Ltd. It will be used during your Induction programme and you will be required to sign and return the appropriate form at the end of the document to signify that you have read and understood its contents.

Westminster Homecare Ltd is a Company specialising in the care of a diverse range of Service Users within their home environment. Our key objective is to ensure that the independence, privacy and dignity of each Service User is maximised and respected to the full through the provision of a comprehensive range of high quality care and welfare services, each delivered to meet specific Service User needs.

As a Domiciliary or Home Care Service Provider we are registered by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (formerly the National Care Standards Commission), and are a member of the United Kingdom Home Care Association. As such we subscribe to the aims, objectives and standards of these organisations.

As a member of our staff you will be actively engaged in providing personal care to our Service Users.

Documented Policies are in place which detail all of the aspects covered by this Handbook and Procedural Manual. These are referred to throughout and some have been included in full for your ease of reference for the most common daily aspects of your duties. Others will be provided upon request or will be issued when appropriate to do so.

We are proud of the reputation that we have built in the Home Care sector, however we are always mindful that this reputation depends upon the people who work for us and provide the care to our Service Users. We are constantly looking at ways of improving our services and our fundamental concern is the care and welfare of our Service Users. Our continuing success depends upon our employees, and how we all interact and co-operate with each other in a strong team-spirited manner.

To achieve this there are agreed rules, guidelines and standards of conduct for all and these are explained in this Handbook and Procedural Manual. You should keep it handy for ready reference and ask your Supervisor or Line Manager if there is anything that you are not sure of.

Sushil Radia

Managing Director

Part 2 - CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

2.1CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT:

Prior to starting your job with us, the appropriate conditions relating to your employment will have been communicated to you. This will have been done at the interview stage and also during your initial Induction session. Upon starting employment with us you will be given a Contract of Employment which clearly sets out the Terms and Conditions of Employment. The Contract of Employment should be read in conjunction with this Handbook and Procedural Manual as they both refer to Company Policies and Procedures. You will be asked to sign them as a condition of your acceptance of the job and a copy of the signed Contract of Employment will be given to you for your safe keeping.

2.2FALSE DECLARATIONS:

It is important to understand the need for complete honesty in the disclosure of information that you provide us with - your personal information is protected through our Confidentiality Policy and Data Protection Policy. However, failing to disclose relevant information that we may ask for, or providing deliberately misleading or incorrect information (e.g. regarding qualifications, age, health, job/character references, previous employment, work experience etc), will be viewed as a serious breach of Contract and classified as Gross Misconduct for purposes of our Disciplinary Procedures. These conditions will also apply in the event that any false declarations are supplied for the purposes of Criminal Records Bureau Checks, Sex Offenders Register and Care Workers Register, which are legally obligatory to be performed on all Home Care staff.

2.3SALARY/WAGE ARRANGEMENTS and PAYMENTS:

2.3.1All staff will have salary/wages paid on a four- weekly or monthly basis in line with the Company’s pay dates that will be communicated to you at Induction and by subsequent notes.

2.3.2Salary and wages payments will be made by direct credit transfer to your nominated Bank or Building Society account (details of which you will have supplied at the time of your Induction).

2.3.3At the time of salary / wage payment you will be

given a Salary Advice Slip which will show:

your gross salary/wage for the period, together with any Holiday Pay, Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity/Paternity Pay or Tax Credits, as appropriate;

any overtime/’On-Call’ payments made, as appropriate to your job;

direct deductions made, which will include income tax, National Insurance contributions and any other amounts agreed between yourself and Westminster Homecare (loans/advances etc.);

other deductions at source required by law (e.g. Court Orders, CSA);

corrections made for any overpayments or underpayments made to you in previous salary/ wage periods, as appropriate.

2.3.4Pay as salaries/Wages will be reviewed on an annual basis and may take into consideration your past performance as defined by your Performance Appraisal. Annual pay reviews are normally scheduled every April but it is not obligatory or guaranteed that increments will be given. This is dependent on the status of Westminster Homecare and the prevalent market/business environment.

2.4TRAINING:

2.4.1During your employment with us you will receive full training in all aspects of your job position. This will start with an Induction Training Programme which is mandatory for all employees, and which is a fundamental condition of employment. Thereafter, Westminster Homecare is committed to the concept of on-going training and you will therefore receive regular specialised training to develop your personal skills and knowledge. This training will be tailored to your job position.

2.4.2You will be expected to attend all training courses relevant to your job and that you will demonstrate pro-activeness in taking advantage of all training made available in order to improve or up-date your own abilities. An annual training programme is maintained and we retain records of all training courses each employee attends, forming an essential part of our Staff Performance Appraisal Programme. Certificates of Attendance will normally be issued for the purposes of your own personal development portfolio.

Your time for attending Mandatory Training sessions will be paid for subject to the terms agreed in the Training Booking Form which will be issued for each training session (mandatory or otherwise).

2.5ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS:

There is a regular programme of staff meetings which are arranged to keep you up-to-date with the latest developments and to let you know what is happening within the Home Care sector and how it affects Westminster Homecare. They also provide a forum for passing on observations, instructions and important information pertaining to your job performance. These meetings will also provide you with the opportunity to share your own thoughts and ideas with other staff members and management.

Although all meetings are minuted, you are expected to attend as part of your on-going training/supervision and all attendance/absenteeism will be recorded for retention on your records for future evaluation.

2.6STAFF SUPERVISION, MONITORING and PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS:

During your employment with us, your job performance will be regularly monitored by your immediate supervisor or manager. This will show us how you are progressing and also enable us to identify those areas where you may need additional training. Job performance is an important factor which we take into account during the annual appraisal review.

2.6.1‘On going’ supervision will take place via announced and unannounced ‘spot’ checks. The findings from these will be recorded and reviewed with you.

2.6.2A programme of ‘one-to-one’ supervision meetings will be developed at regular three-monthlyintervals to review your progress and to offer you an opportunity to express any concerns or areas of difficulty which you may have. These will be recorded and retained on your supervision records.

2.6.3An annual Appraisal will be undertaken to review your overall job performance and to identify your future progression. At this session you will be offered the opportunity to perform a self-assessment which will be compared with your supervisor’s/manager’s assessment for joint discussion. This will be retained on your records.

2.7IDENTITY CARDS:

Each staff member is issued with an Identity Card bearing a photograph of the individual. This should be worn on or above the chest area where it will be clearly visible. This Identity Card must be worn at all times when on duty in accordance with our documented Policy (see Policy Manual), and becomes the “badge” with which a service user will associate you and Westminster Homecare. If the Card is lost or mislaid at any time this must reported immediately to your supervisor / manager for appropriate action. Identity Cards remain the property of Westminster Homecare and must be returned to us when you leave our employment.

2.8RIGHTS OF SEARCH:

Westminster Homecare reserves the right to carry out random checks and searches on an employee’s identity, person and property at any time while the employee is on Westminster Homecare’s premises or Service user’s premises. Such checks and/or searches will be performed by a person of the same sex and the individual will be expected to comply with such a request. However, it should be stressed that being asked to undergo a check/search should not be taken as an automatic assumption of suspicion against the individual concerned.

2.9EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES and DISCRIMINATION:

2.9.1Westminster Homecare is an equal opportunities employer, and operates to a documented Equal Opportunities Policy (see Policy Manual). Employment, recruitment, selection, training, job opportunities and promotional prospects are determined purely on the ability of the individual to fulfil the job requirements.

2.9.2To ensure the fairness of our systems, and the satisfactory working of the Equal Opportunities Policy, we operate an on-going Equal Opportunities monitoring system according to a documented Policy (see Policy Manual).

2.9.3It is our policy that there shall be no discrimination toward employees for any reason of race or ethnic origin, creed, colour, religion, political affiliation, disability or impairments, marital status, parenthood, sexual gender or sexual orientation. The mechanism exists for any employee who feels that he / she has been unfairly discriminated against to address the matter through a documented Grievance Procedure (see 2.23).

2.9.4Westminster Homecare is committed to promoting a harmonious working environment in which no one worker is discriminated against, feels under threat or is intimidated by a co-worker irrespective of their race or ethnic origin, creed, colour, religion, political affiliation, disability or impairments, marital status, parenthood, sexual gender or sexual orientation (see also the Equal Opportunities and Discrimination Policy). Breaches of this will not be tolerated and will be treated as gross misconduct under the disciplinary procedures.

2.9.5Similarly, Westminster Homecare has established documented Policies to address allegations of Harassment and Abuse from Service Users and/or other employees. Harassment/abuse is defined for our purposes as verbal, physical, sectarian, racial and/or sexual.

2.10COMPLAINTS & COMPLIMENTS:

Complaints and compliments are the basic means that a Service User or their representative user has of expressing satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services that we provide. As the person who is in daily contact with a Service User you are likely to be the one that they first communicate with.It is therefore imperative that all feedback is relayed back to the office for review and any action that may be appropriate. This must relate to all Complaints and Compliments received in writing AND those made verbally. As outlined during induction. Should any Complaint be of a serious nature, this should be communicated verbally immediately, always respecting and complying with confidentiality considerations.

2.11WORKING STANDARDS:

Your Job Description, Training Programmes and Westminster Homecare’s Policy Manual, in line with the National Minimum Standards, combine to set the overall standards at work that we expect from our employees. This will be monitored through the Staff Performance Appraisal Programme and ‘spot’ checks. Any incidents of unsatisfactory standards at work will result in the individual concerned undergoing Supervision counselling and may be subject to Westminster Homecare’s Disciplinary Procedure (see 2.22 and the Policy Manual).

2.12STANDARDS OF DRESS, APPEARANCE & PERSONAL HYGIENE:

As a professional organisation providing care we expect our employees to maintain a high standard of smartness, dress and personal hygiene at all times. This contributes to the reassurance of a Service User that he/she is being cared for professionally and reinforces the basic principle that if staff members cannot be seen to take care of themselves then how can Service Users expect them to take care of them! The following rules will apply as minimum requirements for our staff:

2.12.1Uniforms must be worn at all times (unless specifically required otherwise by the Service User), when on duty, including at weekends, in accordance with our dress code. Uniforms must be cleaned and ironed. Trousers or appropriate skirts must be black/navy or dark gray. No jeans or tracksuit bottoms.

2.12.2Hair should be clean and well groomed. If your hair is long it will need to be kept tied back away from the face.

2.12.3Jewellery must be kept to a minimum:

Earrings are limited to plain studs for pierced ears. No other type of earring, or any other facial ring, may be worn.