Staff Handbook

Doctors,Nurses, Phlebotomists, Paramedics & Healthcare Assistants

This Agency Worker Handbook was last reviewed March 2016

Date of next review: March 2017

UPDATES

Our contracts with our customers require us to update this Handbook annually, and once updated we are also required to get a new written (or e-signed) confirmation from you that you have read and familiarised yourself with the updated contents.

Handbook for Agency Workers

Contents

Introduction & Useful Numbers

Working for MedechoLTD

1.Compliance

Agency Worker Regulations

2.Timesheets

Payments

Insurances

Revalidation

3.Booking shifts

Communications

Attendance

Timekeeping

Cancellations

4.Before you start work

General Obligations

Fitness to practice

Enhanced Criminal Record Disclosure

Enhanced DBS Update Service

Renewal of Enhanced DBS

Rehabilitation of offenders act (1974)

Criminal Convictions / Cautions

5.Documentation

ID Badge, assignments,

Engagement/employment by a client

Client policies & procedures

6.Important Operational Policies and procedures

Safeguarding children and young people,

Codes of conduct,

Substance misuse,

Confidentiality,

Data Protection,

Computer use,

Equal opportunities, Harassment / bullying,

Allegations of abuse

Medicines Management

7.Training and development

Induction training

Annual training

8.Complaints reporting

9.Disciplinary Procedures and removal from Medecho Register

10.Whistle Blowing Policy

11.Health & Safety Guidance

Health & safety Policy

Health & Safety Guidance

Safety Requirements

Identifying and reporting hazards

Accident & Incident reporting

12.Reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)

Seven day injuries

Three day injuries

Occupational Diseases

13.The Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health (COSHH) Regulations

14.Occupational Health

15.Agency Worker Declaration

Introduction

Welcome to MedechoLtd and thank you for choosing to work with our company. Our aim is to provide an effective temporary healthcare recruitment service to both our Clients and our Agency Workers. As a nursing agency we operate nationwide which means regardless of where you are based we will be able to help you find your ideal nursing job. We have built a solid reputation since the company was established and continue to provide a quality service. We are dedicated to offering our Agency Workers an exemplary service through which you can develop your career, by offering choice and convenience along with professional support.

This handbook contains policies, procedures and statements that are informative and which will be of assistance to you during each assignment you undertake. It is not practical for such a handbook to cover every situation which may arise during the course of your assignments, nor does its content replace any policies and procedures which may be in place at the hospital, trust or home to which you are assigned.

You should read it thoroughly and familiarise yourself with the information provided. It includes a number of guidelines and standards required under the Framework Agreements we have with the NHS. It is important that you fully understand everything covered in it. Whilst this handbook outlines Medecho Ltd own policies and standards, these do not supersede the national guidelines of the NMC and the GMC and any other professional membership bodies such as the HCPC.

Parts of the Handbook will be updated from time to time to reflect any changes. Whenever this happens we will give you notification. It is your responsibility to review the changes and seek advice if you do not understand any of the contents of this Handbook, it is important that you thoroughly read through the handbook and understand what is required of you. If you have any questions please raise them with your Consultant at the earliest opportunity.

On behalf of all the team, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to MedechoLTD

Useful Contacts / Telephone Numbers
Main Office(24 hours per day) / 020 8969 9915
Office Fax / 020 8969 9916
General Medical Council / 0161 923 6602
Nursing & Midwifery Council / 0207 6377 181
Health & Care Professions Council / 0300 500 6184

Working for MedechoLTD

  1. Compliance

The process of reaching and maintaining compliance with government legislation and Client requirements are managed for you by Medecho Ltd compliance team We work with local Branch Consultants and Nurse Recruiters initially to ensure that all new applications are processed efficiently and accurately to maintain each Agency Workers’ records at full compliance, ensuring that you never find that you are unable to work in a particular area because an item in your file is missing or has lapsed. Once your recruitment file, including qualifications, references, health & training has been established, you will be offered work. We will alert you whenever any of your documentation requires updating, and you should immediately take steps to ensure that these items are updated. In most instances many of our contracts do not offer any grace period so once a document has expired, you will be required to immediately stop working. In the case of annual training, a refresher course should be booked in good time to ensure no gaps in your work offerings. Please contact your Consultant if you require any assistance. Your timesheet is a crucial document that generates the invoice to the Client and our payroll department. You must ensure that the information on these timesheets is accurate and a true reflection of hours worked. Timesheets are subject to scrutiny and audit by our own company and the Client. Any discrepancies will be noted and investigated accordingly. The following guidelines will help ensure you are paid correctly and on time. Please read carefully.

1.1Agency Worker Regulations

The Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) were established to give agency workers the right to the same basic employment and working conditions as if they had been recruited directly by a company.

Day 1 Rights

From Day 1 of a placement you are automatically entitled to have access to collective amenities and facilities, such as a staff canteen or car parking (unless there are particular circumstances where these cannot be made available). The organisation is also required to give you access to information for relevant job vacancies within the company. If you have any queries relating to what is available, please contact your recruitment consultant.

After 12 weeks in the same job

After you have worked in the same role with the same client for 12 weeks, you will qualify for equal treatment in respect of pay and basic working conditions, including annual leave, as if you were directly employed by the client. You can accumulate these weeks even if you only work a few hours a week. However, if you start a new assignment with the same employer which is substantially different or there is a break of six calendar weeks in the same job then the ‘qualifying clock’ is reset. If your role substantially changes, your recruitment consultant will inform you of your new duties. Whenever you are booked in to a job, we will ask you about any previous shifts you have worked with the client in order for us to monitor the 12 week qualifying period for you and to help establish when you are entitled to equal treatment.

For more detailed information please visit:

  1. Timesheets, Payment,Tax And National Insurance, Sickness Benefit, Working Time Regulations & Holiday Allowance, and Insurance Guidelines

2.1 Timesheets

  • Please complete your timesheet in full.
  • Complete the date and ensure it is written in the right box
  • Ensure the timesheet is signed at the side of each shift in the box allocated and or at the bottom of the timesheet
  • Payment is weekly and will always be on a Friday
  • Your timesheets need to be in by 12.00pm Wednesday afternoon to ensure you are paid the following Friday
  • We advise that you send your timesheets by Wednesday of each week to make sure they arrive on time, payment will be delayed and made the following if this deadline is not adhered to.

If the timesheet is not signed by you and an authorised signatory, it cannot be processed.

2.2 Rates of Pay

Different pay rates apply to different assignments and details of pay rates are given to you when you join MedechoLtd by you Consultant and they are reviewed annually, as pay rates may change. It is a good idea to confirm which rate of pay applies, when booking shifts and which clinical grade you have been booked at. This ensures that you can complete your timesheet accurately before asking the person in charge to sign it.

2.4 Method of Payment

Payment will be made by Bankers' Automated Clearing Services (BACS) directly into your bank/building society account on a weekly basis. If there are any changesto your personal circumstances, e.g. change of address or bank details. Please note that we will not accept changes to your banking/building society details over the telephone. All changes must be in person by writing, email confirmation is acceptable.

2.5 Insurance Guidelines

AnyMedecho Ltd Agency Workers that are self-employed / Limited Company Contractors are responsible for their own actions, errors or omissions at work.The UK Government has introduced new legislation which requires regulated healthcare professionals from July 2014 to have relevant insurance or indemnity to cover their practiceand confirm this to their professionalbody please see further guidance. All Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Professionals therefore strongly encouraged to take out Personal Accident, Malpractice and Public Liability insurance policy appropriate to your needs, which will provide adequate cover. If you are a member of a professional body you should check the cover that may be included with your membership.

2.6 Motor Insurance

The use of a private motor vehicle travelling to, from or during an assignment is "own business use" and you are advised to check with your motor vehicle insurance company to confirm that you are covered for such risks and to arrange such cover where this is necessary. If you transport a Client in your own vehicle, you must have "own business" cover for passengers as well as for yourself. A copy of this certificate must be given to your compliance team, together with a copy of your current driving licence.

2.6 Doctors - Revalidation

Licensed doctors are required to demonstrate on regular basis that they are up-to-date and fit to practice. This process is called revalidation and is designed to increase patient confidence, improve the overall quality of patient care and support your continuing professional development. As of 3 December 2012, all doctors are now required to have their license with the GMC revalidated every five years based on comprehensive appraisals undertaken over that five year period. How does revalidation work? Firstly, you will need to identify the ‘designated body’ that will help you with revalidation. Typically, this is the organisation with which you are most connected e.g. your hospital, GP practice or locum agency.

If you consider Medecho to be your designated body, please contact our revalidation support team on

r speak to your recruitment consultant. A ‘Responsible Officer’ from your designated body will arrange annual appraisals which are based on the core guidance for doctors set out in the Good Medical Practice (GMP).

The appraisals will focus on the four following areas:

1. Knowledge, skills and performance.

2. Safety and quality.

3. Communication, partnership and teamwork.

4. Maintaining trust.

Essentially, the appraisal process is there to help you monitor your performance, evidence that you are up to-date and fit to continue to practice, enable you to reflect on the supporting information you have collected (see below) and identify areas for practice development. Based on the feedback from your appraisals as well as other information drawn from your designated body’s clinical governance systems, every 5 years your responsible officer will make a recommendation to the GMC that your license should be revalidated. Finally, the GMC will carry out its own series of checks, after which your license will be revalidated and you will be able to continue to practice. When you register with Medecho you are required to provide the name of your Responsible Officer and your next revalidation review date.We gather information regarding your previous appraisals and planned appraisals within our registration process and will check to ensure your appraiser is of the appropriate grade. If this information changes at any point, please let your recruitment consultant know.

Supporting Information

During your appraisals you will need to demonstrate how you adhere to the GMP framework by providing the following supporting information:

1. Continuing professional development (CPD)

2. Quality improvement activity

3. Significant events

4. Feedback from colleagues

5. Feedback from patients

6. Review of complaints and compliments

While some of the details will be provided by your designated body, a significant amount of this information will need to be collected by you. It is expected that you will spend at least half a day on personal development a month (about 6 days a year in total). Doctors often don’t realise how much they do, so you must log the books and journals you read and any meetings or events you attend. You will also be required to collect the feedback from your patients and colleagues to reflect on.

2.7Nurses – Revalidation

Medecho support all Nurses that are registered through the revalidation process, comprehensive guidance can be sought from

Revalidation is the new process that all nurses and midwives in the UK will need to follow to maintain their registration with the NMC.

Taking effect from April 2016, revalidation is straightforward and will help you as a nurse or midwife demonstrates that you practise safely and effectively. It will encourage you to reflect on the role ofthe Codein your practice and demonstrate that you are 'living'the standards set out within it.

This new process replaces the Prep requirements, and you will have to revalidate every three years to renew your registration.

You will need to submit your application for revalidation online, so it’s very important that you have an NMC Online account. If you haven’t already, you can set up your

We will make reasonable adjustments for you if you have a disability which means that you may find using NMC Online difficult. We also have special arrangements in place for you if you cannot meet the revalidation requirements because of exceptional circumstances. For more information about reasonable adjustments and exceptional circumstances please see our

THE REQUIREMENTS

  • 450 practice hours, or 900 if renewing as both a nurse and midwife
  • 35 hours of CPD including 20 hours of participatory learning
  • Five pieces of practice-related feedback
  • Five written reflective accounts
  • Reflective discussion
  • Health and character declaration
  • Professional indemnity arrangement
  • Confirmation

Revalidation will provide benefits for you as a nurse or midwife as well as the people you care for. It will help to encourage a culture of sharing, reflection and improvement and will be an ongoing process throughout your career.

It is important to know that revalidation is not about making an assessment of your fitness to practise;it is about promoting good practice across the whole population of nurses and midwives, as well as strengthening public confidence in the nursing and midwifery professions.

3. Booking Shifts, Communications, Attendance, Timekeeping and Cancellations

Booking Shifts: Please book all your shifts by telephoning your personal Medecho Consultant. Regular and effective contact is vital so we can find you the work you want. Let us know your availability and key requirements as often as necessary.

As an agency that provides a quality last minute shift requirement service, we need to ensure that we always present professionally and efficiently. Clients rely on our company to source quality staff to fill shortfalls in their staffing needs due to sickness, annual leave and rota shortages. When we fill a shift we need to ensure this is upheld and doesn’t leave our Client short staffed and patients at risk.

We appreciate that sometimes unavoidable things do occur however you must always try and give usas much notice as possible if you have to cancel a shift.

  • If you feel slightly unwell, but are unsure if you will need to cancel the shift still advise us of the situation so we can be prepared if a replacement is needed.
  • To cancel a shift you have already accepted, please phone your Consultant immediately. Shiftcancellations will not be accepted by email or text.

You will be required to complete a cancellation form sent to you by your consultant.

  • If running late for work, please contact your Consultant or the main office immediately. Always call before the shift is due to start and please give a realistic estimated timeof arrival. If your journey is further delayed, please update us again.

Tel:020 8969 9915

It is always better for us to call ahead and inform a Client of lateness, than the Client calling us looking for a worker running late. This will look unprofessional and may affect future work allocation from that Client.

Please:

  • Allow plenty of time to travel to work, particularly if travelling by bus or tube, which are frequently subjected to disruptions and can run behind time

4. Before You Start Work

4.1 General Obligations

1) As an Agency Worker to be deployed in the provision of the Services you need to be aware that at all times whilst on the Client’s premises you:

a)are under the direction, supervision and control of the Client at all times.

b)MUST ENSURE YOU RECEIVE FULL INDUCTION & ORIENTATION TRAINING BY THE CLIENT PRIOR TO STARTING AN ASSIGNMENT. YOU MUST ENSURE YOU HAVE RECEIVED AND READ ALL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE CLIENT IN ORDER TO KEEP YOU, YOUR COLLEAGUES, PATIENTS AND CLIENT SAFE. DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK.