Unit 7- Principles of Safe Practice in Health and Social Care
Aim C Assignment: Investigate the influence of health and safety legislation and policies in health
and social care settings.
Introduction
P6: Compare the influence of different health and safety laws or policies on health and social care
practice in a selected setting.
Employers have a responsibility to protect their employees' safety. Maintaining health and safety in
any health and social care environment where the public is at risk is critical. This will have a
beneficial influence since it assures the safety of all service users and providers. These health and
safety laws and policies must be followed by health and social care settings. As previously stated, it
will protect service users and individuals in the setting from harm. The Health and Safety at Work Act
of 1974, for example, is a legislation that aims to decrease and reduce risks to individuals at the
workplace. They must write policies to follow this act, however they will vary depending on the
needs of the organisation.
As seen in the first case study, the health and safety act are not being promoted since the garden
gates are damaged and broken, allowing service users to roam around and wander whilst suffering
from dementia. This is extremely risky since it increases the possibility of service users becoming lost
or involved in a harmful incident. This danger can be decreased and enhanced if care
professionals install and fix the garden gates since service users are vulnerable and then cannot
escape. This would benefit the service users since they would not wander off, and also would benefit
the employees as they would not have to worry about whether they were gone or not.
Another piece of legislation is the Data Protection Act of 1998, which requires professionals to keep
service users' information confidential until asked with permission, as well as other organisations if
they want to do more research. This promotes health and safety since service users can decide what
to do with their information as well as having full access to it. Another reason it benefits them is
because they may contribute it to organisations that need to further their research, which can
benefit them in the future if it helps ease their health issues.
In the case study First Residence, records of the money incident were not written in the diary
correctly by the manager. This puts Elise’s welfare at risk due to their information not being
protected, which is why the General Data Protection Act should be enforced in this setting. It is
important to keep records for any accidents or incidents written clearly and correctly, that have
happened in case there is a complaint made.
The Care Standards Act (2000) establishes many requirements for nursing, residential, and
domiciliary care that employers must meet. This improves health and safety because
professionals must follow guidelines, letting service users to know they are being treated correctly
and safely. It also has a good influence on them because it allows them to know they are receiving
the greatest quality care and support from health and social care professionals.
The Care Standards Act is not being followed because the care workers lied about where Elisa's
money was and recorded that it had been found, which is morally wrong because nurses promised
to perform their duty of care, but instead of looking for it and telling Elise that it could not be found,
they lied. Instead, they should inform her that they can't locate it and that there's nothing they can
do since it's ethically wrong. This would benefit Elise since she would be informed the truth and so
feel at comfortable knowing the truth.
Aim C Assignment: Investigate the influence of health and safety legislation and policies in health
and social care settings.
Introduction
P6: Compare the influence of different health and safety laws or policies on health and social care
practice in a selected setting.
Employers have a responsibility to protect their employees' safety. Maintaining health and safety in
any health and social care environment where the public is at risk is critical. This will have a
beneficial influence since it assures the safety of all service users and providers. These health and
safety laws and policies must be followed by health and social care settings. As previously stated, it
will protect service users and individuals in the setting from harm. The Health and Safety at Work Act
of 1974, for example, is a legislation that aims to decrease and reduce risks to individuals at the
workplace. They must write policies to follow this act, however they will vary depending on the
needs of the organisation.
As seen in the first case study, the health and safety act are not being promoted since the garden
gates are damaged and broken, allowing service users to roam around and wander whilst suffering
from dementia. This is extremely risky since it increases the possibility of service users becoming lost
or involved in a harmful incident. This danger can be decreased and enhanced if care
professionals install and fix the garden gates since service users are vulnerable and then cannot
escape. This would benefit the service users since they would not wander off, and also would benefit
the employees as they would not have to worry about whether they were gone or not.
Another piece of legislation is the Data Protection Act of 1998, which requires professionals to keep
service users' information confidential until asked with permission, as well as other organisations if
they want to do more research. This promotes health and safety since service users can decide what
to do with their information as well as having full access to it. Another reason it benefits them is
because they may contribute it to organisations that need to further their research, which can
benefit them in the future if it helps ease their health issues.
In the case study First Residence, records of the money incident were not written in the diary
correctly by the manager. This puts Elise’s welfare at risk due to their information not being
protected, which is why the General Data Protection Act should be enforced in this setting. It is
important to keep records for any accidents or incidents written clearly and correctly, that have
happened in case there is a complaint made.
The Care Standards Act (2000) establishes many requirements for nursing, residential, and
domiciliary care that employers must meet. This improves health and safety because
professionals must follow guidelines, letting service users to know they are being treated correctly
and safely. It also has a good influence on them because it allows them to know they are receiving
the greatest quality care and support from health and social care professionals.
The Care Standards Act is not being followed because the care workers lied about where Elisa's
money was and recorded that it had been found, which is morally wrong because nurses promised
to perform their duty of care, but instead of looking for it and telling Elise that it could not be found,
they lied. Instead, they should inform her that they can't locate it and that there's nothing they can
do since it's ethically wrong. This would benefit Elise since she would be informed the truth and so
feel at comfortable knowing the truth.
