P4: Identify key aspects of legislation and guidelines relevant to the prevention and control of infection in a health or social care setting. In a health and social care environment, it is quite important that everybody is following the legislations and guidelines that are relevant to the prevention control of infection in a health or social care setting. The legislations and guidelines include: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, The Public Health Act 1984(Control of disease), The Food Safety Regulation (General Food Hygiene 1995), the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 and COSHH 2002(Control of Substances Hazardous and Health). Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Health and Safety at Work Act was created in 1974. The aim of this act is to ensure that the health and safety of everybody who are using the health and social care services is not at risk and is instead, protected. In order for this to act to protect the health and safety of individuals who are using the health and social care services, all the staff need to make sure that they follow certain procedures which must be done to prevent infections to take place. Also, all the staff must make sure …show more content…
This act must make sure that all the staff that uses the health and social care services report any type of infections which take place. If there is an infection report, then a member of staff must make sure that they inform the local authority which will then send the report to the Health Protection Agency. After this happens, there is likely to be an examination which will include getting data about how the infection took place as well as how to prevent others who use the health and social care services from catching the infection. However, if somebody has an infection and this is not reported, then a staff may be under an investigation as this can risk the health of other people as well as the person who has an
In accordance with this the hospital makes sure we follow guidelines laid down by Joint commission Standards. The compliance includes four areas…Information management, Infection control, Communication and Medication Management. The Goal here is patient safety and providing patients with safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
There are laws and legal regulations about infection prevention and control. Most of the legal regulations relating to infection prevention and control come under the Health and Safety at Work Act; this act is about ensuring a safe work place for employers, employees and members of the public by minimising accidents at work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations introduced the need for monitoring health and safety and risk assessment; including infection prevention and control. The Food Safety Act was brought in to ensure safe practices for food to avoid contamination and spreading of infection and includes handling, storing and disposal of food.
In addition, risk assessments should be undertaken for example; each person who has a catheter; PEG feed; pressure sore; or other factor which makes them more susceptible to the risk of infection. Ultimately anyone within the home who can cause infection are subject to risk assessment under the COSHH Regulations and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1992. It is important that infected residents are isolated and infected staff excluded from work, until 48 hours after the symptoms have settled. Management of cases should be planned following a risk assessment, which should consider continence, personal hygiene, overall health, likelihood of physical contact with other residents or their food, the facilities available and the vulnerability of other residents. The local HPU can advise on this process. Infected residents should, if possible, have sole use of a designated toilet or commode as long as their symptoms persist. In the case of a likely norovirus infection, they should keep a designated toilet facility for 48 hours after their symptoms have settled.
The health and safety at work Act 1974, this the primary piece of legislation covering the work related health and safety in the united kingdom . it set s out a lot of employers’ responsibilities for health and safety at work
Describe the roles and responsibilities of personnel in relation to infection prevention and control in a health or social care setting
If you have concerns about the care and safety of service users and feel like you can’t go to your manager then you have the option to contact some big and confidential organisations such as Care Quality Commission (CQC) or Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or environmental health who can also offer support and information and give you any answers you may need to any concerns.
1. Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a health or social care work setting.
A list of the key legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting-
No Secrets – Guidance published by the Department of Health, builds upon the governments respects for human rights and highlights the need to protect vulnerable adults through effective multi-agency work.
A health service is a service that provides care and is under the NHS. For examples hospitals or a G.P. They provide treatments but also prevent illnesses through health promotions. A social care service is about providing support to individuals to help them get by and who ever needs it such as emotional support or practical support with daily living tasks.
The main features of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) is that it requires certain health and safety procedures to be maintained in a health and social care setting, for example, the act explains that there must be, safe operation and maintenance of working equipment, plant and system, maintenance of safe access to the workplace, safe use, handling and storage of dangerous/hazardous substances, training of staff to ensure that there is health and safety, to provide welfare for staff at work.
1. Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a health or social care work setting.
As health care workers we are under a legal obligation to protect an individual from any kind of abuse, whether it is physical, financial, emotional, sexual or psychological .Legislation, policies and procedures exist to promote a safer working environment and reduce the potential for risks occurring. They are tailored for the needs of each setting, known and understood by employers and employees and reviewed on a regular basis.
This paragraph explains ways to prevent infections contracted from hospitals. The number one way to lower the spread of infections contracted through a hospital is correct sanitation customs. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal government agency has come up with guidelines in order to safeguard against the expansion of infections and diseases for patients and the workers (Hedman, 2010). It is mandatory for administrators of hospitals to write a disclosure policy to protect the workers from infections like Hepatitis B and other infections and bad bacteria. Minimizing infections that the workers have can aid in stopping the spread of
M1) Describe how health and safety legislation, policies and procedures promote of individuals in a health or social care setting