Legislations Touching on Healthcare
Communication of Policy and Procedures
The changes envisioned at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust are likely to affect the communication system in place. For example, the director is required to come up with an open door policy in the process of monitoring whether or not health and safety policies are implemented. Tombs and Whyte (2013) argue that many organisations are unable to monitor the effectiveness of their policies and procedures owing to the existence of unnecessary bureaucracy. An open door policy will alleviate the situation by improving the outputs associated with implementation processes (Dunn & Haimann 2007).
An organisation like North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is involved in a number of health related procedures. The entity serves a number of clients drawn from different sectors of the society. In light of this, the director should consider the introduction of seminars. There are studies which suggest the evolution of healthcare related procedures (Glandon & Smaltz 2008; Rodgers 2011). The evolution is especially remarkable with the growth in information and technology.
The rapid developments make it difficult to communicate with individuals on a one-on-one basis. However, periodic seminars will ensure that the information is disseminated to a large pool of individuals (Walshe 2011). Such a move will improve the delivery of the core operations.
Responsibilities Associated with the Management of Health and Safety
The North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust has an organisational structure of an ideal company. The structure is made up of the employer, the staff (employee), external organisations, and the visitors. According to Tombs and Whyte (2013), the management of a health and social care centre should be responsible for the provision of oversight for the operations of the organisation. An analysis of the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare case study reveals that the responsibilities of the management were synchronised with the policy framework. The synchronisation was meant to enhance a turnaround in the organisation.
The process of evaluating the condition of the patients should be improved. The time taken for such procedures should be reduced. The Management of Health and Safety Regulations Act 1999 (as cited in Gowers, Tingle & Wheat 2005 and Thomack 2012) stipulates that healthcare centres should comply with international ratio of patients to health professionals. The policy was adopted by North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust as part of the restructuring process. Other responsibilities that were improved on as a result of this change include the auditing and inspection element of the organisation
Health and Safety Priorities for Children
There are a number of factors that influence the formulation and implementation of policies aimed at promoting the health of children in the country. The Children Act 2004 (as cited in Murray 2009) stipulates that preventive services should be prioritised when dealing with these young patients. In line with this, the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust has prioritised such services as immunisation and provision of nutritional care.
Based on the various services required by the law, Henaghan (2012) recommends the use of up to date methods in the provision of child care. Such services are essential in improving the health of the children in the shortest time possible. The safety priorities should include the provision of a clean environment that is free of hazardous material that could harm the child. Children services also need to be simplified to avoid confusion.
Risk and Dilemmas in Healthcare
Information on Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is an important aspect of management in an organisational framework. It plays a critical role in improving the operations carried out by the entity (Ridley 2004). The risk assessment carried out at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust enabled the management to device new ways of providing care to the patients. Rappert (2003) argues that risk analysis enables an organisation to make informed decisions. Such decisions improve the competitiveness of the firm in the market. For instance, a risk analysis can reveal the flaws associated with the entity in terms of emergency preparedness (Rodgers 2010; Steinberg 2010). Based on the findings made through the assessment, a suitable emergency response mechanism can be provided. The new framework will help the firm to deal with eventualities in the future.
As already mentioned, risk assessment provides the organisation with new techniques that improve operations. One of the core operations at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is the provision of care to individuals in the society. The Care Standards Act 2000 UK (as cited in Ferrie 2006) allows for the customisation of individual caring services. To this end, a risk assessment provides the organisation with information touching on the weaknesses associated with the use of a certain technique in the provision of a given customised
The Impacts of First Aid on Health and Social Care Practice
Emergencies are common phenomena in both healthcare and social care. As a result, first aid is one of the requisites when it comes to the handling emergency situations in a health set up. According to Stahl, Doherty, and Shaw (2012), information and skills touching on the provision of first aid is a requirement that every healthcare organisation should incorporate into its services. First aid makes it possible to manage and stabilise the health of the individual in case of an emergency, such as an accident.
First aid enables the healthcare organisation to minimise the number of casualties in the event of a calamity. Stranks (2002) envisions a scenario where the personnel working for a healthcare establishment lack knowledge on first aid. The result is collective devastation when disaster strikes. To this end, first aid is seen as an essential component of a healthcare and social care centre. It is needed in both health and social practices.
Addressing Dilemmas Related to the Implementation of Systems and Policies for Health, Safety, and Security
Dilemmas are a common feature in healthcare management. According to O’Neill and Humphreys (2009), dilemmas in a healthcare setting present themselves in situations like policy making, safety regulation, and security. An example of such quandaries is when a healthcare centre is forced to violate the confidentiality associated with the information provided by the patients. Such a move poses a threat to the security of individual patients. The dilemmas should be addressed in a manner that is consistent with the provisions laid down in the relevant laws.
The safety of patients is the most fundamental aspect of healthcare provision. To uphold this requirement, ethical dilemmas associated with the provision of care should be addressed through dialogues between the various stakeholders. Delk (2012) suggests that ethical principles can be acquired through education. As a result, such ethical dilemmas can be addressed through a continuous education program for the employees and other individuals involved in the provision of care. In addition, the situation can be addressed by providing a platform through which the stakeholders can make suggestions on how to handle such cases. Consequently, the challenges are addressed in a collective manner.
Complying with Safety Legislations
Effects of Failure to Comply with Health and Safety Legislations
Every organisation is required to have a unique health and safety policy. To this end, there exist various pieces of legislation that are aimed at ensuring strict adherence to the various health and safety policies. The benefits riding on such laws notwithstanding, there are instances where establishments fail to comply with the relevant legislations. Friend and Kohn (2007) argue that failure to comply with such laws has serious ramifications on the organisation.
The major impact of non-compliance is criminal proceedings against the offending party. Perry (2002) is of the view that laws touching on health and safety are closely linked with the human rights of individuals. As such, non-compliance with such laws attracts a wide range of penalties. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 UK (as cited in Lowe & Korr 2008) is an example of a law that imposes punitive measures on organisations that breach the stipulated health standards. In an addition, non-compliance has a direct impact on the personnel and clients who interact with a given entity (Higson 2002). When certain health and safety regulations are not adhered to, the wellbeing of the staff and clients interacting with the organisation are put in danger.
Monitoring Health Policies
Health policies are introduced in the medical sector to enhance the safety of the patients and members of staff. Consequently, such policies need to be monitored to ensure they are implemented in the right way. Rappert (2003) holds that health programs can be monitored using information technology. Based on the nature of the policy in question, an organisation can install the necessary software in its systems. Such technology ensures that the personnel tasked with the implementation of given policies play their role. The need to coordinate the monitor the plans calls for the setting up of quality assurance departments. Delk (2012) suggests that a quality assurance mechanism enables the organisation to adhere to the laid down procedures.
The Effectiveness of Health and Safety Policies in the Workplace
As already indicated in this paper, health and safety policies are very important in a health set up. Walshe (2011) is of the view that these policies call for the adoption of a health and safety culture in the firms. First aid is one of the most common health and safety policies. Once an organisation puts in place such a culture, the response to crises improves and loss of lives is reduced. A health and safety culture also promotes work efficiency since the employees are comfortable working in a secure environment.
Placing the Health and Safety of Individuals at the Centre of Practice
The health and safety of individuals in any practice is of paramount importance. It enables an organisation to meet its healthcare needs. The practice in question adheres to the international standards of health and safety (Wong 2012). However, Walshe (2011) insists that every practice must change its policies on a regular basis owing to the dynamic nature of these organisations. In light of this, it is evident that the manner in which the current practice handles health and safety is not perfect. There is need for improvement.
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