The QCS Podcast

This episode looks specifically at the importance of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans or PEEPs and the recommendations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

This episode explores temperature in the workplace, looking specifically at thermal comfort and what the law states about temperatures in the workplace. There are also tips for keeping cool and reasonable adjustments that can be considered.

The next in our difficult conversations series, this episode explores what to do when an employee is underperforming, including the use of personal improvement plans and the formal stages of the capability procedure. 

This episode explores workplace violence, particularly the warning signs to look out for and how to prevent and reduce the risk of workplace violence occurring. It's important that employees are also provided with the right information and training to support them should they encounter workplace violence firsthand.

In this month's health and safety podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings looks specifically at powered transporters, most specifically e-scooters and e-bikes which are the most common form, and explores the legislation surrounding these modes of transport. These considerations should be taken on board should you manage or own these new modes of transport.

In this month's health and safety podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings discusses the different types of active monitoring, audits, safety inspections, safety surveys, safety tours and sampling. These types of active monitoring will help you to identify compliance with standards, so that you can recognise good performance and ensure it is maintained. It may also identify non-compliance and will allo...

This month, Sarah Baker, Apprentice Solicitor at Napthens, discusses the decision around why the menopause will not be considered a protected characteristic by Government, what perimenopause and the menopause are and the symptoms.

If you are a care home provider or care sector organisation, icy surfaces on your premises can also present a hazard to members of the public/visitors who enter your premises. The general duties under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, poses a duty to manage all hazards in the workplace (this would include snow and ice), and section 3 of the same Act, poses a general duty to...

This month, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Head of Napthens Health and Safety,  discusses what you might expect if an HSE inspector visits your organisation, the powers they have and the different types of notices, letters or advice they may give you.

This episode gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how HR can support with neurodiversity in the workplace. We will discuss: People who identify themselves as neurodivergent typically have one or more of the conditions or disorders such as autism, ADHD, epilepsy, dyslexia, OCD, Tourette syndrome or an acquired neurodivergence (i.e., through incidence or brain trauma) In terms of the work...

This month,  Neil Hughes-Hutchings senior Health and Safety Consultant at Napthens Health and Safety is going to guide you through one of the health and safety terms that crop up on many occasions, and that is competence.  Neil will talk you through what competence is and why it is important to identify the competencies needed for the different job roles within your organisation. 

In this podcast you will get an overview of what High Functioning Anxiety is, the common symptoms, possible causes and ways in which someone suffering with anxiety can get help and treatment.

The subject for discussion this month centres on the Fire Safety Act, which clarifies the scope of the Fire Safety Order. In this podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings makes clear what the Responsible Person must consider when conducting fire risk assessments, if not done so already.

This time, Abi interviewed Dawn Waller, former CQC Inspector and Policy Manager,  discussing how providers can raise the topic of relationships and sexuality with residents in a constructive and compassionate way.   

The subject for discussion this month centres on the lessons learned from a recent Health & Safety Executive prosecution of a care provider in Scotland.   In this podcast, Chris Walker, Head of Health & Safety at Napthens shares some real practical examples of how and why things can go wrong if we don’t have the health and safety basics in order. 

In episodes 1 and 2 , we looked at what you need to do to become a registered manager. We have looked at what it means to be fit to be a manager, what skills and qualifications you need, and now we will tackle health. This is the area that I find people get concerned about. You are asked within the process to sign a declaration to say you are fit and healthy for the job and to give your GPs detail...

 Losing someone you love can be extremely traumatic. It can also be a huge relief depending on the circumstances. It is not the same for everyone, and we cannot predict how relatives or significant people to the person who has died may feel. This isn’t about being a fully qualified bereavement practitioner. This isn’t about having all the answers. This is all about what you know - a person-centred...

In previous editions, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Senior Health & Safety Consultant at Napthens Health & Safety has covered topics such as lone working and the procurement of contractors,  this month Neil is going to be talking about hazardous substances; what you can do to control them and what your legal duties are .

As an employer, you should be doing all that you can to properly understand the potential risks faced by your employees and others affected by your work activities and then find effective means of control. In this podcast, Chris will talk you through the importance of removing hazards in a workplace, and how we can reduce the likelihood of interacting with the different hazards. And most important...

Welcome to the second episode of the 'Inspection inside out' podcast. This time, Abi will focus on explaining what are qualifications, skills experience and competencies. And what is expected by the CQC.

 Any care home provider or care sector organisation that uses contractors has health and safety responsibilities. When selecting contractors, it is important to investigate them and make enquiries to ensure that you are not putting your residents, employees, and members of the public at risk. In this episode, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Senior Health and Safety Consultant at Napthens Health & Safet...

Welcome to your new podcast,’ Inspection inside out’ by Abi Spence. Over the next few weeks, Abi will be looking at the key elements of what CQC is looking for to become a CQC Registered Manager. Meet Abi Spence Abi, as the Registration and Inspection Specialist, has worked for and with Government agencies relevant to social care for the past 12+ years. Primarily with the Department of Health, Soc...

Workforce, LPS, costs and COVID-19 are just some of the key issues you will need to address in 2022. Abi Spence explains more and offers some tips and useful resources to help you address these important topics.

On 11 March, the CQC updated its guidance on meeting the duty of candour to make it clear what providers must do to meet the requirements of the regulation and the circumstances in which it must be applied.  In this episode, Tracy and Ali will be discussing the CQC guidance, how to implement a duty of candour culture, and why saying sorry is not admitting fault when something goes wrong. 

In this episode, our Head of Primary Care, Tracy, is joined by GP Policy Led, Ali to talk about staff immunisations.  At the beginning of March, the NHS confirmed that nine out of ten staff had been immunised against Covid‐19. However, it’s widely known that not everyone wants to have a vaccine, and that includes some healthcare staff.  Tracy & Ali will be discussing the issue of staff who don...