{{org_field_logo}}
{{org_field_name}}
Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}
Supporting Employees with Disabilities Policy
1. Purpose and Commitment
The purpose of this policy is to outline how {{org_field_name}} supports employees with disabilities, ensuring they are treated fairly, provided with equal opportunities, and empowered to perform their roles effectively. Our commitment is to foster an inclusive workplace culture where employees with disabilities can thrive while contributing meaningfully to our organisation.
{{org_field_name}} will comply with the Equality Act 2010, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Employment Rights Act 1996, the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable employment legislation. As a provider of regulated adult social care, we will also operate this policy consistently with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and relevant Care Quality Commission guidance.
We are committed to preventing disability discrimination, removing or reducing workplace disadvantages, making reasonable adjustments and enabling disabled employees to contribute safely and effectively. This commitment applies throughout recruitment, employment, training, promotion, performance management, sickness absence, disciplinary and capability procedures, organisational change and termination of employment.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all employees of {{org_field_name}}, including care workers, office-based staff, managers, apprentices, temporary employees and employees working remotely or within people’s homes.
The principles of dignity, inclusion, accessibility and non-discrimination also apply, where relevant, to job applicants, workers, agency staff, volunteers, contractors and self-employed persons. However, the precise statutory rights, duties and contractual arrangements applying to these groups may differ. Agency workers’ employment-related requests may need to be addressed jointly with the supplying employment business.
It covers:
- Recruitment and onboarding.
- Reasonable adjustments in the workplace.
- Training, career development, and progression.
- Health, safety, and well-being.
- Confidentiality and data protection.
The policy applies across all settings, including office environments, service users’ homes, and remote working arrangements.
3. Definitions
3.1 Disability
For the purposes of this policy, a person is disabled where they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
“Substantial” means more than minor or trivial. “Long-term” generally means that the effect has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least 12 months or for the remainder of the person’s life. Some conditions are treated as disabilities from diagnosis, including cancer, HIV infection and multiple sclerosis. A person may also be protected where the effects of an impairment are controlled by medication, treatment, aids or other measures.
3.2 Disabled employee
In this policy, “disabled employee” includes an employee who meets the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability. It may also include a person with a long-term physical or mental health condition where the organisation considers that support or workplace adjustments would be appropriate, even where the statutory definition has not yet been established.
3.3 Reasonable adjustment
A reasonable adjustment is a change made to remove or reduce a substantial disadvantage experienced by a disabled person in comparison with a person who is not disabled. Adjustments may relate to a workplace provision, criterion or practice; a physical feature; or the provision of an auxiliary aid, equipment, information or support.
3.4 Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity describes natural differences in how people think, learn, communicate and process information. Neurodivergent conditions may include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Tourette syndrome. A neurodivergent person may be disabled under the Equality Act 2010, depending on the effect of their condition.
4. Policy Statement
{{org_field_name}} is committed to:
- Creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity and promotes equality.
- Ensuring employees with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and resources.
- Removing barriers that may prevent employees from fulfilling their potential.
- Promoting awareness and understanding of disability inclusion.
We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to provide compassionate, person-centred care while reflecting the communities we serve.
5. Legal Framework and Responsibilities
5.1 Equality Act 2010
{{org_field_name}} will not unlawfully discriminate against a person because of disability. Prohibited conduct may include:
- Direct disability discrimination.
- Discrimination arising from disability.
- Indirect disability discrimination.
- A failure to make reasonable adjustments.
- Harassment related to disability.
- Victimisation following a complaint, allegation or participation in proceedings under equality legislation.
Protection applies to recruitment, terms and conditions, pay, allocation of work, working patterns, training, development, promotion, benefits, performance management, absence management, disciplinary and capability proceedings, dismissal and other detriment.
The organisation will also take reasonable steps to prevent disability-related harassment by colleagues, managers, contractors, people receiving care or other third parties encountered during work.
5.2 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
We are committed to ensuring a safe working environment for employees with disabilities by conducting regular risk assessments and implementing appropriate safety measures.
5.3 Employer Responsibilities
{{org_field_name}} is responsible for:
- Ensuring recruitment practices are inclusive and accessible.
- Providing reasonable adjustments during employment.
- Promoting disability awareness among staff.
- Addressing discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.
- Considering reasonable adjustments where the organisation knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that an employee or applicant may be disabled and is experiencing a workplace disadvantage.
- Consulting the person concerned rather than making assumptions about their abilities, limitations or support needs.
- Ensuring that managers seek advice from Human Resources, occupational health or other suitably competent professionals where appropriate.
- Recording agreed adjustments, review dates and responsible persons.
- Providing managers with sufficient authority and resources to implement agreed adjustments.
- Ensuring that disability-related information is shared only where there is a lawful and proportionate need to do so.
- Monitoring recruitment, training, promotion, performance, disciplinary, capability and dismissal arrangements for potential disadvantage to disabled people.
5.4 Employee Responsibilities
Employees are encouraged to:
- Tell their line manager, Human Resources or another appropriate manager where a disability, health condition or workplace barrier affects them or where they require support.
- Explain, as far as they reasonably can, the disadvantage they are experiencing and any adjustment they believe may help.
- Participate in discussions and reviews concerning reasonable adjustments.
- Provide relevant information or consent to an occupational health referral where this is reasonably necessary to understand workplace effects or appropriate support.
- Inform the organisation where an agreed adjustment is no longer effective or where their circumstances change.
- Follow agreed health and safety arrangements and take reasonable care of themselves and others.
- Respect the dignity, privacy and confidentiality of disabled colleagues.
Employees are not required to disclose a diagnosis merely because they have a disability. However, the organisation may be unable to provide particular support where it has not been informed of the relevant workplace disadvantage or support need.
6. Inclusive Recruitment and Onboarding
6.1 Accessible Recruitment Practices
We promote fair and inclusive recruitment by:
- Advertising vacancies in accessible formats.
- Providing alternative application methods (e.g., paper, digital).
- Ensuring interview venues are accessible.
- Offering adjustments during the interview process, such as additional time or assistive technology.
Vacancy information will explain how applicants can request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process and will provide an accessible contact route.
Except where permitted by law, the organisation will not ask an applicant questions about their health or disability before making a job offer or before placing them in a pool of applicants from whom a successful candidate will be selected.
Permitted questions may include questions that are necessary to:
- Establish whether an applicant requires an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process.
- Establish whether an applicant will be able to carry out a function that is intrinsic to the role after reasonable adjustments have been considered.
- Support lawful positive action.
- Monitor diversity, where the information is separated from selection decisions.
- Establish whether a statutory occupational requirement applies.
Recruitment decisions will be based on the applicant’s ability to perform the essential requirements of the role with reasonable adjustments where required. Information provided solely for equality monitoring will not be available to the selection panel.
6.2 Reasonable Adjustments During Onboarding
Following a conditional job offer, the organisation will invite the successful applicant to identify any workplace barriers or adjustments they may require. An individual workplace assessment or occupational health assessment will be arranged only where it is necessary, proportionate and relevant to the role or the person’s support needs.
Onboarding information and mandatory training will be made available in an accessible format where required. The organisation will agree the relevant format with the employee rather than assuming that every disabled employee requires the same form of communication.
7. Reasonable Adjustments in the Workplace
7.1 Identifying Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are changes made to support employees with disabilities in performing their roles effectively. These may include:
- Flexible working hours or remote work arrangements.
- Adapted workstations and ergonomic equipment.
- Assistive technology and communication aids.
- Additional training or mentorship support.
- Adjusting duties, work allocation, visit schedules or geographical rounds.
- Allowing additional travelling time between care visits where disability affects mobility.
- Adjusting start and finish times, shift patterns, night work or on-call arrangements.
- Providing disability-related leave for assessment, treatment, rehabilitation or equipment fitting.
- Modifying absence trigger points where disability-related absence would otherwise cause a substantial disadvantage.
- Providing instructions, rotas, supervision notes or training in an accessible format.
- Providing additional supervision, job coaching, mentoring or structured feedback.
- Allowing a support worker, interpreter or communication professional where appropriate.
- Modifying performance targets, assessment methods or timescales without removing essential standards.
- Transferring the employee to a suitable alternative vacancy where reasonable and where other adjustments would not enable them to remain in their existing position.
- Making adjustments to uniforms or personal protective equipment, provided that infection prevention and safety requirements continue to be met.
- Providing suitable parking or adjusting travel arrangements.
- Permitting disability-related equipment, assistance dogs or communication aids where appropriate.
- Changing a provision, criterion or practice that places the employee at a substantial disadvantage.
7.2 Requesting, Considering and Implementing Adjustments
A request may be made verbally or in writing to a line manager, Human Resources or another appropriate manager. No particular form of words is required, and the employee does not need to refer expressly to the Equality Act 2010.
The manager will arrange a private discussion with the employee as soon as reasonably practicable. The discussion will consider:
- The workplace barrier or substantial disadvantage.
- The employee’s views and proposed solutions.
- The essential requirements of the role.
- The effect of the proposed adjustment on health, safety and continuity of care.
- Whether occupational health, Access to Work or specialist advice may assist.
- Whether a temporary adjustment is needed while a longer-term solution is assessed.
The organisation will respond promptly and will confirm agreed adjustments in writing. The written record will identify:
- The adjustment to be made.
- Who is responsible for implementing it.
- The implementation date.
- Any temporary or trial arrangements.
- The review date.
- Any information that needs to be shared and with whom.
Adjustments will be reviewed at agreed intervals and whenever the employee’s role, health, work location, duties or circumstances change.
Where a requested adjustment cannot be agreed, the organisation will explain its reasons in writing, identify the factors considered and discuss suitable alternatives. The employee may request a review by a manager who was not responsible for the original decision. The employee may also use the grievance procedure.
7.3 Reasonableness, Cost and Access to Work
An employee or applicant will not be required to pay for a reasonable adjustment.
In determining whether an adjustment is reasonable, the organisation may consider:
- Whether the adjustment would remove or reduce the disadvantage.
- Whether it is practicable.
- The cost of the adjustment.
- The organisation’s financial and other resources.
- The availability of financial or practical assistance.
- The effect on service delivery, staffing, other employees and people receiving care.
- Health, safety, infection prevention and safeguarding considerations.
- The extent to which another adjustment would be effective.
These factors will be considered objectively and on the facts of the individual case. General inconvenience, assumptions, custom and practice, or an unsupported reference to “operational requirements” will not be treated as sufficient reasons to refuse an adjustment.
Access to Work may provide advice or financial assistance for support beyond the adjustments that the employer is legally required to make. The organisation will support an employee with an Access to Work application where appropriate. Access to Work funding will not be used as a reason to delay an adjustment that the organisation is legally required to provide.
7.4 Workplace Adjustment Record
With the employee’s agreement, the organisation may maintain a workplace adjustment record or adjustment passport. Its purpose is to:
- Record agreed adjustments.
- Avoid requiring the employee to repeatedly explain their support needs.
- support continuity when the employee changes manager, location, duties or team.
- Identify review dates and responsible persons.
The record will not contain more medical information than is necessary. It will be stored securely and accessed only by authorised persons with a genuine need to know. The employee will be involved in deciding what information may be shared.
8. Training, Career Development, and Progression
8.1 Inclusive Training
We ensure all training programmes are accessible, including:
- Providing training materials in alternative formats (e.g., large print, audio).
- Offering virtual or in-person training based on individual needs.
- Ensuring training venues are physically accessible.
Managers responsible for recruitment, supervision, absence, performance, disciplinary or capability decisions will receive appropriate training on disability discrimination, reasonable adjustments, accessible communication, confidentiality, neurodiversity and disability-related absence. Training will be refreshed periodically and when relevant legislation, guidance or organisational procedures change.
8.2 Career Development and Mentorship
Employees with disabilities are supported in their career development through:
- Tailored development plans and mentorship opportunities.
- Encouragement to apply for promotions and leadership roles.
- Access to skills development programmes and workshops.
8.3 Performance, Conduct and Capability
Disabled employees are required to meet the legitimate and essential standards of their role. Before beginning or progressing formal performance, conduct or capability action, the manager will consider whether:
- The employee may be disabled.
- The matter may arise from or be connected with disability.
- An agreed adjustment has not been implemented or is no longer effective.
- The relevant performance standard, target, communication method or procedure places the employee at a substantial disadvantage.
- Further occupational health or specialist advice is required.
- A reasonable adjustment to the process, meeting, timescale, evidence, target or working arrangement is required.
Reasonable adjustments do not require the organisation to remove an essential function of a role or accept unsafe care. However, the organisation will consider adjustments, additional support, retraining, redeployment and suitable alternative employment before deciding that an employee cannot continue in their role.
Records will show that disability and reasonable adjustments were properly considered before any formal outcome was reached.
9. Health, Safety, and Well-Being
9.1 Health and Safety Risk Assessment
{{org_field_name}} will make suitable and sufficient assessments of risks arising from its work activities and will review those assessments where circumstances change.
A separate risk assessment will not be carried out automatically merely because a person is disabled. Where the organisation becomes aware that a disability or health condition may affect an existing workplace risk, it will review the relevant assessment in consultation with the employee.
Risk assessments will:
- Focus on the work activity and actual risks rather than assumptions about a diagnosis.
- Take account of agreed or proposed reasonable adjustments.
- Consider lone working, moving and handling, travel, driving, medication, fatigue, communication, personal protective equipment and emergency arrangements where relevant.
- Balance the employee’s safety with their right to dignity, autonomy and equal treatment.
- Avoid unnecessary restrictions or blanket exclusions.
- Be reviewed when duties, work locations, equipment, health circumstances or support arrangements change.
Health and safety requirements will not be used as an unsupported reason to reject a disabled person, remove duties or refuse an adjustment. Where a significant residual risk remains, the organisation will document the evidence, advice, alternatives considered and reasons for its decision.
9.2 Emergency and Evacuation Arrangements
Where an employee may require assistance during an emergency, the organisation will consult the employee and develop appropriate emergency arrangements. Depending on the workplace and role, this may include a personal emergency evacuation plan, alternative communication arrangements, nominated assistance, accessible alarms, evacuation equipment or arrangements for remote and community working.
Emergency information will be shared only with those who need it to protect the employee or others. Arrangements will be tested and reviewed periodically and whenever relevant circumstances change.
9.3 Mental Health and Well-Being
Supporting mental health is integral to our approach. We provide:
- Access to counselling services and employee assistance programmes.
- Mental health first aid training for staff.
- Regular well-being check-ins and flexible work arrangements.
Mental health conditions will be treated with the same seriousness and confidentiality as physical health conditions. Managers will avoid requiring an employee to provide a particular diagnosis before discussing workplace barriers or possible support.
Support may include a wellness action plan, predictable communication, adjusted supervision, agreed methods for giving feedback, temporary workload changes, adjusted hours, time for treatment or a phased return to work.
The organisation will monitor staff wellbeing, sickness, turnover, workload and feedback to identify organisational risks and opportunities for improvement.
9.4 Sickness Absence, Disability-Related Absence and Return to Work
Disability-related absence will be managed fairly, consistently and sensitively. The organisation will consider whether an absence, lateness or reduced attendance is related to disability before applying absence triggers, warnings or formal action.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- Recording disability-related absence separately from general sickness absence where appropriate.
- Adjusting absence review or trigger points.
- Permitting reasonable paid or unpaid time away from work for assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, therapy or adjustment-related appointments.
- Agreeing a phased return to work.
- Temporarily altering duties, hours, work location, visit schedules or workload.
- Obtaining occupational health advice.
- Reviewing equipment, travel or other workplace support.
Adjusting an absence trigger does not necessarily mean disregarding all disability-related absence. Decisions will be based on the individual circumstances, the effectiveness of available adjustments, the needs of the service and the requirement to provide safe and reliable care.
Before formal capability action or dismissal is considered, the organisation will review reasonable adjustments, obtain appropriate medical or occupational health advice where necessary, consult the employee and consider suitable alternative work or redeployment.
Employees will be informed of their right to be accompanied at formal meetings in accordance with the organisation’s procedures and applicable law.
10. Confidentiality and Data Protection
10.1 Confidentiality and Sharing of Disability Information
Information about an employee’s disability or health is confidential and will not be shared merely because it may be useful or interesting to others.
Information will be shared only where there is a lawful, necessary and proportionate reason, including:
- Implementing an agreed adjustment.
- Protecting the health and safety of the employee or others.
- Managing employment duties or legal obligations.
- Obtaining occupational health or specialist advice.
- Responding to an emergency.
Wherever reasonably practicable, the organisation will discuss with the employee what information needs to be shared, why it must be shared, with whom and for how long. In most cases, managers and colleagues need to know the adjustment or action required rather than the employee’s diagnosis.
Confidentiality may be overridden where disclosure is required by law or is necessary to protect life or prevent serious harm. Any disclosure will be limited to the minimum necessary information.
10.2 UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
Disability and health information is personal data and will usually constitute special category personal data. {{org_field_name}} will process such information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the organisation’s privacy notices and data protection policies.
Before processing health or disability information, the organisation will identify:
- An applicable lawful basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR.
- An applicable special category condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR.
- Where required, a relevant condition under Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 2018.
The organisation will:
- Collect only information that is adequate, relevant and necessary.
- Tell employees how and why their information will be used.
- Keep health information accurate and up to date where necessary.
- Restrict access to authorised persons.
- Apply appropriate technical and organisational security.
- Retain information only for as long as necessary.
- Maintain an appropriate policy document where required by the Data Protection Act 2018.
- Respect applicable data protection rights.
Consent will not automatically be relied upon as the lawful basis for routine employment processing because consent may not always be freely given within an employment relationship.
11. Addressing Discrimination and Harassment
11.1 Prohibition of Discrimination, Harassment and Victimisation
{{org_field_name}} prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation. All concerns will be taken seriously and addressed fairly and proportionately.
Disability-related harassment may include:
- Offensive jokes, comments, mimicry or intrusive questions.
- Unwanted discussion of a person’s diagnosis or health.
- Excluding a disabled person from work, communication, training or social activity.
- Deliberately failing to follow an agreed adjustment.
- Treating a person unfavourably because they requested an adjustment or raised an equality concern.
- Bullying relating to an assistance dog, mobility aid, communication method, neurodivergence, mental health condition or other disability-related matter.
This prohibition applies to conduct by employees, managers, agency workers, contractors and, where reasonably preventable, third parties such as people receiving care, relatives or visitors.
11.2 Reporting and Investigation
Employees can report concerns through:
- Line managers or HR representatives.
- Formal grievance procedures.
All reports are investigated promptly, and appropriate action is taken.
An employee will not be subjected to victimisation for raising a concern in good faith, requesting an adjustment, supporting another person’s complaint or participating in an investigation.
Concerns will be considered under the grievance, dignity at work, whistleblowing or safeguarding procedure, depending on the nature of the matter. Where alleged conduct by a person receiving care or a relative affects an employee, the organisation will assess risks, support the employee and take reasonable steps consistent with its duties to both the employee and the person receiving care.
12. Communication and Awareness
12.1 Promoting Disability Awareness
We promote disability awareness through:
- Regular training sessions for all staff.
- Sharing educational resources and best practices.
- Encouraging open dialogue about inclusion and accessibility.
12.2 Inclusive Communication
We ensure all communication is accessible, including:
- Providing documents in alternative formats.
- Using plain language and visual aids.
- Arranging appropriate communication support, such as a British Sign Language interpreter, speech-to-text reporting, lip-speaking support, accessible digital content, Easy Read information, audio, large print or another agreed format where reasonable and required.
The employee will be consulted about their preferred communication method. Family members, colleagues or people receiving care will not normally be used as interpreters for confidential or formal employment discussions.
13. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
13.1 Regular Reviews
We regularly review policies and practices to identify:
- Barriers faced by employees with disabilities.
- Effectiveness of reasonable adjustments.
- Opportunities for improving inclusion and accessibility.
Monitoring may include anonymised information concerning:
- Recruitment and appointment.
- Requests for and implementation of reasonable adjustments.
- Training and development.
- Promotion.
- Sickness and disability-related absence.
- Grievance, disciplinary and capability procedures.
- Staff turnover and retention.
- Staff feedback and wellbeing.
Monitoring information will be used to identify disproportionate outcomes, barriers, delays or recurring failures to implement adjustments. Reports will normally use aggregated or anonymised information to protect confidentiality.
13.2 Feedback and Engagement
Employee feedback informs continuous improvement. We encourage employees to share experiences, suggestions, and concerns through:
- Staff surveys and focus groups.
- One-on-one meetings with line managers.
- Dedicated forums for disability inclusion.
13.3 Records and Accountability
The Registered Manager has overall responsibility for ensuring that this policy is implemented within the service. Line managers are responsible for identifying concerns, responding to adjustment requests, maintaining appropriate records and obtaining advice where necessary.
Human Resources, or the person carrying out that function, is responsible for providing procedural advice, monitoring consistency and supporting compliance with employment and equality law.
Records relating to an individual employee may include:
- The adjustment request.
- Meeting notes.
- Occupational health or specialist advice.
- The decision and reasons.
- The agreed adjustment record.
- Implementation and review dates.
- Any refusal and alternatives considered.
These records will be maintained in accordance with the organisation’s retention schedule and data protection requirements.
14. Disability-Related Leave
Disability-related leave is time away from work for a reason connected with disability. It may include time for:
- Rehabilitation.
- Assessment or treatment.
- Therapy or counselling.
- Adjustment, fitting or training relating to equipment.
- Training with an assistance dog.
- Dialysis, chemotherapy or other planned treatment.
- Recovery from disability-related treatment.
Disability-related leave is not automatically additional paid leave. The organisation will consider whether paid leave, unpaid leave, adjusted hours, flexible working, annual leave or another arrangement is reasonable in the individual circumstances.
The employee and manager should agree, where practicable, how planned disability-related leave will be requested, authorised and recorded. Recording arrangements must not result in unlawful disadvantage.
15. Occupational Health and Medical Advice
The organisation may seek occupational health or other specialist advice where reasonably necessary to understand:
- The effect of a health condition on work.
- Whether the employee may be disabled under the Equality Act 2010.
- Possible reasonable adjustments.
- Fitness for particular duties.
- A safe and sustainable return to work.
- The likely duration or review period of an adjustment.
Occupational health advice supports but does not replace consultation with the employee or management decision-making. Managers remain responsible for deciding what adjustments are reasonable.
The organisation will explain the purpose of a referral, the questions to be asked and how the resulting information will be used. Medical reports and occupational health information will be obtained and processed in accordance with applicable law, confidentiality requirements and the organisation’s data protection procedures.
Where an employee does not agree to provide relevant information or participate in an assessment, the organisation will make decisions on the information reasonably available. No adverse inference will be automatic, and the employee will be given an opportunity to explain their concerns.
16. Redeployment and Alternative Employment
Where an employee cannot continue in their substantive role even after reasonable adjustments have been considered, the organisation will consider whether redeployment to a suitable vacant role would be a reasonable adjustment.
The organisation will:
- Discuss the employee’s skills, experience, restrictions and preferences.
- Identify suitable current vacancies.
- Consider reasonable training or a trial period.
- Consider adjustments required in the alternative role.
- Avoid requiring the employee to compete for a vacancy where appointing them directly would be a reasonable adjustment, subject to the particular circumstances and applicable law.
The organisation is not required to create a role where no suitable work exists, displace another employee or appoint a person who cannot perform the essential requirements of the alternative role after reasonable adjustments.
Redeployment considerations and outcomes will be documented before employment is terminated on capability grounds.
17. Compliance and Policy Review
17.1 Legal and Regulatory Framework
This policy will be implemented with reference to applicable legislation and guidance, including:
- Equality Act 2010.
- Employment Rights Act 1996.
- Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 and associated regulations.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
- UK General Data Protection Regulation.
- Data Protection Act 2018.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, as amended.
- Care Quality Commission guidance concerning Regulations 17, 18 and 19.
- Relevant Acas guidance and codes of practice.
- Relevant Health and Safety Executive guidance.
- The organisation’s recruitment, equality, dignity at work, grievance, disciplinary, capability, sickness absence, flexible working, health and safety, data protection and safeguarding procedures.
In relation to regulated care, this policy particularly supports:
- Regulation 17: Good governance.
- Regulation 18: Staffing.
- Regulation 19: Fit and proper persons employed.
- CQC’s Safe and Effective Staffing quality statement.
- CQC’s Workforce Wellbeing and Enablement quality statement.
- CQC’s Capable, Compassionate and Inclusive Leaders quality statement.
17.2 Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where:
- Relevant legislation, CQC regulations or official guidance changes.
- A complaint, grievance, employment tribunal case, safeguarding concern or serious incident identifies a policy weakness.
- Monitoring identifies disproportionate outcomes or repeated delays in implementing adjustments.
- Organisational restructuring or changes to service delivery affect disabled employees.
- Staff feedback indicates that the policy is not operating effectively.
The review will consider both the wording of the policy and evidence of its implementation. Material changes will be communicated to employees and managers, and relevant training will be updated.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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