D300. Coronavirus (Covid-19) Staff Recruitment

Policy Statement

This policy shows how {{org_field_name}} is recruiting and appointing staff during the current Covid-19 outbreak and while the Coronavirus Act 2020 remains in force. It is written in line with the guidance produced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Skills for Care and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Note:

It is a temporary policy during the current emergency and should be used with reference to the main Recruitment and Selection (England) Policy, which outlines {{org_field_name}}’s full procedures.

It applies only to appointments that {{org_field_name}} must make to ensure that it can continue to deliver a service to the standards required during the Covid-19 outbreak. It does not apply to appointments to posts that are not Covid-19 related, which are less urgent and which can be made by following the normal recruitment and appointment procedures.

In line with CQC guidelines, the policy will apply to appointments of staff or volunteers that are made because of an urgent need to fill posts and who might need to start work before all usually required information is available and checks completed:

because of staff shortages caused by Covid-19 (eg through staff sickness, staff who are shielding or self-isolating) and a need for additional staff to cope with the pressures of Covid-19
where any delay in making the appointments and to the appointees starting their work would impose severe strains on {{org_field_name}} to deliver safe care to its service users and to ensure their wellbeing.

Temporary Changes to Recruitment and Appointment Procedures

In line with CQC guidance, {{org_field_name}} will:

obtain as much evidence as possible of a person’s fitness as required by Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to carry out their role, including their employment history, professional registration, where relevant, references from previous employers and evidence of their conduct in previous employment in health or social care with vulnerable people and reasons for ending previous jobs
use, when necessary, the permitted remote means of obtaining information about suitability through, eg video-interviewing, e-mail, scanned documents, telephone conversations
where it is not possible to obtain the full information in the time available, follow up as much as possible given the time constraints and assess the adequacy of information to arrive at a reasonably informed judgment of suitability and fitness
in some cases, arrive at provisional decisions with a view to filling in any gaps that might cause concern at a later stage and reflecting this in their terms and conditions of service
ensure that it records the reasons for any failure to obtain all the necessary information and why it has accepted the person on the basis of this limited information with a view to later completion of the full required records
assess and record any risks there might be in making the appointment under these conditions and putting in place suitable control measures by, eg through agreed monitoring and supervision
ask appointees to complete a Covid-19 criminal record self-declaration form or disclosure statement providing details of any cautions and/or convictions they may have on record and which would appear on any eligible DBS check to be made
carry out the appropriate level of DBS checks using the temporary free of charge DBS Check (for standard and enhanced checks) and fast track barred list checks where applicable (for care staff carrying out regulated activity)
where possible, use the DBS update service to establish clearance, but where there might be delay in making DBS checks it will consider accepting current certificates that have been obtained in the last three years and where there are no evident grounds for thinking that they would not be current
risk assess any disclosures from any of these sources before confirmation of the appointment
ensure that all new staff (and volunteers) always receive an induction programme, which can be linked to their job descriptions and delivered using the means available to {{org_field_name}} through workplace learning supplemented by e-learning and other distant learning methods
enable staff new to care work to begin their Care Certificate learning through appropriate selection of contents and learning priorities and with an awareness that completion might take longer than the recommended 12 weeks.

Appointment of staff from overseas — ID checking and right to work checks

{{org_field_name}} understands that the right to work changes allow for checks to be carried out over video calls and job applicants or existing workers can send scanned documents or a photo of documents for checks using email or a mobile app rather than sending originals. If the applicant cannot provide accepted documents, {{org_field_name}} will use the Employer Checking Service to check their immigration status.

Training

All staff involved in the selection and recruitment of staff will be made aware of these temporary arrangements.

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}}

D300. Coronavirus (Covid-19) Staff Recruitment