{{org_field_logo}}

{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

---

Acute Respiratory Infection, Including COVID-19, Management Policy

1. Introduction

This policy sets out how the service will prevent, identify and manage acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory infections, while providing care and support in people’s own homes.

Respiratory infections may cause serious illness, particularly for older people, people with weakened immune systems, people with long-term health conditions and others who are clinically vulnerable. The service will apply proportionate, person-centred infection prevention and control measures based on the individual circumstances, symptoms, known or suspected infection, the care activity being undertaken and the risk of transmission.

The service will follow the current National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, Public Health Scotland health protection guidance, NHS Scotland advice, local NHS Board Health Protection Team advice and Care Inspectorate requirements. Archived pandemic guidance must not be used as current operational guidance.

Measures taken under this policy will respect each person’s rights, dignity, privacy, independence, preferences, communication needs and right to receive essential care. Infection prevention measures will not be used to impose unnecessary or disproportionate restrictions.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

• Acute respiratory infection, or ARI, means an acute infection affecting the respiratory system. It includes COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and other viral or bacterial respiratory infections.
• Standard Infection Control Precautions, or SICPs, are the routine infection prevention and control precautions that must be used for every person receiving care, based on an assessment of the task and the risk of exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, non-intact skin or mucous membranes.
• Transmission Based Precautions, or TBPs, are additional precautions required when a person is known or suspected to have an infection that may spread by contact, droplet or airborne transmission.
• Health Protection Team, or HPT, means the local NHS Board team that provides specialist public health advice on infectious diseases, incidents and outbreaks.
• Outbreak means an incidence of infection greater than would normally be expected, or linked cases meeting the current Public Health Scotland definition. The service will seek HPT advice where there is uncertainty.
• Personal protective equipment, or PPE, means equipment selected following a risk assessment to protect staff or other people from exposure to infection or hazardous substances.
• Respiratory protective equipment, or RPE, includes respirators such as FFP3 masks used where airborne precautions or aerosol-generating procedures require them.
• Clinically vulnerable person means a person whose age, health condition, treatment, immune status or other circumstances place them at increased risk of serious illness from a respiratory infection.

3. Policy Statement

The organisation is committed to:

• applying Standard Infection Control Precautions during all care delivery and Transmission Based Precautions when indicated;
• protecting people receiving care, staff, relatives, unpaid carers and visiting professionals from avoidable infection;
• ensuring that infection prevention measures are proportionate, evidence based and based on an individual and task-specific risk assessment;
• maintaining essential care and avoiding unnecessary cancellation, reduction or withdrawal of support;
• recognising changes in a person’s physical or mental health and obtaining appropriate clinical advice promptly;
• supporting access to testing, assessment, vaccination, treatment or prophylaxis where this is clinically indicated and available;
• ensuring staff do not work when they are unwell and unable to provide care safely;
• keeping accurate records and making statutory and regulatory notifications within the required timescales;
• protecting confidentiality and processing health information lawfully;
• respecting human rights, dignity, privacy, choice, communication needs and equality; and
• continually reviewing practice against current Public Health Scotland, NHS Scotland, National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and Care Inspectorate requirements.

The service will not rely on outdated pandemic controls where these are no longer recommended. Measures such as routine physical distancing, blanket face-mask use, routine asymptomatic testing and routine contact tracing will only be introduced where required by current national guidance, HPT advice, a clinical assessment or a documented local risk assessment.

4. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, managers, directors, agency workers, bank workers, contractors, students and volunteers involved in delivering or managing the service. It also explains the arrangements relevant to people receiving care, relatives, unpaid carers, representatives and visiting professionals.

The policy applies during:

• care and support delivered in a person’s own home;
• travel undertaken for work purposes;
• staff meetings, training and supervision;
• visits to the service office;
• shared staff facilities;
• any community activity arranged or supported by the service; and
• emergency or contingency arrangements.

It covers:

• Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Monitoring and reporting of symptoms and test results.
• Contingency planning for staff shortages and service continuity.
• Communication and training for staff, the people we support, and their families.

5. Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy must be read and implemented in accordance with the legislation, standards and guidance applicable to the service, including:

• the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010;
• the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011;
• the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011;
• the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008;
• the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974;
• the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
• the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002;
• the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, as amended;
• the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019;
• the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, where applicable;
• the Human Rights Act 1998;
• the Equality Act 2010;
• the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, where decisions are required for an adult who lacks capacity;
• the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation;
• the Health and Social Care Standards: My support, my life;
• the current SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers;
• the current National Infection Prevention and Control Manual;
• current Public Health Scotland guidance for the prevention and management of acute respiratory infections in community, social and residential care settings;
• current NHS Scotland and NHS Inform advice;
• the applicable Care Inspectorate quality framework for support services providing care at home;
• current Care Inspectorate requirements and guidance concerning records and statutory notifications; and
• advice issued by the local NHS Board Health Protection Team, Infection Prevention and Control Team, Occupational Health service or other competent clinical authority.

Managers must verify at each formal review that the legislation, standards and guidance referred to within this policy remain current. Where national guidance or a regulatory requirement is amended or replaced, the current requirement or replacement guidance must be followed without waiting for the next scheduled policy review.

6. Infection prevention and control principles

Infection prevention and control decisions must be based on:

• the person’s symptoms and clinical condition;
• any known or suspected infectious agent;
• the nature and duration of the care activity;
• the likelihood of exposure to respiratory secretions, blood or body fluids;
• the distance between the worker and the person;
• whether an aerosol-generating procedure is being undertaken;
• the vulnerability of the person receiving care;
• the physical environment, including ventilation;
• the person’s communication needs and ability to tolerate particular measures;
• the availability and suitability of PPE or RPE; and
• current advice from the NIPCM, healthcare professionals or the HPT.

The hierarchy of controls must be considered before relying solely on PPE. This includes:

• eliminating or reducing avoidable exposure;
• changing work organisation or visit sequencing;
• improving ventilation where safe and acceptable;
• reducing unnecessary numbers of people present;
• applying appropriate cleaning and decontamination;
• using safe working procedures;
• providing information, instruction, training and supervision; and
• selecting PPE or RPE appropriate to the residual risk.

Any departure from national infection prevention guidance must be supported by a documented risk assessment, authorised through the organisation’s governance arrangements and reviewed regularly.

7. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Measures

7.1 Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment must be selected and used in accordance with the current National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, Standard Infection Control Precautions, Transmission Based Precautions and a task-specific assessment of the risk of exposure.

Routine continuous use of face masks is not required solely because care is being provided in a person’s own home or because a person is clinically vulnerable. A mask or other respiratory protection must be used where indicated by the current National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, the infectious agent or suspected infectious agent, the care activity being undertaken, a local risk assessment or advice from the Health Protection Team or another competent clinical authority.

When a person is known or suspected to have a transmissible respiratory infection, staff must follow the current NIPCM requirements for mask selection and Transmission Based Precautions.

For respiratory infectious agents categorised by the NIPCM as R1, including COVID-19, seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus, staff must use the respiratory protection specified by the current NIPCM. A fluid-resistant surgical mask must be used where indicated. A member of staff may use respiratory protective equipment, such as an FFP3 or equivalent respirator, where this is advised by Occupational Health or another medical practitioner or where permitted by the NIPCM on the basis of personal choice.

Where an R2 or R3 respiratory infectious agent is suspected or confirmed, respiratory protective equipment must be worn in accordance with the current NIPCM. Where a high-consequence infectious disease is suspected, staff must not rely on this policy alone and must immediately follow the relevant national high-consequence infectious disease guidance and advice from the appropriate Health Protection Team.

Where tight-fitting respiratory protective equipment, including an FFP3 respirator, is required, the member of staff must have successfully completed appropriate face-fit testing for the make, model and size of respirator being used and must undertake a fit check each time it is worn.

Gloves must be worn only where indicated by the Standard Infection Control Precautions, including where there is a risk of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact skin or contaminated items. Gloves must not be used as a substitute for hand hygiene and must be changed between care activities where required.

Disposable aprons or gowns and eye or face protection must be worn where indicated by the current NIPCM and according to the anticipated risk of contamination or exposure.

Staff must:

• perform hand hygiene at the appropriate points before and after care and before putting on and after removing PPE;
• wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when hand washing is required in a person’s own home;
• use an appropriate hand rub on visibly clean hands in accordance with the current NIPCM technique and product instructions;
• carry appropriate hand hygiene products and disposable paper towels where these are required for safe domiciliary care;
• put on, remove and dispose of PPE in the correct sequence and in a manner that minimises contamination;
• change PPE between people, tasks or episodes of care where required by the NIPCM;
• immediately replace PPE that becomes damaged, heavily contaminated or otherwise unsuitable for continued use;
• dispose of single-use PPE through the appropriate waste route; and
• report any shortage, defect or failure of PPE or respiratory protective equipment immediately to their line manager.

The organisation must ensure that suitable PPE and respiratory protective equipment are available when required and that staff receive appropriate information, instruction, training, fit testing and supervision.

7.2 Cleaning, Decontamination and Management of Care Equipment

Environmental cleaning and decontamination must be carried out in accordance with the current National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, the level of contamination, the infection risk presented and the care activity being undertaken.

Staff must:

• use cleaning and disinfecting products that are suitable for the intended purpose and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, contact time, safe use and storage;
• clean and decontaminate reusable care equipment between people and after contamination, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the current NIPCM;
• give particular attention to equipment and surfaces that have been contaminated with respiratory secretions, blood or other body fluids;
• apply enhanced cleaning or decontamination where this is required by Transmission Based Precautions, a documented risk assessment or advice from the Health Protection Team or Infection Prevention and Control Team;
• use the PPE required for the cleaning or decontamination task;
• ensure that cleaning equipment does not itself create a risk of cross-infection between households; and
• report concerns about environmental cleanliness, contaminated equipment or an inability to undertake required decontamination to the line manager without delay.

Staff are not expected to impose unnecessary cleaning arrangements within a person’s own home. Any additional environmental cleaning introduced because of a suspected or confirmed infection must be proportionate to the identified risk, agreed with the person wherever possible and consistent with current national infection prevention and control guidance.

7.3 Ventilation and Physical Distancing

Good ventilation should be supported where this is safe, practicable and acceptable to the person receiving care.

Where appropriate, staff should encourage the use of natural or mechanical ventilation during care, particularly where a person has symptoms of a respiratory infection or where the care activity presents an increased respiratory transmission risk.

Windows or doors must not be opened where doing so would create another significant risk to the person, including a risk from cold, falls, reduced security, distress or another identified health or safety concern.

Routine physical distancing is not required during normal care delivery. Physical distancing may be introduced temporarily where this is required by current national guidance, advice from a Health Protection Team or another competent clinical authority, or a documented risk assessment.

Physical distancing must never prevent or unreasonably delay essential personal care, treatment, communication, emotional support or other necessary care and support.

8. Monitoring Health, Symptoms and Testing

8.1 Staff

Staff must remain alert to symptoms of acute respiratory infection in themselves and in the people they support.

Symptoms may include, but are not limited to:

• a new or worsening cough;
• sneezing;
• a blocked or runny nose;
• a sore throat;
• headache;
• muscle aches;
• shortness of breath, chest tightness or wheezing;
• a high temperature or fever;
• feeling generally unwell;
• tiredness or lack of energy; and
• other symptoms recognised in current NHS Inform or Public Health Scotland guidance.

Staff are not required to undertake routine testing for COVID-19 or another respiratory infection before starting work unless this is specifically required under current national guidance or they have been instructed to test by a healthcare professional, Health Protection Team or other competent clinical authority.

A staff member who develops respiratory symptoms must follow current NHS Inform advice and the organisation’s sickness and Occupational Health procedures.

Where a staff member has a high temperature or feels too unwell to undertake their normal activities or provide care safely, they must not attend work and must notify their line manager in accordance with the organisation’s absence-reporting procedure.

If respiratory symptoms develop while the staff member is at work, the staff member must:

• inform the line manager immediately;
• put on a fluid-resistant surgical mask where indicated by the current NIPCM;
• minimise avoidable close contact with people at increased risk of serious illness; and
• follow the manager’s risk-assessed decision on whether duties may safely continue, should be modified or must cease.

The decision must take account of the staff member’s condition, the vulnerability and needs of the people receiving care, the type of duties being undertaken and the effectiveness of available infection prevention and control measures.

Staff may return to work when they feel well enough to resume their normal activities. In accordance with current national guidance, they should normally have been free from a high temperature for at least 48 hours without the use of medicines to reduce their temperature. Persistent symptoms must be considered as part of the return-to-work risk assessment, with particular attention where the worker provides care to a person who is severely immunocompromised.

Clinical, Occupational Health or Health Protection Team advice must be obtained where the appropriate action is unclear or the risk is complex.

8.2 People We Support

Staff must remain alert to new or worsening symptoms of acute respiratory infection and to unexplained deterioration in a person’s physical health or mental ability.

Where a person develops symptoms, staff must:

• provide reassurance and continue essential care using the infection prevention and control precautions appropriate to the assessed risk;
• support the person to remain at home and avoid unnecessary contact with other people while they have a fever or feel unwell, in accordance with current NHS Inform and Public Health Scotland advice;
• encourage appropriate hydration, rest and other self-care measures within the worker’s competence and the person’s agreed care plan;
• seek advice from the person’s GP, NHS 24 or another healthcare professional where symptoms are worsening, persistent, clinically concerning or the person may be at increased risk of serious illness;
• contact emergency services without delay where symptoms indicate a medical emergency;
• notify receiving healthcare or transport services of a suspected or confirmed respiratory infection before transfer where applicable; and
• document the symptoms observed, action taken, advice received and any changes required to the person’s care or risk assessment.

Essential care must not be withheld solely because a person has symptoms or a confirmed acute respiratory infection.

8.3 Testing

Routine asymptomatic testing and routine symptomatic COVID-19 testing of staff or people receiving care are not required unless current national guidance specifically introduces such testing.

Testing for a respiratory infection may be undertaken where:

• it is clinically indicated and advised by a healthcare professional;
• the person may be eligible for pathogen-specific treatment;
• a Health Protection Team or Infection Prevention and Control Team advises testing as part of an incident or outbreak investigation; or
• another current national testing programme applicable to the service requires it.

Where testing is undertaken, staff must follow the instructions provided by the testing service or healthcare professional and ensure that any test result or related health information is recorded, used and shared only where necessary and lawful.

9. Responding to Suspected or Confirmed Acute Respiratory Infection

9.1 Person Receiving Care

Care delivered to people in their own homes is regarded as a lower-risk setting for the purposes of current national acute respiratory infection guidance, although individual people receiving care may have clinical conditions that place them at increased risk of severe illness.

Where a person receiving care has symptoms of an acute respiratory infection or has a confirmed respiratory infection, staff must continue to provide essential care and support.

The person should be supported, in accordance with current NHS Inform and Public Health Scotland advice, to remain at home and avoid unnecessary contact with other people while they have a fever or feel too unwell to carry out their usual activities.

The service must not impose care-home-style room isolation or other blanket restrictions on a person living in their own home.

Before providing care, staff must assess the infection risk and apply the appropriate Standard Infection Control Precautions and Transmission Based Precautions.

Where appropriate, the service may:

• adjust the sequence of care visits;
• allocate particular staff to reduce avoidable movement between people with suspected or confirmed infection and people who are particularly vulnerable;
• temporarily modify non-essential activities;
• increase cleaning or equipment decontamination;
• introduce additional PPE or respiratory protective equipment where required; and
• obtain advice from the Health Protection Team or Infection Prevention and Control Team.

Any change must be proportionate, documented and reviewed and must not result in the withdrawal of essential care.

9.2 Linked Cases, Public Health Advice and Notifications

Routine contact tracing must not be undertaken by the service unless this is requested by a Health Protection Team or another authorised public health body.

Where two or more linked cases of acute respiratory infection occur, where there is a higher than expected number of cases associated with the service, or where a single case involves an infection presenting a significant public health risk, the manager must consider whether the circumstances meet the current definition of an infectious disease outbreak.

Where an outbreak is suspected or confirmed, the manager must:

• undertake an immediate risk assessment;
• seek advice from the local Health Protection Team where required;
• cooperate with any public health investigation;
• provide information requested by authorised public health professionals, subject to data protection and confidentiality requirements;
• implement any additional infection prevention and control measures advised;
• notify the Care Inspectorate within the applicable statutory or regulatory timescale using the required notification route; and
• keep a record of the notification, advice received, decisions made and action taken.

Where the Health Protection Team requests identification of contacts, testing, symptom monitoring or other public health measures, the service must cooperate and implement those measures within the scope of its responsibilities.

9.3 Cleaning and Decontamination

Following care of a person with a suspected or confirmed acute respiratory infection, staff must clean and decontaminate care equipment and any surfaces for which the service has responsibility in accordance with the current NIPCM and the assessed risk.

Enhanced cleaning must be undertaken where required by the NIPCM, a documented risk assessment or advice from a Health Protection Team or Infection Prevention and Control Team.

Staff carrying out cleaning and decontamination must use the PPE appropriate to the task and dispose of waste through the correct waste stream.

10. Vaccination and Staff Health

10.1 Encouraging Vaccination

Our service recognises the importance of vaccination to protect staff and the people we support. While vaccination is ultimately a personal choice:

• We strongly encourage all staff to be vaccinated, including boosters when eligible.
• We provide up-to-date information on vaccine availability, safety, and access points.
• We respect individuals’ right to confidentiality about their vaccination status, handling any related data lawfully.

10.2 Ongoing Staff Training and Competence

The organisation must ensure that staff receive infection prevention and control training appropriate to their role and the care they provide.

Training must include, where relevant:

• Standard Infection Control Precautions;
• Transmission Based Precautions;
• hand hygiene;
• respiratory and cough hygiene;
• recognition of acute respiratory infection symptoms;
• actions to take when a person receiving care or a member of staff develops symptoms;
• correct selection, use, removal and disposal of PPE;
• respiratory protective equipment and face-fit testing where relevant to the worker’s duties;
• environmental and equipment cleaning and decontamination;
• management of exposure to blood and body fluids;
• waste management;
• outbreak and incident reporting arrangements; and
• changes to national infection prevention and control guidance relevant to the worker’s role.

Training must be provided during induction and refreshed at intervals determined by the organisation’s training needs analysis, changes in guidance, identified practice concerns and staff competence.

Managers must ensure that staff can demonstrate competence in the infection prevention and control procedures they are required to carry out. Additional instruction, supervision or retraining must be provided where a competency concern is identified.

Records of training, competency assessment and any required refresher training must be maintained and made available for regulatory inspection when required.

11. Business Continuity, Resilience and Safe Staffing

The organisation must maintain a current business continuity and resilience plan for staffing pressures arising from acute respiratory infections, other infectious diseases or other events that may affect staff availability or service delivery.

The plan must support continued delivery of safe and essential care and must be consistent with the organisation’s duties under the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

The provider must ensure that, at all times, suitably qualified and competent individuals are working in the service in such numbers as are appropriate for:

• the health, wellbeing and safety of people receiving care;
• the provision of safe and high-quality care; and
• the wellbeing of staff in so far as this affects safe care.

Contingency measures may include:

• reviewing and prioritising care according to assessed health, welfare and safety needs;
• rearranging rotas and visit schedules;
• using suitably trained bank or agency workers;
• redeploying competent staff where this can be done safely;
• seeking support from commissioners, Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities or other partner agencies where necessary; and
• activating other arrangements set out in the organisation’s business continuity plan.

The service must not respond to staffing shortages by routinely cancelling or materially reducing essential care without first completing and documenting an individual risk assessment and taking all reasonably practicable steps to secure safe continuity of support.

Any decision to alter a person’s planned care because of staffing pressures must:

• take account of the person’s health, welfare and safety needs;
• consider the likely impact of the change;
• be authorised at the appropriate management level;
• be communicated promptly to the person and, where appropriate, their representative or commissioner;
• be recorded;
• be reviewed regularly; and
• be escalated externally where the service can no longer safely meet assessed needs.

Managers must ensure that staff are kept informed of changes to visits, infection risks and required precautions while protecting confidential personal and health information.

12. Documentation, Record-Keeping and Regulatory Notifications

The service must maintain clear, accurate, contemporaneous and secure records relating to acute respiratory infections and infection prevention and control.

Where relevant, records must include:

• the person’s symptoms and any significant change in health or wellbeing;
• known or suspected infection;
• relevant risk assessments;
• infection prevention and control precautions implemented;
• clinical or public health advice sought and received;
• testing undertaken and results, where testing is clinically or otherwise appropriately indicated;
• treatment or referral arrangements;
• changes made to planned care or staffing arrangements;
• discussions with the person, their representative, family members or relevant professionals;
• incidents, clusters or suspected outbreaks;
• management decisions and the reasons for them; and
• regulatory and statutory notifications made.

An infectious-disease outbreak must be notified to the Care Inspectorate using the applicable notification process within the required timescale. Where current Care Inspectorate guidance specifies a 24-hour timescale, the notification must be submitted within 24 hours.

The manager must check the current Care Inspectorate notification guidance when an outbreak or significant infection-related incident occurs, as notification categories and electronic reporting arrangements may change.

Where an initial notification is made before all information is available, the service must submit further or updated information when required.

Other statutory notifications or reports, including reports to the local Health Protection Team, Health and Safety Executive or other competent authority, must be made where the relevant legal reporting threshold is met.

Records containing personal or health information must be processed lawfully, kept secure, accessed only by authorised persons and retained and disposed of in accordance with the organisation’s records-management arrangements, the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.

13. Communication with People Receiving Care, Families and External Agencies

People receiving care must be provided with clear, accurate and proportionate information about infection prevention and control measures that affect their care.

Where appropriate and subject to the person’s wishes, capacity, confidentiality and lawful information-sharing arrangements, relevant information may also be provided to their representative, family members, unpaid carers or other persons involved in their care.

The service must explain:

• any infection prevention and control precautions required during care;
• any temporary change to the way care is provided;
• why a change is necessary;
• how long the change is expected to remain in place, where this is known; and
• how the person’s rights, preferences, communication needs and essential care will continue to be supported.

Information must be provided in a format and manner the person can understand. Communication support, interpretation, accessible information or involvement of an appropriate representative must be arranged where required.

Confidential information about another person receiving care or a member of staff must not be disclosed merely because an infection or outbreak has occurred.

Where a suspected or confirmed infectious-disease outbreak meets the applicable notification criteria, the manager must notify the Care Inspectorate within the required timescale and must contact the local NHS Board Health Protection Team or other public health service where required by current national or local arrangements.

The service must cooperate with the Care Inspectorate, Health Protection Team, NHS services, commissioners and other competent authorities in relation to infection incidents and outbreaks and must provide information lawfully requested for regulatory, clinical or public health purposes.

Staff must follow the advice of the Health Protection Team where additional temporary public health measures are required. Such measures must be communicated clearly to affected people and must be reviewed and removed as soon as they are no longer necessary.

14. Staff Responsibilities

• All Staff must familiarise themselves with this policy and follow the guidelines and procedures outlined.
• Line Managers have a duty to support staff, monitor compliance, and provide necessary resources (e.g., PPE, training).
• Senior Management will review this policy regularly, ensuring it aligns with the latest national guidelines and that any required changes are implemented promptly.

15. Review of this Policy

This policy will be reviewed at least annually or sooner if there are significant changes in legislation or guidance. Any revisions will be communicated to staff and incorporated into training programmes where necessary.

---

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}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.