{{org_field_logo}}
{{org_field_name}}
Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}
Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement Policy
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to set out how {{org_field_name}} maintains quality assurance and continuous improvement across its temporary staffing, recruitment and workforce supply activities in England.
{{org_field_name}} is committed to operating lawful, safe, effective and consistently high-quality recruitment and staffing processes for candidates, workers, clients and other stakeholders. We aim to provide suitably vetted, compliant and competent workers, maintain clear and fair processes, learn from feedback and incidents, and continually improve our systems, records, training and oversight arrangements.
This policy supports compliance, where applicable, with the Employment Agencies Act 1973, the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Working Time Regulations 1998, the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015, the Equality Act 2010, the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, the Police Act 1997 and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, together with related guidance and any future legislative changes as they come into force.
Where {{org_field_name}} supplies workers into healthcare, care, education or other regulated or higher-risk environments, additional safeguarding, vetting, suitability and client-specific compliance controls will apply according to the role and the law.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all directors, managers, employees, consultants, agency workers, contractors and others involved in the activities of {{org_field_name}}.
It covers all recruitment and temporary staffing activities carried out by {{org_field_name}}, including:
- recruitment, registration and onboarding of candidates and workers;
- suitability, identity, right to work, reference and role-specific vetting checks;
- matching and supplying workers to clients;
- client due diligence and assignment information gathering;
- worker pay, holiday, working time and assignment conditions;
- equality, safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and information governance;
- complaints, incidents, feedback, audits and corrective actions; and
- governance, risk management and continuous service improvement.
This policy applies whether {{org_field_name}} acts as an employment agency, an employment business, or both, and should be read alongside all related operational, safeguarding, recruitment, data protection, complaints and whistleblowing policies.
3. Principles of Quality Assurance
{{org_field_name}} is committed to the following quality assurance principles:
- Legal and regulatory compliance: complying with all legislation, statutory guidance and contractual requirements relevant to recruitment and temporary staffing activities.
- Suitability and safe supply: taking reasonable steps to verify worker identity, right to work, experience, training, references, conduct history and any role-specific checks required before introduction or supply.
- Fair treatment and worker rights: promoting lawful, fair and transparent treatment of candidates and workers, including compliance with pay, working time, holiday, equality and agency worker rights.
- Client and worker safety: working with clients and workers to identify and manage health and safety, safeguarding and assignment risks.
- Accurate records and accountability: keeping complete, accurate and secure records to demonstrate compliance, support safe decision-making and enable audit.
- Feedback, learning and improvement: using audits, complaints, incidents, worker feedback, client feedback and performance data to identify trends, correct deficiencies and improve practice.
- Transparency and professional standards: maintaining clear terms of business, clear information for work-seekers and clients, and an open culture in which concerns can be raised and addressed.
4. Quality Assurance Framework
To achieve and maintain high standards, {{org_field_name}} will operate a structured quality assurance framework that includes:
- Policies, procedures and legal updates: documented policies and procedures will be maintained, reviewed and updated to reflect changes in legislation, guidance, business operations and identified risks.
- Recruitment and vetting controls: pre-engagement checks will be completed in line with legal requirements and the specific role, including identity verification, right to work checks, reference checks, qualification checks, employment history review, training verification and, where legally permitted and required, DBS and safeguarding checks.
- Client due diligence and assignment controls: before supplying or introducing a worker, {{org_field_name}} will obtain sufficient information about the client, the role, the experience or qualifications required, health and safety matters, and any specific risks or compliance conditions relevant to the assignment.
- Terms and information management: clear terms of business and worker terms will be issued and maintained in accordance with legal requirements, including information about pay, notice, holiday, deductions, assignment arrangements and any applicable fees or restrictions permitted by law.
- Worker rights monitoring: systems will be maintained to support compliance with the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, working time rules, holiday entitlement, National Minimum Wage requirements and equality obligations.
- Training and competence: staff involved in recruitment, compliance, safeguarding, onboarding, payroll, worker support and quality monitoring will receive appropriate induction, legal updates and refresher training.
- Audits and file reviews: regular audits will be completed on worker files, client files, assignment records, right to work evidence, pay records, complaints, incidents, training records and data protection controls.
- Incident, concern and complaint review: incidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints, near misses, non-conformities and compliance breaches will be recorded, investigated where appropriate, and used to identify corrective and preventive actions.
- Management oversight and reporting: quality and compliance findings will be reviewed by management at planned intervals, with actions allocated, monitored and closed.
- Information governance: personal data, including special category data and criminal offence data, will be processed lawfully, fairly, securely and only for specified purposes, with retention and deletion controls in place.
5. Roles & Responsibilities
The Director / Senior Management are responsible for ensuring that {{org_field_name}} has effective systems of governance, quality assurance, legal compliance and continuous improvement, and for ensuring adequate resources are available to implement this policy.
The Registered Manager or designated operational lead is responsible for day-to-day implementation of this policy, oversight of recruitment and supply processes, audit activity, investigation of issues, action planning and reporting to senior management.
The Data Protection Officer, where appointed, or the person with responsibility for data protection is responsible for advising on data protection compliance, information governance, retention, data subject rights, breach reporting and privacy documentation.
Managers and compliance staff are responsible for ensuring worker and client files are complete, checks are carried out lawfully and on time, records are accurate, and issues are escalated appropriately.
All employees must follow this policy and related procedures, maintain accurate records, complete required training, report concerns promptly and participate in audits, investigations and improvement actions.
Agency workers and candidates are expected to provide accurate information, cooperate with lawful checks, complete required training, follow client and assignment rules, raise concerns promptly and comply with professional, safeguarding and health and safety requirements relevant to their assignments.
Clients / hirers are expected to provide accurate assignment information, cooperate on health and safety and safeguarding matters, notify {{org_field_name}} of risks, incidents or performance issues, and provide information needed for compliance with the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 and other legal duties.
6. Continuous Improvement Initiatives
To promote a culture of continuous improvement, {{org_field_name}} will:
- carry out planned audits of recruitment, onboarding, compliance, payroll, safeguarding, right to work, data protection and client file management;
- review complaints, incidents, worker feedback, client feedback and audit findings for trends and recurring issues;
- implement corrective and preventive actions with named owners and completion dates;
- review key performance indicators such as complaint volumes, placement quality, training completion, file audit scores, timescales for checks, right to work compliance, DBS compliance where applicable, and client satisfaction;
- benchmark processes against legislative requirements, regulatory guidance, contractual obligations and recognised good practice;
- consult workers, staff and clients when reviewing service quality and operational changes; and
- update policies, procedures, templates and training materials following legal updates, audit findings or identified service risks.
7. Complaints, Feedback & Reporting Mechanisms
{{org_field_name}} encourages clients, candidates, workers, employees and other stakeholders to raise feedback, complaints, concerns and suggestions for improvement.
Complaints and concerns may relate to recruitment processes, conduct, worker suitability, pay, holiday, discrimination, health and safety, safeguarding, exploitation, assignment conditions, data handling or other service issues.
All complaints and concerns will be recorded, acknowledged, assessed and handled in accordance with the relevant policy and procedure. Where appropriate, investigations will be undertaken, findings documented and corrective actions implemented.
Staff and workers must report immediately any safeguarding concern, serious misconduct, right to work issue, suspected fraud, modern slavery or labour exploitation concern, significant health and safety issue, data breach or other serious compliance matter.
{{org_field_name}} will maintain a whistleblowing route so that concerns can be raised confidentially and, where appropriate, without fear of detriment.
Where an issue requires external notification or referral, {{org_field_name}} will notify the appropriate authority, client, police, DBS, local authority safeguarding team, Home Office, ICO or other relevant body in accordance with legal and contractual requirements.
8. Related Policies
This policy should be read alongside:
- Complaints Handling Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Training & Development Policy
- Whistleblowing Policy
9. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where required due to changes in legislation, statutory guidance, case law, regulatory expectations, contractual obligations, business activities, audit findings, incidents or identified risks.
{{org_field_name}} will also review this policy whenever significant employment or temporary staffing law reforms come into force, including changes affecting employment businesses, agency workers, worker rights, safeguarding, data protection or labour market enforcement.
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.