Community service organisations cover services for a wide range of clients from homeless youth or adults, aged care and disability, unemployed people and more. Whichever type of client, legislative requirements will impact the ways employees and organisations interact with its clients. Employees will need to know legal requirements relevant to the type of service provided. All workplaces are required to follow regulations and legislations: Occupational health and safety – This protects the health, safety and welfare of all people at the workplace. OHS laws in Australia are guided by Common and Criminal laws. Ohs law require employers and employees to be responsible for their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of clients too whom staff provide services. All staff must follow instructions and training, such as manual handling and treatment of hazardous substances. They must use the supplied personal protective equipment and report hazards, incidents and injuries that occur, immediately. Privacy and confidentiality: This law affects how personal information is collected, used and shared with others. It dictates how information must be treated while being held and how it is destroyed. Only information that is relevant to a client’s treatment or care can be obtained. The act does not allow an organisation to sell or pass on information without written permission from the client. There is however a few circumstance where disclosing information to
The Data Protection Act (1998) requires that personal details and information must be kept secure and confidential. Confidentiality is necessary in any Health and Care Social setting because it maintains between the individuals and the organisation. An environment of trust encourages people to be open and honest with those who care for them. They provide all the details necessary so that they receive the best care possible. The employers are accountable to the regulators for protecting confidentiality .Preserving privacy and confidentiality is essential so that they do not risk the discipline of being struck off a professional register. Each member of the staff has a responsibility to ensure that the care record are accurate recorded. A clear information will aid patients to participate fully in decision making about their
Data Protection Act 1998 – gives individuals the right to know what information is held about them, and those that processes personal information must comply with eight principles, which makes sure that personal information is fairly and lawfully processed; processed for limited purposes; adequate, relevant and not excessive; accurate and up to date; not kept for longer than is necessary; processed in line with your rights; secure; not transferred to other countries without adequate protection;
As employees we must ensure we attend all necessary trainings that our employers provide regarding infection control and prevention. If an employee comes across a hazard such as bodily fluids spilt in an area or a staff member not wearing gloves you must report it immediately to a senior staff member and not ignore it as
2 The Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) is the law that explains the professional, ethical obligations related to privacy and confidentiality,
Before I start work, I ensure that the environment is spacious to avoid any accidents. By ensuring that the floor is dry and clear of any obstruction or material that could result to risk of an accident to both the service user and member of staff in line with Health and Safety first Aids Regulations 1987. I carry out checks on the residential areas and on the surroundings, fire checks and parked the wheelchairs and Zimmer frames in their appropriate places to avoid any accidents. I check to see that all doors and windows were locked and secured and areas are hazard
Describe how current health and safety legislation, policies and procedures are implemented in the setting.
Within the health and social care setting there are numerous peices of legislation and codes of practice designed to protect individuals.These are there to protect from breaches of confidentiality were the information held on that individual is only viewed by staff directly involved in their care.
As a health care professional, I will help to ensure that work environment is safe by following the rules. Trashing materials in appropriate cans is the most important for all employees in the building. Knowing my responsibilities for my own health and safety in the workplace. If I found something unsafe condition, I will report immediately to my employer. Using personal protection equipment is important for your own safety.
* Take responsibility to ensure the staffs are given appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision in order to comply with Health and Safety rules and procedures.
Information received from someone else I.E. the patient should not be passed on to third parties without the consent of the person that the information was initially received from, as per the data protection act 1998 states this also includes, electronic, verbal, documents, and includes every form of storage of information received or passed on.
The Data Protection Act states that you must only collect information that you need for a specific purpose and keep it secure, ensure that it is relevant and up to date to guarantee that no changes in medication or health status goes unnoticed or unaccounted
‘provide clear information, supervision and training for employees and ensure that suitably competent people are
Therefore every care practitioner should endeavour to promote theses rights when dealing with services users and their relatives. Furthermore, it is crucial for service users to understand that any information they give will be with strict confidentiality. It is a legal requirement for health and social care services to keep personal data confidential.
Also to avoid dangerous moving and handling, the employees then have the responsibility of making sure they use all equipment as they have been trained to do so, follow all health and safety working practices within their workplace, avoid putting themselves, other staff, individuals or visitors at risk, and making sure they report any hazards or risks to their employer.
This act applies to all organisations that process data relating to their staff and customers. It is the main legal framework in UK that protects personal data. The act contains 8 data protection principles which are: