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In this month's health and safety podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings looks specifically at powered transporters, most specifically e-scooters and e-bikes which are the most common form, and explores the legislation surrounding these modes of transport. These considerations should be taken on board should you manage or own these new modes of transport.

In this month's health and safety podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings discusses the different types of active monitoring, audits, safety inspections, safety surveys, safety tours and sampling. These types of active monitoring will help you to identify compliance with standards, so that you can recognise good performance and ensure it is maintained. It may also identify non-compliance and will allow you to put corrective actions in place to rectify the situation and prevent recurrence. 

This month, Sarah Baker, Apprentice Solicitor at Napthens, discusses the decision around why the menopause will not be considered a protected characteristic by Government, what perimenopause and the menopause are and the symptoms.

If you are a care home provider or care sector organisation, icy surfaces on your premises can also present a hazard to members of the public/visitors who enter your premises. The general duties under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, poses a duty to manage all hazards in the workplace (this would include snow and ice), and section 3 of the same Act, poses a general duty to non-employees, as long as they are part of our undertaking. 

This month, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Head of Napthens Health and Safety,  discusses what you might expect if an HSE inspector visits your organisation, the powers they have and the different types of notices, letters or advice they may give you.

This episode gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how HR can support with neurodiversity in the workplace.We will discuss: People who identify themselves as neurodivergent typically have one or more of the conditions or disorders such as autism, ADHD, epilepsy, dyslexia, OCD, Tourette syndrome or an acquired neurodivergence (i.e., through incidence or brain trauma) In terms of the workplace, to be seen as ‘inclusive’, an employer needs to make an effort to celebrate neurodiversity while taking steps to accommodate the specific challenges that neurodiverse individuals may face. If an employer refuses to adapt processes with neurodivergent individuals in mind, they actually risk missing out on top talent Top tips to support people who are neurodiverse in the workplace 

This month,  Neil Hughes-Hutchings senior Health and Safety Consultant at Napthens Health and Safety is going to guide you through one of the health and safety terms that crop up on many occasions, and that is competence. Neil will talk you through what competence is and why it is important to identify the competencies needed for the different job roles within your organisation. 

In this podcast you will get an overview of what High Functioning Anxiety is, the common symptoms, possible causes and ways in which someone suffering with anxiety can get help and treatment.

The subject for discussion this month centres on the Fire Safety Act, which clarifies the scope of the Fire Safety Order.In this podcast, Neil Hughes-Hutchings makes clear what the Responsible Person must consider when conducting fire risk assessments, if not done so already.

This time, Abi interviewed Dawn Waller, former CQC Inspector and Policy Manager,  discussing how providers can raise the topic of relationships and sexuality with residents in a constructive and compassionate way.   

The subject for discussion this month centres on the lessons learned from a recent Health & Safety Executive prosecution of a care provider in Scotland.  In this podcast, Chris Walker, Head of Health & Safety at Napthens shares some real practical examples of how and why things can go wrong if we don’t have the health and safety basics in order. 

In episodes 1 and 2 , we looked at what you need to do to become a registered manager. We have looked at what it means to be fit to be a manager, what skills and qualifications you need, and now we will tackle health. This is the area that I find people get concerned about. You are asked within the process to sign a declaration to say you are fit and healthy for the job and to give your GPs details.In this episode, Abi is going to walk you through the law, CQC guidance for providers, what you should expect in an interview and more!

 Losing someone you love can be extremely traumatic. It can also be a huge relief depending on the circumstances. It is not the same for everyone, and we cannot predict how relatives or significant people to the person who has died may feel. This isn’t about being a fully qualified bereavement practitioner. This isn’t about having all the answers. This is all about what you know - a person-centred response to human emotions.A few tipis by our care expert, Abi Spence: Treat the person with dignity and respect, create space and privacy for them. Let the person know where you are taking them, and what happens next Never presume you know the person or how they feel. They may never have visited, you may have been told things by the person who has died, but this does not mean you know the relationship or how they feel Observe what is happening - Observing sensitively enables you to gain a little insight into how that person may be experiencing their first emotions relating to death 

In previous editions, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Senior Health & Safety Consultant at Napthens Health & Safety has covered topics such as lone working and the procurement of contractors,  this month Neil is going to be talking about hazardous substances; what you can do to control them and what your legal duties are .

As an employer, you should be doing all that you can to properly understand the potential risks faced by your employees and others affected by your work activities and then find effective means of control.In this podcast, Chris will talk you through the importance of removing hazards in a workplace, and how we can reduce the likelihood of interacting with the different hazards. And most importantly, the true meaning of controlling risk.

Welcome to the second episode of the 'Inspection inside out' podcast. This time, Abi will focus on explaining what are qualifications, skills experience and competencies. And what is expected by the CQC.

 Any care home provider or care sector organisation that uses contractors has health and safety responsibilities. When selecting contractors, it is important to investigate them and make enquiries to ensure that you are not putting your residents, employees, and members of the public at risk.In this episode, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Senior Health and Safety Consultant at Napthens Health & Safety provides an overview of the importance of having a procurement procedure in place when bringing a contractor on board. In particular, the podcast covers:   Risk assessment. Any organisation or individual should carry out a risk assessment for the activity they are undertaking. The significant findings of a risk assessment will usually be written unless there are fewer than five employees.    A method statement details how a contractor intends to undertake a work activity and should summarise their approach to the job in hand  Insurance. Insurance is not a legal requirement, but it provides cover for the contractor if a member of the public or client of theirs claims because they have suffered injury or property damage as a result of the contractor’s activities.

Welcome to your new podcast,’ Inspection inside out’ by Abi Spence. Over the next few weeks, Abi will be looking at the key elements of what CQC is looking for to become a CQC Registered Manager.Meet Abi SpenceAbi, as the Registration and Inspection Specialist, has worked for and with Government agencies relevant to social care for the past 12+ years. Primarily with the Department of Health, Social Services Inspectorate, Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and since its inception, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). As part of this long involvement, Abi has developed a comprehensive and detailed understanding of relevant issues and has worked closely with stakeholders such as people that use services, carers, providers, local government, the Department of Health, Ofsted and the Audit Commission. The ’Inspection inside out’ series is where Abi will de-mystify the process in a way that will help you decide whether a registered manager in the care sector is the right career for you.  In this episodeAbi focuses on what does 'Good Character' mean and what will an inspector look for and do to ensure you are of good character

Workforce, LPS, costs and COVID-19 are just some of the key issues you will need to address in 2022. Abi Spence explains more and offers some tips and useful resources to help you address these important topics.

On 11 March, the CQC updated its guidance on meeting the duty of candour to make it clear what providers must do to meet the requirements of the regulation and the circumstances in which it must be applied. In this episode, Tracy and Ali will be discussing the CQC guidance, how to implement a duty of candour culture, and why saying sorry is not admitting fault when something goes wrong.