Health and Ill Health

M1 – Describe how health and safety legislation, policies and procedures promote the safety of individuals in a health or social care setting

In a Health or Social care setting is extremely important to ensure the health, safety and security, in order to protect and ensure the welfare of patients, service users and also those working within the sectors. Is important to work under the law and meet minimum standards when delivering care.

The UK is governed by legislation and regulations to ensure that guidelines are followed to enforce safety and security within an organisation. Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body. Legislation can have many purposes, which includes to regulate, to authorize or to declare or to restrict. Professionals working in the health sector must have an awareness and understanding of their health and safety responsibilities in relation to relevant legislation such as The Data Protection Act 1998, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, COSHH 1998 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences, Manual Handling Regulations 1992, and many other regulations.

Policies help to enforce health, safety and security as well in a health or social care setting. Policy is the principle or rules to guide decisions. All policies will relate to legislation, for example Health and safety policy. An effective health and safety policy is very important to have within a health and care organisation because it can help prevent accidents and health damage by providing guidelines on things such as producing risk assessments and what to do in case of fire. This helps to identify hazards within the organisation and helps to minimise any issues that could cause harm. Therefore policies helps to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in the organisation. Policies should be monitored regularly.

Procedures are an established or official way of doing something; they provide a...