The QCS Podcast
Listen to the latest news stories and opinions in the care sector by our care experts.
Episodes
45 episodes
Health & Safety Podcast: The Asbestos Management Plan
In this episode, Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Senior Health and Safety Consultant at AfterAthena Limited, delves into asbestos management. Neil outlines the purpose of asbestos surveys, identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), assessing thei...
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5:04
Health & Safety Podcast: The Concept of Positive Risk Taking
This episode, hosted by Senior Health and Safety Consultant Neil Hughes-Hutchings at AfterAthena, covers the concept of positive risk taking and how it can benefit individuals in the care sector. It emphasises the importance of sensible risk as...
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4:44
Building Resilience Within your Social Care Organisation
We all hear a lot about resilience these days, often focused on individual employees managing stress. But what about your organisation as a whole? How can you create a workplace that can weather any storm and come out stronger?
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3:53
Health & Safety Podcast: Working at Height
This month we will be talking about working at height. Working at any height can cause serious injury. A fall from a height of just one or two steps can cause serious injury. What could go wrongWhat I need to do
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4:58
Health & Safety Podcast: Portable Appliance Testing
The hazards presented by Portable electrical appliances in your workplace should be assessed using normal risk assessment techniques. A robust maintenance program can be achieved by a combination of the three following actions:...
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5:52
How to Obtain, Evidence and Record Consent to Service User Personal Care/Support
Consent is a key part to bespoke, person–centred care delivery, without it, you simply aren’t providing a person-centred service. That said, consent is not always a straightforward process, there are other factors such as Mental Capacity to con...
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5:26
Health & Safety Podcast: ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance
This month Neil Hughes-Hutchings, Head of Health and Safety at AfterAthena, embarks on the journey that is ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance. We can say it is a collective term for an organisation’s impact on the environment and ...
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4:48
HR Podcast: Upcoming changes - Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023
This episode looks at the upcoming changes to the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 which is due to come into force in Summer 2024.
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3:47
Health and Safety Podcast: Moving and Handling Operations
This episode looks specifically at moving and handling operations, as well as: Hierarchy of control and how employers can reduce the riskImportance of a moving and handling policy and risk assessmentsLifting e...
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4:10
Health & Safety Podcast: Building Safety Act Recap
This episode looks specifically at one of the new safe environments quality statements under the key question of safe. Recap of the Acts and how they have changedSection 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
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4:11
Health & Safety Podcast: Reasonably Practicable
This episode looks at the term Reasonably Practicable, what it means and Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and reasonably practicable.
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4:37
Health & Safety Podcast: Fire safety responsibilities
This month, Head of Health and Safety at AfterAthena, Neil Hughes‑Hutchings, looks at updated guidance on fire safety responsibilities under section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, which come into force from 1st October 2023.
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3:55
Health & Safety Podcast: CQC Quality Statements - Safe Environments
This episode looks specifically at one of the new safe environments quality statements under the key question of safe.
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6:00
Health & Safety Podcast: Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans
This episode looks specifically at the importance of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans or PEEPs and the recommendations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
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3:55
Health & Safety Podcast: Temperature in the workplace
This episode explores temperature in the workplace, looking specifically at thermal comfort and what the law states about temperatures in the workplace. There are also tips for keeping cool and reasonable adjustments that can be considered.
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5:31
HR Podcast: Difficult Conversations- Underperforming employees
The next in our difficult conversations series, this episode explores what to do when an employee is underperforming, including the use of personal improvement plans and the formal stages of the capability procedure.
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6:45
Health & Safety Podcast: Workplace Violence
This episode explores workplace violence, particularly the warning signs to look out for and how to prevent and reduce the risk of workplace violence occurring. It's important that employees are also provided with the right information and trai...
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4:23
Health & Safety Podcast: Powered Transporters
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 transp...
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3:43
Health & Safety Podcast: Monitoring health and safety performance
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 identi...
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4:46
HR Podcast: Understanding Menopause
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.
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3:11
Health & Safety Podcast: Icy conditions and winter
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 ...
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6:06
Health & Safety Podcast: HSE Inspector Visit
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 ...
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5:11
HR Podcast: Neurodiversity in the workplace
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 conditio...
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5:44