EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

January 2017

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This Employment Handbook sets out the Company’s policies and procedures of employment and

accompanies the Employment Contract.

These policies and procedures do not form part of the Employee’s contract of employment however, they do

set out standards of behaviour and working as well as providing Employee’s with information about the

Company and its practices. We would ask you therefore to read this handbook carefully and, if you have any

queries about its contents or any aspects of your job then please speak to your manager.

Contents Page

About Altogether Care 4

Introduction 4

Absence 5

Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking Policy 7

Appraisals 9

Building Security and Key Holders 10

Cash/Stock Handling 10

Company Equipment 11

Company Vehicles 11

Compassionate Leave 12

Conduct 12

Deductions from Wages 13

Dignity at Work 13

Dress Code 14

Equal Opportunities 16

Expenses 16

Eye Tests 16

Health and Safety 17

Holiday 17

Induction 18

IT & Social Media Policy 19

Lay off 23

Lone Working 23

Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive and Parental Leave and Pay 25

Mobile Phones 25

Pension 26

Personnel Records/Data Protection 26

Probationary Period 26

Receipt of Gifts 26

Redundancy 27

Resolving Problems 29

Restrictions and Confidentiality 35

Retirement 36

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Returning Documents and Materials 36

Severe Weather and Disruption to Travel 36

Shadowing 37

Supervision 38

Timekeeping 40

Training and Development 40

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About Altogether Care

At Altogether Care, an independent family owned business for over 25 years, we pride ourselves on being

recognised by many local care professionals, doctors and Social Services as one of the best providers of a

wide range of care solutions in the South West. Our strong family values are embedded within all our Care

Homes and Care at Home services. We are committed to providing the very best in terms of quality care, the

same we would want for our own family, ensuring our residents are treated as individuals and with respect

and dignity.

Our staff our passionate about making a positive difference to a life, either through delivering high quality

nursing or ancillary care, or working to support our business in a managerial, supervisory or administrative

role.

We recognise that our staff are simply exceptional, our biggest and most valuable asset and something to be

very proud of. We know that each and every member of our team puts high quality individual care at the

top of their work agenda and that feels great!

Introduction

The company actively supports Human Rights, Age Discrimination, Sex Discrimination and Race Relations

legislation. Our ethos is to respect and value people’s differences, to help everyone achieve more at work as

well as in their personal lives so that they feel proud of the part they play in business success. Our Grievance

Procedure ensures sympathetic handling, and hopefully satisfactory resolution, for all aspects of employees

concerns or dissatisfaction.

The Company has prepared this handbook to provide you with an overview of its policies, benefits and rules.

It is intended to familiarise you with important information about the company as well as provide guidelines

for your employment experience with us in an effort to foster a safe and healthy work environment. Please

understand that this booklet only highlights company policies, practices and benefits for your personal

understanding and cannot, therefore, be construed as a legal document. It is intended to provide general

information about the policies, benefits and regulations governing the employees of the company and is not

intended to be an express or implied contract. The guidelines presented in this handbook are not intended

to be a substitute for sound management, judgment and discretion.

It is obviously not possible to anticipate every situation that may arise in the workplace or to provide

information that answers every possible question. In addition, circumstances will undoubtedly require that

policies, practices and benefits described in this handbook change from time to time. Accordingly, the

Company reserves the right to modify, supplement, rescind or revise any provision of this handbook from

time to time as it deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion with or without notice to you.

No business is free from day-to-day problems, but we believe our personnel policies will create a viable,

healthy and profitable organisation. This is the only way we can provide a satisfactory working environment

that promotes genuine concern and respect for others including all employees and our customers. If any

statements in this handbook are not clear to you, please speak to your manager.

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Absence

Sickness & Absence Rules

As a Company, we need to measure and record sickness absence and to know when and why we need to do

something about it. This is why we record and keep all records relating to absence. As an employee, you

need to know that you work for someone who cares about your health and welfare.

The following absence policy has been drawn up to meet these needs and must be followed at all times.

Disability

Where any employee has a condition that would be classified as a disability they have a duty to inform the

Company. Any information will be treated in the strictest confidence but will allow the Company to support

and make any reasonable adjustments necessary.

Reporting

All unauthorised absence must be reported to your Manager personally by phone on the first day of

absence, before your shift is due to start and giving as much notice as possible. Contact should be made

directly by you, not by text message, social media or message through a colleague and only in exceptional

circumstances should partners, parents or friends ring on your behalf.

You will be asked to give the reason for your absence and an indication of when you may return and details

of any outstanding work that needs to be attended to in your absence.

If your absence continues for more than 1 day you must keep us informed on a daily basis.

If the absence is due to sickness and continues for 7 days or less (Saturday and Sunday included) you must

complete a Self-Certification form and give it to your Manager. A copy of the Self-Certification form is

available in the office.

If absence continues for more than 7 days (Saturday and Sunday included) a medical certificate signed by

your doctor must be sent immediately to your Manager and thereafter at weekly intervals for as long as the

absence continues. You must also continue to inform of us of your circumstances by contacting us at least

once a week.

During all periods of absence your Manager will maintain contact with the employee.

When you return to work you may be asked to attend a return to work interview.

The Company reserves the right (at the Company’s expense) to request you to at any time, undergo an examination by a doctor, nominated by the Company, to assess your fitness to work. A medical adviser may disclose the results of the examination to the Company, with your authorisation. A refusal to be examined may lead to disciplinary action being taken, including dismissal. There may also be occasions where the Company considers it necessary to request a Medical Report on your health from your GP or consultant. Where a medical report is necessary, you will be informed of your rights under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 and you will be asked to give your written consent for the Company to contact your GP or consultant to obtain a medical report.

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Jury Service and Other Public Duties

Should you be required to attend Court for jury service or as a witness, you are required to notify the Company as soon as possible. Leave will normally be granted. There is no contractual entitlement to remuneration for absences relating to jury service and other public duties. .

Membership of the Reserved Armed Forces

If you are a member of the reserved armed forces, you may use your paid annual leave entitlement to carry out your duties, provided that you comply with the provisions relating to annual leave set out in your Contract of Employment. Any further time off is at the absolute discretion of the Company and will be unpaid leave.

Medical Appointments

It is appreciated that visits to doctors and dentists and other medical practitioners are necessary and, whilst time off will be normally be granted, such appointments should, as far as possible, be taken outside of normal working hours or with the minimum disruption to the working day (i.e. at the beginning or end of the working day). Time off for such appointments must be approved by your Manager in advance and no more than 2 hours should be taken off work for any one appointment. There is no contractual entitlement to remuneration for absences relating to attendance at medical appointments. Payment of salary during attendance at such appointments is at the absolute discretion of the Company.

Medical Certification

Medical Certificates are now referred to as “Fit Notes” Where a medical certificate indicates that you may be

fit for work the doctor may have suggested ways of helping you get back to work, such as a phased return to

work, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. Your Manager will discuss the advice on the

doctor’s certificate with you and will consider any comments made by the doctor, any of the return to work

tick boxes and any other action that could help you return to work despite your illness. If you return to

reduced hours your pay would reflect this. If the Company is not able to make any adaptations or

adjustments to help you return to work, your Manager will explain the reasons for this to you and will set a

date for review. You may then use the doctor’s certificate as if the doctor had advised ‘not fit for work’.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

SSP will be paid in accordance with legislation in force at the time of absence. SSP is currently paid after

three days absence and for a maximum of 28 weeks.

The qualifying requirements for SSP are:

You have notified your Manager within the time limits specified above.

You have been sick for four or more calendar days in a row.

Have average weekly earnings equal to or more than the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions.

Long-Term Illness

Whilst the Company will be sympathetic if you are ill, you will appreciate that if you are persistently off work

through ill-health or long-term injury or incapacity, this cannot continue indefinitely and your employment

may be reviewed or terminated. Persistent repeat absence may also be subjected to loss of pay or other

disciplinary action.

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Behaviour Whilst Absent

Employees are expected to attend work unless sickness or injury prevents them performing their duties.

Whilst an employee is absent, they must adhere to the policy and do nothing to aggravate or delay recovery

such as working for another employer or taking part in inappropriate social or sporting activities.

Should you be incapacitated for work during any period of pre-booked holiday (whether in whole or in part) the Company will, subject to the correct notification, certification and eligibility pay SSP. You must provide the Company with a relevant medical certificate covering the period of incapacity.

Returning to Work

On occasions, you may feel ready to return to work but if you are on any form of medication that could

affect your ability to carry out your normal duties you must inform your Manager.

To ensure the Company does all it can to understand the causes of absence, a return to work interview may

be held.

Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking Policy

The company is concerned with the general health and welfare of its staff and is committed to ensuring the

highest possible safety standards in all its operations.

There is a general belief that what people do outside working hours is their concern and does not affect their

working lives. However it is a fact that drugs and alcohol can impair work performance long after

consumption with detrimental effects on behaviour and the way the job is carried out. This makes it a

workplace issue too.

The Company will not condone the behaviour of any individual suspected of being under the influence of

drink or drugs and will suspend the individual from further work until the condition of the individual can be

fully assessed.

Alcohol

The Company’s policy is to forbid the consumption of alcohol on the Company’s, and clients, premises whilst

you are at work.

Other than at an official Company function, if you are found to be consuming alcohol on the Company’s, or

clients, premises or to be intoxicated at work, you will face disciplinary action on the grounds of gross

misconduct under the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.

The Company has the right to request a test for alcohol consumption. If an employee refuses this may be

taken as a sign of guilt and disciplinary action may result.

Drugs

The possession, use or distribution of drugs for non-medical purposes on Company premises is strictly

forbidden.

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If you are prescribed drugs by your doctor which may affect your ability to perform your work, you should

discuss the problem with your Manager.

If either the Company suspects you have breached the prohibition on drugs or your work performance or

conduct has been impaired through such abuse, the Disciplinary Procedure will be invoked. Such breaches

are deemed to be gross misconduct and could result in being dismissed.

The Company reserves the right to search you or any of your property held on Company premises at any

time, if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the prohibition on substances is being or has been

infringed.

If you refuse to comply with these procedures, your refusal will normally be treated as amounting to gross

misconduct and it will entitle the Company to take disciplinary action.

Smoking

The purpose of this policy is to protect the health of all employees, residents, contractors and visitors from

exposure to second-hand smoke and the effects of passive smoking whilst engaged in duties and working for

the Company.

We recognise that second-hand smoke adversely affects the health of people. We are not concerned with

whether anyone smokes, but where they smoke and the effect this has on our staff and residents.

Smoking is not permitted on company premises (apart from designated areas) or in company vehicles.

Please Note: While the use of vaping equipment has been said by the National Institute of Clinical

Excellence (NICE) to be “95% safer than smoking”, Altogether Care respect the right of non-vapers to

nicotine free air as being just as important as the right of non-smokers to smoke free air. For this reason our

policy on smoking applies equally to vaping.

People living and working in our premises are only permitted to smoke in the designated smoking areas

which are provided at the discretion of the Registered Manager. The company places an obligation on

individual smokers to dispose of their cigarette ends, matches, dead lighters, rolling papers, empty tobacco

pouches and empty cigarette packs etc in a responsible manner.

The Senior Management Team support the closure of any smoking area that has become littered,

malodorous or is the source of noise and irritation for people living and working in Altogether Care’s

premises and/or in neighbouring premises, although exceptions to the closure may be made for care home

residents even when the smoking area is closed to staff. In cases where staff fail to respect a Registered

Manager’s decision regarding the reasonable closure of a smoking area as a result of the aforementioned

circumstances, the Registered Manager may pursue the disciplinary procedure as appropriate.

Excessive use of the smoking area to take liberties at the expense of the company, such as extending or

multiplying legitimate work breaks, or as a gathering place for socialising by one or more members of staff

which may become an unnecessary irritation to people living and working nearby, may also result in

disciplinary action.

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Care home residents and visitors

Visitors who break the smoking ban in a non-smoking area are to be politely asked to move to a designated

smoking area, or to leave the premises while they are smoking. All new care home residents should be

informed of the smoking policy during their introductory visit and initial interview.

Care at Home

There is no legal requirement for clients to refrain from smoking when care staff are working. However, the

company relies on the understanding and goodwill of clients to observe the following. Smoking should not

take place in the client’s home when the care worker is working, if the client insists on continuing to smoke a

smoke free room should be provided for the care worker to work in. The room should be free from smoke

for at least an hour before the worker’s arrival and be well ventilated.

Care workers who wish to smoke may do so outside their programmed duties but must observe the

following. Smoking must take place away from the client’s property, staff must adhere to any local rules

regarding where and when smoking may take place, due account of the impact to neighbours must be

observed and staff must not act in a manner that will bring disrepute on the company; this includes

inappropriate disposal of cigarette butts.

Appraisals

We believe in harnessing and developing the skills of our employees for today and for future business

growth.

As part of our commitment to you, you will receive an annual appraisal in accordance with your start date

with the Company and usually conducted by your Manager. The company appraisal scheme has been

designed to assist staff in performing their job to the best of their abilities, to help the person achieve a

sense of satisfaction in their job, to make sure that everyone is contributing fully to the Company’s purpose,

to identify individual training and development needs and to highlight the potential that each individual has

to develop within the Company.

Staff should know the date of their appraisal interview well in advance so that they can adequately prepare

for it. Prior to the appraisal the staff member will be given an Appraisal Preparation Form which the person

can then refer to in their preparations. An Appraisal form is also completed by the appraiser within a

fortnight following the interview.

The appraisal makes use of reports from the employee based on a self-assessment of their progress in their

work from the time when they started in their job or the preceding appraisal and reports from other key

people responsible for their work or to whom the person is responsible.

The company allows, indeed encourages, the person to gather together and present evidence of their

practice and competence from all relevant sources including supervision records, clients, residents, work

colleagues and their immediate line manager (if different from the person carrying out the appraisal). The

evidence might include material included in the person’s qualifications portfolio.

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This evidence is used in the overall appraisal to assess the person’s practice against their job description and

the competences and personal qualities that have been specified for the person to carry out their work

effectively and satisfactorily.

During the appraisal interview this evidence is discussed and used to establish an overall assessment of the

individual’s progress and development in their role, (which might be based on a previous assessment), their

current practice and future development needs.

There could be various outcomes to the appraisal including a positive and fresh determination for the

individual, this is the main aim of the process however, there may be occasions when other outcomes are

necessary. Examples of these could include a revision of the level and scope of an individual’s

responsibilities, the need to extend or enhance their role and responsibilities, the need to redress any

weaknesses in the person’s work and practice or lack of competences, the need to improve their work

practice and competence resulting from lack of opportunities to obtain the relevant experiences and skills or

the need for additional or further training and development in their role.

The appraisal outcome is recorded and used as the basis of an action or improvement plan for the individual

for the next 12 months (or until the next formal appraisal). The report is placed in the person’s employment

records. With the person’s agreement, the appraisal plan will be used in the next round of supervision

sessions as a focus for discussion and to review progress in carrying out the agreed actions to be taken.

Building Security/Key Holders

As part of your job you may be issued with a set of keys or key codes allowing access to your workplace. These remain the property of the Company and loss of your keys or disclosure of key codes must be reported immediately to your Manager and you may be liable for any costs incurred. You must not bring any unauthorised person on to company property without prior agreement from your Manager, unless you are authorised to do so as part of your job. In these circumstances you are responsible for ensuring that your visitors are appropriately monitored during their stay, and that they do not access areas or Company property inappropriately. You must not remove Company property from the company’s premises unless prior authority from your manager has been given.

Cash/Stock Handling

If you are responsible in any way for handling stock, cash or other financial transactions you should never do anything that might put you under suspicion and render you liable for disciplinary action under the company’s Gross Misconduct code and furthermore the company also reserves the right to refer the matter to the police. The company reserves the right to hold you responsible for any cash/stock losses that are deemed to be your responsibility and to deduct the cost of this from your wages.

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Company Equipment

If as part of your role you are issued with any Company equipment, you are responsible for maintaining it and keeping it safe at all times and the company reserves the right to deduct from your wages the cost of repair or replacement for any of these items.

Company Vehicles

A company vehicle represents a big financial expense and we want to protect that investment as best we

can. Please read the following section and ensure you adhere to the rules.

If your role involves you driving a company vehicle then a copy of your driving licence must be given to your

manager before you drive any vehicle and whenever a change occurs on your licence. You must notify the

Company of any changes on your licence. If you lose your licence as a result of a driving offence and as a

result you are unable to fulfil your role this may result in you being dismissed from your job. You must also

inform your manager of any driving offences or fines that you incur whether driving for the Company or

privately, as this may have an adverse effect on the insurance premiums that the Company has to pay. The

Company reserves the right to make you pay for any additional insurance premiums that it incurs as a direct

result of any of the above.

You will also be liable for any fines, tickets or other charges that you incur whilst driving a Company vehicle

depending on the circumstances under which they were issued.

You should carry out regular vehicle checks and never drive a defective vehicle. You must report any vehicle

defects to your manager. You should inform your manager of any health problems or personal

circumstances that could make driving hazardous and be fit to drive when required. You should also drive

within speed limits and to the speed dictated by conditions, which may mean driving at less than the limit.

If you are involved in an accident whilst driving a company vehicle you must let your manager know

immediately and the Company reserves the right to make you pay for any costs including the insurance

excess, or increased premiums, that the Company incurs as a result and which are deemed to have been

your responsibility.

The vehicle is only insured for business use and must never be used for social, domestic or pleasure

purposes except with the express permission of the CEO and under no circumstances must passengers ever

be transported in the vehicle. Failure to adhere to these points will be construed as Gross Misconduct and

will be dealt with under the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.

The Company’s vehicles are a key part of its public image and it is your responsibility to ensure that it is kept

clean and tidy at all times. Any complaints from members of the public with regards your driving a branded

company vehicle will be investigated and will be dealt with via the company’s disciplinary procedures.

As part of the company’s policy of running and maintaining its fleet of vehicles as efficiently and safely as

possible the company may decide to fix a tracking/monitoring device to your vehicle.

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If you are required to drive your own vehicle for business purposes, you will be paid a fuel allowance based

on the number of miles that you drive. This cost should be submitted as an expense, details of which will be

provided to you separately.

Compassionate Leave and Family Emergencies

Your Manager or the Operations Manager may grant short periods of unpaid leave for family emergencies,

close family bereavement or for other serious reasons. If practicable, you should contact your Manager to

obtain prior approval for any absence. If this is not possible, you should make contact as soon as possible

after the start of the absence. All compassionate leave will be unpaid.

Taking your spouse or children to and from medical appointments does not count as a family emergency and leave will need to be taken to cover such occurrences.

Conduct

The Company takes pride in fostering good relationships with its residents, clients, and associated

businesses. Despite on occasions their lack of consideration, it is essential that we always act in a dignified

and professional manner. We will never tolerate rudeness, brusqueness or off-hand behaviour to our clients

or our fellow colleagues.

In general terms your conduct outside work is private and of no concern to the Company. If however your

conduct outside work affects your ability to work for the Company, or brings the Company name into

disrepute then this may result in you facing disciplinary action and could lead to your dismissal.

Part of your role may involve you working for clients outside of Company premises, often unsupervised. On these occasions your conduct and behaviour is of the utmost importance to the Company. Of particular importance to the company are the following:

You must turn up on time and not take unnecessary or excessive breaks

You must take extra care to work neatly and tidily at all times

Smoking is not permitted whilst on site

Please watch your language and consider the effects it may have on those around you

Use of your mobile phone must be kept to an absolute minimum whilst on site and only then is it permitted for work purposes. When working in our Care Homes, the use of mobile phones to make or receive personal calls or texts when on duty is strictly prohibited.

You must wear clean company uniform at all times

Your personal appearance and personal hygiene is vital

Any problems, issues, concerns must be reported back to your Manager

Discretion is key and under no circumstances must you discuss any aspect of the client, their personal circumstances or the work that the Company are doing for them with anybody else

The Company views any breaches of the above policy very seriously and complaints from any clients, particularly those that result in your being removed from the site or in the company losing the business will be treated as potential Gross Misconduct. You must also notify the Company if you receive any criminal record whilst an employee and depending on

the circumstances this may be dealt with under the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.

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Deductions from Wages

If, either during or on the termination of your employment, you owe the Company money as a result of any loan, overpayment, training, default on your part or any other reason whatsoever, the Company shall be entitled to deduct the amount of your indebtedness to it from any payment or final payment of wages which it may be due to make to you. Such deductions may include, but are not limited to:

An overpayment of, or advancement on, wages, bonus, commission or expenses, whether made by mistake or otherwise.

Annual leave taken as at the date of the termination of your employment which is in excess of your accrued entitlement.

Any losses, insurance excess payments or insurance premium increases sustained by the Company as a result of the loss of, damage to or unauthorised use of any Company property or that of any client, customer or supplier, which is caused through your carelessness, negligence, wilful default or dishonesty.

Any loans.

The market value of any unreturned Company property on the termination of your employment.

Where you leave the Company the balance of any training assistance given.

The repayment of any contractual or discretionary sick pay where the sickness absence reporting requirements have not been followed or your absence is unauthorised.

Payment of wages representing the time period for lateness.

Any till or stock shortages.

Monies outstanding from tenancy agreements.

Any purchases made without a fully completed iCare Purchase Order.

The cost of DBS checks.

The cost of the Care Certificate.

The cost of your induction training should your employment be terminated by either party for whatever reason (other than redundancy) during the first 9 months of your employment.

Any amount deducted under this clause is a genuine attempt by the Company to assess its loss and is not

intended to act as a penalty.

If the Company accidentally overpays you in respect of wages, bonus, commission or expenses in a particular

pay period, you must act in good faith and immediately notify your Manager. Failure to notify the Company

in these circumstances may lead to disciplinary action under the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.

If, on the termination of your employment, your final payment of wages is not sufficient to meet your debt

due to the Company, you agree that you will repay the outstanding balance to the Company within one

calendar month of the date of termination of your employment, such payment to be made as agreed with

the Company.

Dignity at Work

Statement

The Company believes that the working environment should at all times be supportive of the dignity and respect of individuals. If a complaint of harassment is brought to the attention of a manager, it will be investigated promptly and appropriate action will be taken.

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Harassment

Harassment can be defined as conduct, which is unwanted and offensive and affects the dignity of an individual or group of individuals.

Sexual harassment is defined as “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex, affecting the dignity of women and men at work”. This can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. People can be subject to harassment on a wide variety of grounds including:

race, ethnic origin, nationality or skin colour

sex or sexual orientation

religious or political convictions

willingness to challenge harassment, leading to victimisation

disabilities, sensory impairments or learning difficulties

status as ex-offenders

age

real or suspected infection with a blood borne virus (eg AIDS/HIV)

membership of a trade union or activities associated with membership

Forms may include:

physical contact ranging from touching to serious assault

verbal and written harassment through jokes, offensive language, gossip and slander

visual display of posters, graffiti, obscene gestures, flags and emblems

isolation or non-cooperation at work, exclusion from social activities

Coercion ranging from pressure for sexual favours to pressure to participate in

political/religious groups

intrusion by pestering, spying, following someone

bullying

What should I do if subjected to Harassment?

If you feel you are being harassed you are strongly encouraged to seek early advice/support from your

Manager.

You should also keep a written record detailing the incidents of harassment and any requests made to the

harasser to stop. This written record should be made as soon as possible after the events giving rise to

concern and should include dates, times, places and the circumstances of what happened.

Dress Code

We need to present a professional image when residents, clients, suppliers and business partners visit the

premises or when you are working at their home and we would ask that employees present a clean and

professional appearance at all times.

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Employees are expected to maintain a standard of personal hygiene. Please see our separate Personal

Hygiene Policy for further information.

You may also be issued with protective clothing, in which case such items must be worn at all times when

exposed to risk. Please refer to our separate Protective Clothing Policy for more details.

If you are supplied with a company uniform, you are responsible for looking after all uniform and uniform must be worn at all times. To keep a record of the uniform items issued to and/or received back from any one member of staff, uniform issuing managers are responsible for ensuring that a Uniform Log Sheet is completed for each member of staff.

Uniforms by role

Role Item Colour

Care and Support Worker Tunic Sky blue

Trousers / skirt Navy

Field Care Supervisor

Tunic Sky blue

Trousers / skirt Navy

Blouse / shirt White

Administrative staff

Blouse / shirt white

Trousers / skirt navy

Jacket Navy

PLEASE NOTE: All uniforms must be kept clean, tidy and in a good state of repair. A fresh uniform should be worn each day by nursing or care staff. Extra items may be purchased directly by staff through the normal route – please consult your line manager regarding needs.

Other rules which apply are as follows:

Hair must be clean, tidy and tied back if long, with no vivid colours.

Staff who choose to wear make-up must have it sensibly applied.

Finger nails must be short, clean and well maintained. Care staff should never wear nail varnish, since it may conceal dirt, and may even be a convenient place for bacteria to hide and multiply in the tiniest of chips or cracks when it has been worn for several days.

Any nose, lip, eyebrow or other facial jewellery must be removed whilst on duty. A maximum of two plain bands (rings) may be worn. One pair of small stud earrings may be worn. Ankle and wrist bands do not form part of our uniform.

Wrist watches must be removed whilst delivering care.

One neck chain may be worn – maximum length 18” (46 cm).

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Tattoos must be covered at all times wherever possible.

Closed black or navy shoes with a low heel are to be worn. Trainers are not permitted unless for medical reasons. If this is required, you will asked to show proof of this and the trainers should only be one plain colour, either black or navy.

Staff delivering domiciliary care in the community via the Care at Home service may wear the Altogether Care fleece on top of their tunic. Care Home staff may wear a navy cardigan (not supplied) on top of their tunic.

Hats do not form part of our uniform.

All Care and Support Workers will be issued with an identity card (ID card) and an attachment clip. The ID card must be worn at all times whilst at work and it must be returned to your manager at the end of your employment. Each card should display your photograph, name, company name, contact number and date of issue and expiry. Every card will be renewed and replaced at least every 36 months. If you have any queries about what is appropriate with regard to Dress Code, please speak to your Manager.

Failure to follow our Dress Code may constitute a disciplinary offence.

Equal Opportunities Policy

The Company is committed to promoting equal opportunities in all aspects of its business, and maximising

the potential of all employees and associates through fair and equal treatment. It strives to ensure that all

of it policies and practices support these aims and principles, and works towards an environment where all

employees and associates can develop their potential regardless of disability, race, colour, religion,

nationality, ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, trans-gender status, belief or

political opinion.

The Company expects all its employees to behave in a professional way towards colleagues, residents,

customers, contractors and suppliers, both at work and socially.

Conduct contravening the Company’s commitment to equal opportunities, as laid down in the Equality

Policy, is likely to result in disciplinary action and in serious cases may warrant summary dismissal. Please

refer to our separate Equality Policy for further information.

Expenses

The Company will reimburse all business expenses reasonably and properly incurred provided that VAT receipts and expense claims are submitted on an Expenses form. If you need to travel on business to a destination other than your normal place of work you will be repaid for reasonable fares/mileage and all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. All such spending must be authorised by your manager.

Eye Tests

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In accordance with Government Health and Safety Regulations, if you work continuously at a computer

screen for one hour or more per day, you can request a voucher for a free eye test.

If spectacles are required purely for use at the computer, you are entitled to re-imbursement from the

Company to the value of a basic pair of spectacles. You will be required to submit an appropriate request to

qualify for a financial contribution from the Company and proof that the spectacles are solely for the use of

VDU equipment.

Health & Safety Policy

The Company recognises and accepts their responsibilities to provide a safe and healthy environment for staff. The Company regards the promotion of Health and Safety measures as a mutual objective for management and employees at all levels, and considers this a responsibility equal to that of any other function. It is therefore Company policy, so far as is reasonably practical, to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe, without risk to health and safety for all employees and non-employees who are involved in the Company’s undertakings.

Holiday

The leave year normally runs from the day the employee joins the business to the day preceding that date on the following year. You will be entitled to 20 days paid annual holiday in each holiday year throughout which you are employed by the Company plus the current 8 statutory bank holidays. This will be pro rata for part time and non-guaranteed hour’s staff and will be based on the number of ‘rota hours’ worked averaged over the preceding 13 week period. New employees will receive pro rata entitlement initially. Requests to take annual leave should be made at the earliest reasonable opportunity and generally no later than 4 weeks before the required start date. They should be passed to line manager on an Annual Leave Request Form. You must not book holidays until your request has been formally authorised in writing by your Manager. Any employee who takes annual leave, which has not been previously approved, may be subject to disciplinary action. The Company will try to co-operate with your holiday plans wherever possible and whilst every effort will be made to accommodate requests for leave the needs of our business will dictate when and for how long staff can take leave, this may from time to time mean that applications for annual leave are turned down. Where this happens an explanation will be provided by the employee’s line manager. No more than two weeks of annual leave may normally be taken at any one time. Where a leave period includes a Bank Holiday, the total time away from work is not to exceed 2 weeks. Employees wishing to exceed this limit must make a request to their line manager at least 3 months in advance. Periods of annual holiday must be separated by at least 1 month. Annual leave may not be taken over the two weeks of the Christmas and New Year period. You may be asked to take annual leave during quieter times and when you do not have hours scheduled.

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Registered Managers applying for more than 28 consecutive days of leave must notify the Care Quality Commission in accordance with Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009, Regulation 14. You may carry holiday over into the next holiday year for a maximum of two months. If any holiday

entitlement is not used by the end of this time it will be lost. Under no circumstances will payment be made

for holiday entitlement that is lost through not being used by the correct date.

The Company reserves the right to ask staff to use part of their paid holiday entitlement during anytime the business is closed over the Christmas period.

Should you be incapacitated for work during any period of pre-booked holiday (whether in whole or in part) the Company may in its absolute discretion reimburse the period of holiday entitlement lost due to incapacity and instead pay you Statutory Sick Pay (‘SSP’) for your period of sickness absence, provided you meet the qualifying conditions for SSP, you fully comply with your contractual obligations relating to reporting sickness absence and your absence is properly certified. If, for any reason, an employee knows they will be late returning from holiday, they must notify their line manager of their late return as soon as possible. Failure to do so will render the employee liable to disciplinary action for unauthorised absence. Such disciplinary action may include dismissal.

On termination of your employment, holiday pay will be given for earned and unused days of holiday

entitlement in that holiday year only. Unless required by law, on termination, you have no right to be paid

for holiday accrued but not taken in previous holiday years. If, on termination, you have taken more holiday

than you have earned in that year, the Company shall be entitled as a result of your agreement to the terms

of this contract to deduct the value of the unearned holiday from any final payment of salary made to you.

Induction

We firmly believe our team members are our greatest assets and aim to ensure that you are afforded

appropriate development throughout your time with us. This development begins at the Induction stage

when you join us as a new employee.

We are committed to providing an ongoing training and development programme to ensure that our staff are competent to provide person-centred care and support in accordance with the Fundamental Standards contained in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

New staff joining the company will be trained in line with the Skills for Care, Care Certificate syllabus, which consists of 15 Standards which are loosely related to the 14 Fundamental Standards of the legislation governing the way in which care is delivered in this county, monitored by our regulators, the Care Quality Commission.

Completing the Care Certificate Workbook will lead to the achievement of the Care Certificate, which is a transferrable qualification that care staff may take to other employers.

Induction training includes the practice of shadowing, where new care workers accompany a fully trained and experienced member of staff while their performance in the practical aspects of their training is monitored and assessed. This bolsters personal confidence and helps new staff to fit in.

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All new staff will be given their Care Certificate Workbook and receive the theory part of their training within one week of commencing employment. Completion of the course, including the practical, and successful achievement of the Care Certificate is expected in the first 12 weeks of employment. Completing the course in a reasonable time, and to an acceptable standard is a condition of employment.

Candidates with Common Induction Standards (CIS)

The Registered Manager will ensure that additional training is given to incorporate the Care Certificate standards that have not already been covered by the CIS.

Candidates with existing Care Certificates

The Registered Manager is responsible for checking that the evidence contained in the Care Certificate Workbook presented by new staff who have received their training from previous employers is satisfactory. Any areas of weakness identified using the self-assessment tool available from the Training Department should be remedied by ensuring the affected standards are re-worked to a satisfactory conclusion during the first 12 weeks of employment.

Candidates with superior qualifications

Any candidate who has previously occupied a role as a registered manager, a deputy manager, or who holds at least an NVQ3 level qualification will not be required to complete the Care Certificate.

IT and Social Media Policy

The integrity of our computer system is central to our success as an organisation. This policy aims to ensure that all our staff have clear instructions and understand the rules governing the use of our information technology, the internet and email accounts.

Computer security

All users will be issued with (or will be asked to select) a unique individual password which will be changed at regular intervals and is confidential to the user. Access to the system using another employee’s password without prior authorisation is likely to result in disciplinary action, including summary dismissal. Computers must be locked when leaving a work station to stop any unauthorised access.

Users must ensure that critical information is not stored solely within the e-mail system. Any critical information should be stored separately on the system. Daily electronic back-ups are carried out on all essential data. If necessary, documents must be password protected.

Care must be taken with any suspicious emails and these must not be opened.

Physical security of IT equipment is to be practiced at all times. Portable items should be locked away when not in use and other equipment should be located away from view where possible. Where fitted, blinds and curtains should be drawn when rooms are unoccupied.

The safekeeping of CDs, DVDs and memory sticks sent from external sources is the responsibility of the person to whom they were sent. All such CDs, DVDs and memory sticks must be checked for viruses by a line manager before use. CDs, DVDs and memory sticks generated internally must be kept in a secure place.

Computer viruses

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The Company’s computer network makes it vulnerable to viruses and virus protection software has been installed. Therefore, only duly authorised personnel have the authority to load program software onto the network system and re-configuring or disabling the virus protection software is prohibited. Data compatible with the Company’s system may be loaded only after being checked for viruses by authorised personnel. Any employee found to be contravening this may face disciplinary action under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

Computer software

The Company licences the use of computer software from a variety of outside companies. All our software must be formally authorised by our IT Manager (the CEO). No external software may be used without authorisation by both the IT Manager and the employee’s line manager. The Company does not own this software or its related documentation and, unless authorised by the software developer, neither the Company nor any of its employees have the right to reproduce it. To do so constitutes an infringement of copyright. Any employee found to be contravening this may face disciplinary action under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

Computer misuse

If you have authorised access to a computer in the workplace, this is for use in connection with the Company’s business only. Employees who are discovered unreasonably using the Company’s computers for personal and private purposes or vandalising the Company’s computer network will be dealt with under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

Email and the Internet

Email is a fast and reliable means of business communication, so using email accounts set up by the company is encouraged. However, it should be recognised that no system is secure and that at any time emails may find themselves in the public domain. Therefore anyone sending emails during hours of business must ensure the following: The style and content of the e-mail messages must be consistent with the high standards that we expect from written communications. In short;

Emails must be succinct, clear and in good English.

Emails must not be of a nature that may be seen to criticise another employee or demeaning in any way. If there is an issue, constructive guidance should be carried out in a face to face meeting at the earliest opportunity.

Authors should refrain from adding copy addressees unnecessarily.

When using group email addresses, such as “AltogetherCare”, authors must place these in the “Bcc...” box rather than the “To...” box (see below), in order to prevent the individual email addresses of all the staff in the company being revealed to any third parties to whom the email may later be forwarded.

Unless otherwise required by the style of the email or recipient, black Arial size 11 or 12 font is to be used.

The standard Altogether Care signature will appear at the bottom of all emails sent from your company email account. Do not attempt to alter or remove it. Where necessary, e-mail messages should include a confidentiality statement:

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E-mail contact lists are the property of Altogether Care even if they were created by an employee. Employees may not copy or remove any contact list in its entirety for use outside Altogether Care without the express permission of his or her line manager.

You are not allowed to spend excessive time ‘chatting’ by e-mail for personal and private purposes. Employees are also prohibited from using e-mail to circulate any non-business material. In addition, offensive remarks, jokes, pictures or videos sent by e-mail, via social networking websites or blogs which are capable of amounting to harassment on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief under the terms of the Company’s anti-harassment policy will be dealt with accordingly. You are not permitted to surf the internet for personal and private use, log on to social networking and video sharing websites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and YouTube or use the Company IT systems to keep a personal weblog (‘blog’) during work time. When logging on to and using social networking and video sharing websites and blogs at any time, employees must not:

Publicly identify yourself as working for the Company, make reference to the Company or provide information from which others can ascertain the name of the Company.

Conduct yourself in a way that is detrimental to the Company or brings the Company into disrepute.

Use your work e-mail address when registering on such sites.

Allow their interaction on these websites or blogs to damage working relationships between employees and clients of the Company.

Include personal information about the Company’s employees, suppliers, customers or clients without their express consent (an employee may still be liable even if employees, suppliers, customers or clients are not expressly named in the websites or blogs as long as the Company reasonably believes they are identifiable).

Make any derogatory, offensive or defamatory comments about the Company, its employees, suppliers, customers or clients (an employee may still be liable even if the Company, its employees, suppliers, customers or clients are not expressly named in the websites or blogs as long as the Company reasonably believes they are identifiable).

Employees also must not:

Make unauthorised orders for personal goods or services by e-mail or internet.

Log on to sexually explicit websites or download and/or circulate pornography or other grossly offensive, obscene or illegal material. This will constitute a gross misconduct offence and render the employee liable to summary dismissal under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

Disclose any confidential information belonging to the Company or its suppliers, customers or clients or any information which could be used by a competitor.

Employees who are discovered contravening these rules may face serious disciplinary action, including potential gross misconduct under the Company’s disciplinary procedure. The Company reserves the right to deny, remove or limit e-mail and/or internet access to or from any employee who contravenes these provisions.

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The Company also reserves the right to monitor employees’ e-mails and use of the internet, both during routine audits of the computer system and in specific cases where a problem relating to excessive and/or unauthorised use is suspected. The purposes for such monitoring include:

To promote productivity and efficiency.

To ensure the security of the system and its effective operation.

To ensure there is no unauthorised use of the Company’s time, for example to check that an employee has not been using e-mail to send or receive an excessive number of personal communications.

To ensure that all employees are treated with respect and dignity at work, by discovering and eliminating any material that is capable of amounting to harassment under the terms of the Company’s anti-harassment policy.

To ensure that inappropriate websites are not being accessed by employees.

To ensure there is no breach of commercial confidentiality. When monitoring e-mails, the Company will confine itself to looking at the address and heading of the e-mails. However, where the circumstances warrant it, the Company may open e-mails and access the actual content. Employees should mark any personal e-mails as such and encourage those who send them to do the same. The Company will avoid, where possible, opening e-mails clearly marked as private or personal. Communications of a sensitive or confidential nature should not be sent by e-mail because it is not guaranteed to be private.

Social Media – for employees authorised to use Social Media Tools for work purposes

Social media now encompasses a wide range of online activities from social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, professional networks such as, LinkedIn and also personal and Company Blogs and Twitter. There will be many more on line applications and this policy will be updated regularly.

As a Company we recognise that social media will be an important element of driving our business forward. We are also aware that social media will not be used exclusively for business. The following guidelines are intended to help determine acceptable standards when you are on line on the Company’s behalf. However it should be remembered that personal use that brings the Company, its employees or its customers into disrepute will always be totally unacceptable.

You are responsible for what you post; never use the Company’s name to promote your own ideas. Employees who are permitted to use social media tools should always remember they are representing the business, our brand and reputation; when you are online and interacting with other people on the internet you are speaking on behalf of the Company.

Identify yourself as a company employee; we want anyone who interacts on social media activities to represent the best interests and standards of our brand. When creating a blog you must obtain permission from the CEO and use your own name not an alias. Never use a customer’s name in a Blog or on line unless you have their written permission to do so. Be careful about information you share about yourself and or others within the Company, so that your colleagues are treated with respect for their confidentiality.

Spell and grammar check postings and correct any errors quickly.

Do not become involved in arguments or disagreements with conversations or postings relating to the Company, if you discover or are approached with a negative complaint, constructive feedback or an

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awkward question, respond in a professional manner reasonably, factually and helpfully to the user OR report it immediately to your manager.

The internet is a global tool, therefore keeping a global view when interacting on social media websites is important.

Do not seek credit for others work, if the content or information is not generated by you or the Company, credit the person who originally created the information.

Our IT policies are still applicable when using social media to promote the Company’s activities.

Company employees who violate our IT and Social Media Policy may be subject to discipline, up to and

including termination of your employment. If you have any questions about this policy please discuss this

with your Manager.

Lay-Off

The Company reserves the right to lay you off or put you on short time working where the needs of the Company’s business make this necessary, for example because there is a temporary cessation of or reduction in work or a temporary closure of the workplace. In the event that you are laid off or put on short time working, your entitlement to pay on workless days in

that period of lay-off or short time working will cease and instead, if you qualify, you will be paid Guarantee

payments at the prevailing statutory rate during that period in accordance with statutory requirements.

This will not apply to those that are on non-guaranteed hours contracts.

Lone Working

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines lone workers as “those who work by themselves without close

or direct supervision”. This includes work outside normal working hours for example, working with people

who use services in the evening, at night, during weekends and bank holidays, visiting people in their own

homes, collecting and delivering client cash or prescriptions and visiting quiet rural areas, or high risk urban

areas.

Lone workers can encounter a number of problems associated with these situations such as being accosted

by people in quiet areas, during darkness or on public transport, moving and handling problems and

accidents from using equipment belonging to, or used with people who use the service.

There are no legal duties on employers specifically in relation to lone working and no legal bar to people

working alone. However all employers have a duty to maintain a safe working environment so far as

reasonably practicable, this means that employers are expected to protect their workers against risks to

their health and safety. Employees are also expected to take reasonable care for their own personal safety.

It is the employer’s responsibility to:

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Train staff to be aware of the risks and to employ safe working practices

Assess the risks associated with each client and client home - this responsibility cannot wholly be

transferred to the lone worker, although the lone worker must be involved with the considerations

Respond to identified risks by developing systems designed to reduce those risks

Record the risks, the risk reducing systems and regularly re-evaluate them

Track the whereabouts of and regularly supervise Lone Workers

Ensure that if a risk cannot be made safe, two workers carry out the task

Ensure that the company is insured to cover lone working

Legislation requires employers to assess risks only for hazards that are reasonably foreseeable

It is the employee’s responsibility to:

Take reasonable care of their own and other people’s safety, and to be aware of their surroundings

and possible threats when working alone

Be involved in assessing risk and identifying safety measures

Undertake the training provided to ensure safety

Leave the working environment if there is an imminent danger to their safety

Ensure they take regular breaks to avoid working excessively long hours

Use equipment in accordance with the training given and not misuse it

Tell the employer when safety measures are not adequate

Tell the employer when they have encountered a ‘near miss’ or have identified additional risks to

their safety that were previously unidentified

Report to the employer any actual accidents or incidents that occur, using proper organisational

procedure

Risk Assessments

Where our lone workers are usually Care Workers, the questions that would normally arise in a specific Lone

Worker Risk Assessment have been combined with the Health and Safety Home Risk Assessment for greater

efficiency and to reduce the risks as much as is reasonably practicable.

When carrying out the assessment, assessors must take the following into account:

Is the lone worker medically and physically fit to work alone?

Are some workers more at risk than others, e.g. young workers, disabled workers, pregnant women,

junior members of staff?

If the care worker’s first language is not English, will they be able to understand the risks and safety

measures you have proposed?

Who will supervise the lone worker and how will this be done?

Communication management

Systems to be put in place if the lone worker becomes ill or has an accident

Equipment and/or technology that could be used to reduce the risk to lone worker

Whether the lone worker has satisfactorily completed all the necessary training to deliver the service

alone

How the lone worker might react to a range of emergency situations

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Safety Measures

The assessor will ensure that the Care Manager is tagged with the appropriate code to alert allocated Care

Workers to check the Home Health and Safety and Lone Worker Risk Assessment.

Staff who work alone will be supervised on a regular basis through conversations, informal meetings and

staff meetings, and their progress monitored through the use of spot checks, monitoring visits and more

formal planned supervisions.

When a care worker is lone working they may need to alert another person to emergency situations by

making a call to an out-of-hours duty number if the Registered Manager or Coordinator is not available. The

correct number to call for a range of events is given in the Business Continuity Plan, which must be readily

available in the office for care workers to familiarise themselves with the expected process.

The Registered Manager or the Coordinator must be able to check the electronic schedule to see where each

care worker is supposed to be at any point of the day, such that if a care worker goes missing this

information is immediately available.

Caring for lone workers after incidents and accidents

All staff must remember that if a care worker is involved in an incident, they may need to discuss the

incident, what they did about it, and whether anything could have been dealt with differently. Under some

circumstances it may be necessary for the Care Worker to have some time off work to recover. The

Manager may wish to discuss with senior management whether any stolen goods are covered by our

insurance policy.

It may be appropriate for the Registered Manager to discuss with the Operations Manager the possibility of

offering financial and legal help to the Care Worker if legal action against a perpetrator would appear

prudent to effect justice and prevent the incident happening again to anyone else.

Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive and Parental Leave and Pay

The Company complies with all the current regulations concerning Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive and

parental leave and pay. As these change on a regular basis please speak to your Manager who will give you a

copy of the current policies for each of these areas.

Mobile Phones

When working in our Care Homes, the use of mobile phones to make or receive personal calls or texts when on duty is strictly prohibited. This applies equally to the use of landline telephones. Staff may make private calls or texts during work breaks provided the privacy and dignity of clients is not infringed (ie they should not hear or see any conversation or texting). If carried about the person, mobile phones are to be switched to silent when in the home. Emergency or urgent calls will be permitted with the permission of the manager.

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When working in residents homes, it is necessary for domiciliary care workers to carry mobile phones with them when on duty. However, they must at all times be aware that they operate in people’s homes and should respect the privacy and dignity of their client. Therefore, when on duty, private calls or texts are not to be made unless it is an emergency. Where an urgent private text or call needs to be made or taken the client’s permission is to be sought.

Pension

The Company uses the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) for pension provision and, in compliance with the employer pension duties under the Pensions Act 2008, you will be enrolled as an active member of this scheme (or such other registered pension scheme as may be established by the Company to replace the NEST scheme) from the start of your employment. You will be subject to the rules of the scheme as are in force from time to time and HM Revenue & Customs requirements. Full details of the NEST scheme, including conditions of eligibility and the rates of contributions will be given to you separately. You will pay at least the minimum contributions to the NEST scheme as may be set by legislation and/or as may be required by the Company and the Company will also pay the minimum contributions to the NEST scheme as may be set by legislation and/or as it may designate. Your contributions to the scheme will be deducted from your salary and paid into the scheme.

Personnel Records/Data Protection

You have a personnel file which contains all the relevant information about your employment including

records from appraisals, individual meetings and training and development undertaken.

You have the right to know what data is held by the Company about you and can request to be supplied with

a copy of your file. Requests for a copy should be made to your Manager.

Data relating to employees will not be revealed, verbally or in writing to anyone who does not have rights to

such data.

Probationary Period

Your offer is subject to a 13 week probationary period. During this period your Manager will discuss and

review your performance with you regularly. On successful completion of your probationary period, your

appointment is formally confirmed.

During your probationary period the company’s disciplinary and grievance procedures will not apply.

In exceptional circumstances the Company reserves the right to extend the probationary period. Such an

extension would be confirmed to you in writing. Your employment may be terminated if you are found for

any reason to be incapable of carrying out, or otherwise unsuitable for your job.

Receipt of Gifts

It is not uncommon for clients or residents who have developed long and close relationships with individual

staff to offer gifts or gratuities, or to seek to include a member of staff in their will. However, such activities

can lead to accusations of coercion, exploitation and fraud.

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It is vitally important, therefore, that staff uphold the highest standards at all times and always act in an

honest manner with the best interests of our clients and residents in mind.

We are primarily concerned that occasionally our clients and residents may unwittingly place members of

our staff in a difficult position by asking them to accept money or other gifts, or to assist them with the

preparation of wills, deeds of gifts, or any other document purporting to pass property.

We are also concerned that clients and residents may bequeath money or property to employees which

could subsequently be disputed by their relatives or beneficiaries. It should be appreciated that this could

cause embarrassment not just to the member of staff concerned, but also to their colleagues, and especially

to the bereaved family.

Where gifts are offered the following should apply:

Staff should never under any circumstances, even temporarily, accept valuables or monetary gifts

belonging to a client or resident if the value is estimated to be more than £5.

Any accepted gift must be declared as soon as is reasonably practicable to the Registered Manager,

and details recorded on the Register of Gifts Received from Client form in the client or resident’s file.

If any member of staff is asked to assist with legal documentation the following will apply at all times:

Staff should never become involved with the making of a client or resident’s will, or with soliciting

any form of bequest or legacy from a client or resident.

Staff should never agree to act as a witness or executor of a client or resident’s will, or become

involved in any way with any other financial legal document.

If a client or resident needs help with making a will then our staff should refer them to an impartial

or independent source of legal advice, such as the local citizen’s advice bureau or local law society

which will hold lists of suitable local solicitors.

Failure to declare a gift, the accepting of a gift in excess of £5.00, the involvement in a will, or attempting to

solicit money or items through a client or resident’s will or legacy will be considered a disciplinary offence.

Redundancy

Whilst it is our intention to develop and expand our activities and thus provide a stable work environment

and reasonable security of employment for our employees, we must ensure the economic viability of the

enterprise in an increasingly competitive environment.

In this respect circumstances may arise where changes in the market, technology, organisational

requirements and the like, necessitate the need for reductions in staffing levels leading to subsequent

redundancies.

In order to minimise the impact of these reductions, the following procedure will be adopted wherever

possible. It must, however, be recognised that where the needs of the company so dictate, the procedure

will be adapted to the particular circumstances which prevail.

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Where the possibility of a reduction in the size of the workforce arises, management will, wherever possible,

enter into consultations with a view to establishing whether the proposed job losses can be achieved by

means other than compulsory redundancies. Consideration will be given specifically to the following

alternative options:

Imposing an immediate ban on further recruitment of new staff other than where this is essential

Considering a redeployment and/or retraining of surplus personnel

Restricting the use of agency staff and other temporary and casual staff

Reducing any additional hours being worked

The implementation of short-time working, job-sharing, etc where appropriate

Inviting applications for consideration for voluntary redundancy

Where, after due consideration of these other alternatives, management considers that the need for

redundancies still remains, written details of their proposals will be given to employee representatives.

A provisional selection for redundancy will then be made by the CEO, in consultation with the Operations

Manager, and Registered Manager(s), subject always to the need to retain specific knowledge and skills and

a balanced workforce.

As far in advance of the proposed termination date as possible, management will notify all employees that

compulsory redundancies are proposed and that provisional selection has been made. It should be stressed

that the selection is provisional only and may be subject to change.

Management will then enter into immediate consultation on an individual basis with those employees

provisionally selected for redundancy. In the course of consultation employees will be informed of the basis

of their (provisional) selection and invited to make representations on their proposed dismissals.

Management will take due note of (and will give full consideration to) any such representations before a

confirmed selection for redundancy is made by in consultation all parties concerned.

Where selection has been confirmed, those selected for redundancy will be given notice of termination in

accordance with contractual entitlements. (In certain circumstances where it is considered appropriate

employees may leave with payment in lieu of notice.)

Management will make every effort to seek alternative employment within our organisation and, where this

exists, to consider redundant employees for suitable vacancies.

All redundant employees will be interviewed individually to inform them of any available vacancies, to

establish individual requirements and to consider employees' suitability for particular jobs.

In the course of individual consultation employees will also be informed of any entitlements they may have

to redundancy compensation.

Where alternative vacancies are offered to redundant employees the terms and conditions which will apply:

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will be in accordance with the standard terms for the job in question or

will be in accordance with those which applied to the employee in the redundant job

Redundant employees who accept alternative employment with us will be entitled to a trial period in

accordance with prevailing legislation.

Subject to our operational needs, employees will be given permission to take time off work during their

notice period to look for work or seek retraining opportunities in accordance with current legislation.

Requests for time off should be made in the first instance to the Registered Manager. We will also

endeavour to assist employees for whom alternative work cannot be found in our organisation to find other

employment. Individual counselling with, provision of resources, e.g. typing, stationery, etc will also be

made available to these employees.

Compensation for loss of employment due to redundancy will be in accordance with statutory entitlement

laid down by existing legislation.

All employees who receive redundancy payments will be given a written notification of the way in which

their redundancy pay has been calculated.

Resolving Problems

We believe that clear, open and fair procedures for the resolution of problems are necessary both for the

success of our business and for the fair treatment of all our team.

General

Any grievance or complaint can be discussed informally, or through the formal Grievance Procedure. Often

raising issues promptly at the time in a sensible way helps to solve them and prevent further difficulties.

Investigations

It is not always necessary to hold an investigatory meeting but where it is, everyone is required to co-

operate fully with the investigation relating to disciplinary or grievance procedure. The Company will ask a

manager to investigate a complaint or may for some instances use an outside consultant to ensure

impartiality.

Suspension

The Company may suspend you with or without pay. Any payment for a period of suspension will be made

at the CEO’s discretion and will be for a maximum of two weeks only for all staff. Suspension is not a

disciplinary penalty and carries no implication of guilt. Whilst on suspension you must be available for work

or meetings as required during normal working hours.

The Right to be accompanied at Hearings

You can be accompanied at any Disciplinary or Grievance hearing by:

A work colleague;

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A full time official employed by a trade union; or a lay official, so long as they have been certified in writing by their union as having received training in acting as a workers companion at disciplinary and grievance hearings.

Your representative has the right to explain or sum up your case, and to respond to any views expressed at the hearing. The representative may not answer on your behalf. If the representative cannot attend on the date set for the interview, we will always postpone the interview for up to 5 days or at our discretion longer.

Grievance

Stage 1 -Informal

Where there is an issue at work we would ask that you raise it promptly and with the relevant person. If this

fails or you feel the matter is more serious then you can go to the formal procedure.

Stage 2- Formal

To make a formal grievance, set out your complaint in writing, giving as full account of the situation as

possible. This should be given to your Manager together with any relevant documents. We will invite you to

a meeting to discuss the grievance and ask how you think it can be resolved. It may be necessary for us to

make further enquiries and hold a second meeting.

After the meeting we will write to you with the outcome of the grievance. The letter will remind you of your

right to appeal if you are not satisfied with the outcome. The decision of the individual hearing the appeal is

final.

In serious cases or cases where a Manager or your Manager is the cause of the grievance another Manager,

Director or independent consultant will be asked to investigate the complaint.

If you wish to lodge a grievance after your employment has terminated please write to your Manager setting

out your complaint.

Disciplinary Procedure

The Disciplinary Procedure has been designed to help and encourage you to achieve and maintain good

standards of conduct, attendance and job performance. On occasions people may fall short of the expected

standards of behaviour or performance in these circumstances disciplinary action may be taken.

At all stages of the Disciplinary Procedure you will:

Be given a right of reply to all and any allegations made against you BEFORE any decision or disciplinary action is taken;

Be advised of the nature of any disciplinary action taken against you and the consequences of such action;

Be advised of any improvement in conduct or performance required and over what time frame;

Have the opportunity to be accompanied by a work colleague or Trade Union representative to any disciplinary hearing as described above.

Disciplinary hearings will usually be conducted by your Manager.

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You must take all reasonable steps to attend the meeting. Where you are unable to attend more than one

meeting the Company may, in certain circumstances, hold the meeting in your absence and make their

decision based on the evidence available to them at the time.

At the meeting you will be given the opportunity to respond and to put forward any defence or arguments

you want. You may ask questions, present evidence and call witnesses.

Depending on the severity of the offence and taking into account all the circumstances the disciplinary

action may take any one of the following forms:-

Stage 1

Informal counselling to give you an opportunity to rectify the situation. Stage 2

A verbal warning will be issued if improvement does not result following informal counselling or for more serious breaches. You will be told of steps you must take to improve your conduct and if appropriate the time limit for improvement. This will be confirmed in writing and recorded on your file for a period of time normally 6 months.

Stage 3

For more serious matters or where you have failed to meet the required standards after having being given a verbal warning, you may be given a written warning. This will state the nature of the complaint, the required standards that must be met and where appropriate a time limit for improvement. It will also state that further disciplinary action will be followed if the required standards are not met. One copy of which will be retained by you and one placed on your file normally for a maximum of 12 months.

Stage 4

For serious matters or where you have failed to reach the required standards after being warned you may be given a final written warning. This will state the nature of the complaint, the required standards to be met and where appropriate a time limit for improvement. It will also state that you will be dismissed if the standards are not met or if there is further misconduct. One copy of which will be retained by you and one placed on your file normally for a maximum of 12 months.

Stage 5

Where there has been Gross Misconduct (in which case the first 4 stages may be omitted) or where you have failed to meet the required standards after due warnings have been given to you, you may be dismissed. In extenuating circumstances we may apply another sanction such as disciplinary transfer, disciplinary suspension without pay or demotion. This will be confirmed in writing. In case of Gross Misconduct, the dismissal will normally be without notice (or pay in lieu of notice).

Depending on the circumstances of each case the Company may omit or miss out one or more of the above

stages.

Downgrading or Transfer to another Post

This action is appropriate when:

Previous attempts, via the Disciplinary Procedure, to rectify a problem have failed and this is a final attempt to solve a problem without having to dismiss an employee.

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An employee is considered by your Manager to be incompetent or otherwise unfit to fulfil the duties for which he is employed but where dismissal is not thought to be appropriate.

Appeals

You have the right of appeal against any Disciplinary decision taken against you. Your appeal should be in

writing and sent to the individual identified in your letter within five working days of the decision and state

the reasons for your appeal. You will receive a reply within a further five working days setting a date for an

appeal hearing. The decision from the appeal hearing will be final.

The following are examples of Misconduct and Gross Misconduct. These are examples only and not an

exhaustive list.

Misconduct

Poor time keeping.

Unauthorised and unreasonable absence from work.

Failure to meet the adequate standard of job performance.

Failure to comply with procedures.

Failure to answer a question during a properly constituted investigation.

Minor violation of Health & Safety.

Minor breaches of Company regulations.

Improper use of business funds or property.

Gross Misconduct

The following acts are some examples of Gross Misconduct and as such are considered so serious that the

employee may be liable to instant dismissal.

Theft or wilful damage of or negligence which leads to loss, damage to property or goods belonging to the Company, its customers or suppliers, or other employees.

Unreasonably refusing to the Company searching your bags or vehicle.

Unauthorised disclosure or use of confidential information from the Company or about any of its customers.

Conduct likely to damage the reputation of the Company.

Drunkenness and unlawful drug abuse.

Discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, race, religious belief, disability or sexual orientation or harassment or bullying of colleagues or customers or service users/clients/guests/members

Accepting bribes.

Fraud, dishonesty or any other offence which would be a breach of the law of the land.

Assault or attempted assault of other employees or members of the public.

Failure to carry out a reasonable order given by a manager during working hours or serious disregard of duties.

Serious insubordination.

Serious breaches of the security policy or the staff discount scheme

Serious breaches of the Health and Safety policy

Bullying and Harassment

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The company encourages an environment in which everyone is entitled to work without harassment,

victimisation and bullying.

Harassment may be described broadly as "unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of men and women".

Where a particular form of conduct has the effect of making a person feel humiliated, threatened or that

their privacy is being invaded, then that conduct will constitute harassment and should cease immediately.

We will not condone harassment and the procedure for dealing with complaints is set out below.

The policy applies to employee's conduct in, or out of office hours, when entertaining customers, or at work

events.

All employees have a responsibility for complying with this policy and treating all colleagues with dignity and

respect. If you believe that you have been subject to, or witnessed harassment, victimisation or bullying, you

must inform your Manager, or one of the Directors, so that we can keep our workplace free from

unacceptable behaviour.

The procedure for dealing with cases of harassment is set out below:

If you believe you are being subjected to any harassment then, in the first instance you should ask the

offender to stop or make it clear that such attention is unwelcome. If necessary ask a friend or colleague to

help you do this.

Such an informal approach may be all that is needed, but you should make a note of the details and keep

them.

If your request is ignored and the harassment continues, or you feel unable to make the informal approach,

please contact your Manager immediately. Details will be taken and should be confirmed in writing by the

victim, this constitutes a formal complaint.

Either your Manager, or an independent consultant, will investigate the complaint. Allegations will be dealt

with seriously and confidentially and there will be no victimisation of any employee making or being involved

in a complaint.

In cases of serious alleged harassment, any employee directly involved may be suspended on full pay

pending investigation.

If the harassment has taken place then the accused will be dealt with in accordance with the Disciplinary and

Grievance procedures.

It is hoped that the implementation of this policy will ensure that all our employees work in an atmosphere

of mutual trust, dignity and respect.

Poor Performance

The success of the Company depends on all employees working together to achieve the best possible

standards of performance. We aim to provide support and training to enable all employees to fulfil their

potential and deal with any changes that the Company may require.

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However sometimes people perform below the standard that the job requires, although they are not doing

anything deliberately wrong.

In these cases we believe that it is best to deal with these problems openly and fairly and to provide clarity

and practical support to improve performance.

Monitoring Performance

We monitor performance formally and informally through regular discussions that your Manager will have

with you about your job, at the end of projects and through the appraisal process.

Dealing with Poor Performance

Initially your Manager will discuss any concerns about your performance informally with you. Often raising

issues promptly helps to solve them by identifying acceptable standards and any support that may be

needed.

If your performance continues to fall short of that required your Manager will arrange a formal meeting to

discuss this with you. You will have the right to be accompanied by a work colleague or a Trade Union

representative.

At this meeting your Manager will explain specific areas of your performance that aren’t acceptable and you

will have the chance to give reasons for this. You and your Manager will agree a plan covering ways in which

you can be supported to achieve acceptable standards, a date for review and a clear indication of what will

happen if there is no improvement e.g. transfers, dismissal.

The time-scale for improvement, with formal reviews, will vary depending on the nature of the problem and

the role that the employee has within the Company.

At the final review overall performance will be assessed and in most cases this will be the end of the matter,

as performance will have improved as agreed.

If sufficient improvements have not been made, consideration should be given to whether you should be

transferred to another role better suited to your skills set, or as a last result, dismissed.

Appeal Procedure

If you are dismissed because you are not capable of performing your job to an acceptable standard you have

the right of appeal against this decision. Your appeal should be in writing and sent to the nominated

individual within five working days of the decision and state the reasons for your appeal. The decision from

the appeal hearing will be final.

Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing is the act of reporting to management any malpractice, mistakes or causes for concern regarding any other member of staff, regardless of the offender’s rank or status within the company.

Staff may be worried that by blowing the whistle on a colleague, they will be opening themselves up to the risk of victimisation or may be risking their job security. This policy is designed to give staff who wish to raise genuine concerns about other staff the opportunity and protection to do so.

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Disclosures made under the Whistleblowing Policy will be treated in confidence and every effort will be made to protect the whistle-blower’s identity if they so wish. However, it must be appreciated that the investigation process usually reveals the source of the information and a statement which will be seen by all parties may be required from the whistle-blower as part of the evidence. The whistle-blower will be supported and protected by the Company throughout any resultant formal hearing.

Although concerns may be expressed anonymously they are much less powerful. This is why we encourage whistle-blowers to put their name to their concern whenever possible. Whistle-blowers who name themselves are also easier to protect against reprisal, and easier to inform and support.

Staff should not hesitate to blow the whistle on suspected or actual malpractice. All staff have statutory protection in line with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, provided that concerns are raised in the right way and they are acting in good faith.

The fear of being mistaken should not prevent a member of staff from raising their concerns, provided they are acting in good faith, and have a reasonably held suspicion. All staff who have a reasonably held suspicion, who raise concerns in the right way and are acting in good faith will be protected from reprisal or victimisation and will not be risking their job security. Types of disclosure could include:

A criminal offence.

A failure to comply with a legal obligation.

A miscarriage of justice.

Endangering the health and safety of any individual

Damage to the environment.

Financial malpractice, including fraud, theft, corruption and deliberate damage to property.

Clinical incompetence.

Concealment of information relating to any of the above.

If you are concerned about any form of malpractice or any of the areas listed above, you should raise the issue with the Registered Manager in the first instance. In cases where staff do not feel that they can tell the Registered Manager, for whatever reason, they may raise the matter either in writing or verbally with the Chief Executive Office, Stephen Knell (stevek@altogethercare.co.uk or telephone 01305 206140).

If these channels have been followed, and staff still have concerns, or if they feel the matter is so serious that they cannot discuss it with any of the above post-holders, then staff should contact the local office of the Care Quality Commission. Their details are as follows:

CQC South West, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 4PA Tel: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries.southwest@cqc.org.uk

Staff who are unsure whether to use this procedure, or who want independent advice at any stage should contact the independent charity Public Concern at Work on 0207 404 6609. Their lawyers can give confidential advice at any stage about how to raise a concern about serious malpractice at work. Any disclosure made to a lawyer in the course of seeking advice on the procedure or the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 is protected under the Act.

Whistleblowing can have serious implications for the business and all its staff. The very least that can happen is that the disclosure will be investigated causing disruption to the business. It is important

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therefore to think seriously before making a report. Failure to follow the appropriate route for making a disclosure, or deliberately making a malicious disclosure may constitute a disciplinary offence.

Restrictions and Confidentiality

During your normal hours of work you may not, without the prior written consent of the Company, devote

any time to any business other than the business of the Company or to any public or charitable duty or

endeavour.

During the period of your employment you will not, without the prior written consent of the Company,

undertake any work or other activity which may prejudicially affect your ability properly and efficiently to

discharge your duties and responsibilities. The decision as to whether or not an activity would have a

prejudicial effect shall be at the absolute discretion of the Company. If you are in doubt about this please

raise the issue with your Manager.

You will not at any time either during your employment or afterwards, to the detriment or prejudice of the

Company or the Company’s customers, use or divulge to any person, firm or company, except in the proper

course of your duties during your employment by the Company, any confidential information identifying or

relating to the Company, details of which are not in the public domain, or such confidential information or

trade secrets relating to the business of any customer of the Company which have come to your knowledge

during your employment.

Retirement

The Company does not operate a normal retirement age and therefore you will not be compulsorily retired

on reaching a particular age. However, you can choose to voluntarily retire at any time, provided you give

the Company the required period of notice of termination of your employment.

Returning Documents and Materials

Upon the termination of your employment under this contract for whatsoever cause, you shall forthwith

deliver up to the Company all keys, identity cards or other equipment which are the property of the

Company or which otherwise relate in any way to the business or affairs of the Company and no copies of

the same or any part thereof shall be retained by you.

If you fail to return any of these items, or they are returned in a damaged condition then the cost of

replacement or repair will be deducted from your final pay.

Severe Weather and Disruptions to Travel

The Company acknowledges that employees may occasionally have problems travelling to and from work

due to either severe weather conditions or major disruptions to public transport (for example, train strikes

or accidents on the roads). Whilst we understand and are committed to protecting the health and safety of

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all our employees, we must also ensure that the business and our clients are not unduly disrupted by

external factors.

Reporting For Work

We expect you to report for work regardless of the situation. You should therefore make every effort to

attend work in all circumstances. When severe weather conditions occur or where there are major

disruptions to public transport, you should take steps to obtain advice on the position from the appropriate

external agencies and allow extra time for your journey, making alternative travel arrangements where

appropriate. You will still be expected to attend work on time.

Unjustified or unacceptable absence or lateness may give rise to disciplinary action under the Company’s

disciplinary procedure.

Accepted Absence or Lateness

If you are unable to attend work or are going to be delayed by the weather conditions or public transport

disruptions, you should contact your Manager as soon as possible to discuss the position.

Where the Company accepts that you have used your best endeavours to attend work but you are unable to

do so or you are late because of the severe weather conditions or the major disruptions to public transport,

your Manager will discuss the various options potentially available. At the Company’s discretion, you may

be required or permitted to:

Make up the time at a later date.

Take any absence from work as part of your annual leave entitlement.

Take any absence from work as special unpaid leave (in this case, your pay will reduce accordingly to take account of the hours/days you have not worked).

The Company will base its decision on your individual circumstances, for example your distance from home

to work, your mode of transport and on the needs of the Company.

Leaving Work Early

If severe weather conditions or major disruptions to public transport occur during the working day which will

cause problems for you in travelling home, your manager will decide whether to allow you to leave work

early (and to make up the time at a later date if necessary). The Company will again base its decision on your

individual circumstances, for example your distance from home to work, your mode of transport and on the

needs of the Company.

Health and Safety

The Company is committed to protecting the health and safety of all its employees and this includes during

severe weather conditions and where there are major disruptions to public transport and therefore a

reasonable approach will be taken to the situation. You also have a duty to take reasonable care of your

own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions. This

includes taking extra care when travelling to and from work in severe weather conditions and allowing more

time for your journey, including making alternative travel arrangements where appropriate.

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Shadowing

The shadowing program is run by our Care at Home service and is specifically designed to reinforce the

theory studied by new Care and Support Workers during their induction course, by providing practical

experience in the safe company of a more experienced Care and Support Worker, who for the duration of

the exercise becomes their “Buddy”.

All new Care and Support Workers will undertake shadowing immediately after induction and prior to being

asked to provide a service to any of our clients unsupervised.

A new care worker will be accompanied by their Buddy over several visits to the homes of participating

clients. On these visits they are shadowed by their Buddy, who provides guidance and corrects any mistakes

they may make. The shadowing member of staff completes a Shadowing Tool which records the progress of

the new Care and Support Worker. This is then submitted to the Registered Manager.

When shadowing has been completed to the satisfaction of the Registered Manager and all other elements

of the recruitment process have been completed (and providing that two acceptable references have been

received) the new Care and Support worker may visit clients unsupervised as a fully competent member of

staff.

In order to ensure that the shadowing experience runs as smoothly as possible, a new care worker should

have completed their induction training programme and have read and understood relevant company

policies, which are available in this handbook or in the Operations Manual and include but are not limited to

the following:

Statement of Purpose

Care Worker Handbook (issued in hard copy during the Induction Course)

Health & Safety

Moving and Handling

Adult Safeguarding

Lone Working

The new Care and Support Worker should ask as many questions as possible to understand the basics of

satisfying client needs and the techniques and social care skills that should be employed.

After the shadowing experience the Registered Manager will meet with the new Care and Support Worker

and their Buddy to judge the new Care and Support Worker’s readiness to undertake assignments on their

own. A written record of the completion of a shadowing experience is to be placed in the new Care and

Support Worker’s personnel file.

Supervision

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We believe that supervision plays an essential role in personal development and in maintaining high

standards throughout our organisation. We understand supervision to be a formal arrangement which

enables each member of staff to discuss their work regularly with another more experienced practitioner.

The experienced practitioner, known as the Supervisor, facilitates the discussion with the less experienced

member of staff, the Supervisee. We are committed to ensuring that supervision is available for all staff.

Supervision should have the following core functions; to provide support to the supervised staff, promote

personal and professional development and to promote the delivery of person-centred and outcome-

focused support for our clients.

The aim of supervision is to identify solutions to problems, improve practice and expose bullying and client

abuse wherever it exists, increase the understanding of work-related issues and imbue a sense of personal

achievement and fulfilment by providing complimentary feedback from clients.

The content of supervision sessions will be recorded on a Supervision Record and kept confidentially in the

Supervisee’s personnel folder.

Supervision will not be used to assess performance or competence, which is assessed by the annual staff

appraisal (although supervision may be carried out during a staff appraisal if this is convenient for both the

Supervisor and the Supervisee).

Models of Supervision

A number of models of supervision exist, each having its own merits. We recognise that our staff work in a

wide variety of settings and that a single model of supervision is unlikely to suit all. Therefore, each

Supervisee will agree with their Supervisor which model of supervision best meets their needs. A

preliminary session will be held between Supervisor and Supervisee to formally discuss how supervision will

be carried out and what outcomes should result from the supervision. During this preliminary session the

Supervision Form should be explored and discussed. Confidentiality and its boundaries should also be

agreed, and a Supervision Agreement Form completed and signed by both parties.

However the supervision is agreed, the following guidelines must always be observed:

All staff will have a nominated Supervisor with whom they have signed the Supervision Agreement

Form.

All Care at Home Care and Support Workers and Care Home Care Assistants will have regular formal

supervisions of at least half an hour in duration in accordance with the Supervision Agreement

drawn up between the Supervisor and Supervisee.

If supervision is required on an emergency basis the Supervisor may carry out a Responsive

Supervision with the supervisee, as often as may be required by the circumstances.

All supervisions must be planned, protected and uninterrupted.

Supervisions will be held in private and should be entirely confidential.

Supervisions will occur while on duty, but at a time when it is convenient to other members of staff

and to our clients.

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After a session of supervision both Supervisor and Supervisee will be allowed ten minutes of

reflection time before they continue with their working day.

Many Supervisees like to make notes during supervision but this should only be done with the prior

agreement of the Supervisor. Any notes that are made by the Supervisee should be strictly confidential and

kept securely. For care staff completing their Level 2 QCF in Social Care and Health, the supervision notes

can provide valuable evidence of their competencies.

Supervisors must have professional expertise, excellent interpersonal skills and a facilitative attitude towards

others. New Supervisors will be selected by their line managers as required.

Timekeeping

Arriving late for work can put pressure on your work colleagues and is considered unacceptable behaviour.

Whilst it is understood that occasionally there will be a valid reason for lateness, persistent late arrival or

unauthorised absence will be regarded as a disciplinary matter.

Training and Development

We believe that our employees represent our greatest asset, and that by providing opportunities, facilities and financial support for training, we will ensure that all our employees can perform their jobs to the highest standard.

To this end, we are committed to functioning as a learning organisation and to providing all our staff with the opportunity for training and re-training in accordance with their needs in line with the provision of our services.

New staff (with the exception of Registered Nurses) are expected to achieve the Care Certificate within 12 weeks of completing their induction course. Please see the Induction section in this handbook for further information.

Whilst staff can use the time to attend external courses or for in-house training sessions, there is a mandatory requirement for all care staff to undergo Annual Update Training, which is delivered over two working days. This training is to include moving and handling training.

All training sessions must be agreed with the Registered Manager before they are arranged.

All staff are issued with a Personal Training Portfolio, in which they will keep details of all the training sessions they have attended. The file should also contain a Personal Development Plan completed at the most recent annual appraisal.

The Personal Development Plan should contain details of any training opportunities that the member of staff seeks to pursue before the next annual appraisal. The Registered Manager may track a staff member’s progress against the plan at the quarterly supervision interviews.

Registered Managers are expected to undertake continuing training that is relevant to their role and tasks, and to update their knowledge and skills. Registered Managers are expected to undertake supervisions and appraisals, and to help staff to develop their Personal Development Plans.

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Employees who wish to attend a certain course or training event and wish to apply for paid time off or a contribution to the training fee should address queries about the suitability or availability of training, and their eligibility to attend a specific course in particular, to their Manager. They should then fill in a training request form and submit this to the Registered Manager.

A Training Agreement will normally apply for training paid for by the company. This represents a major investment on behalf of the company so should you leave the Company within the following time periods of completing any external training the Company will expect you to repay the fees as follows:

Within 6 Months of completing the training course 100% Within 1 year of completing the training course 50% Within 18 months of completing the training course 25% Staff will be required to sign a form accepting this arrangement prior to the commencement of any training.