Influence of legislation on the development of policies and procedures

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Legislation, policies and procedures in the workplace are designed to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all individuals and employees. They provide a set of rules which should be followed at all times by everybody, so the actions of one person cannot negatively influence somebody else. If someone is found to be acting in a way deemed inappropriate by health and safety guidelines, this can be brought to the attention of supervisors with minimum hassle, as they have been found to be breaking a set of steadfast rules (Sephton, 2013).
Company policies and procedures should be easy to follow, to minimize confusion and disputes. When new employees join a firm, during their introduction procedure they should be informed of all necessary policies and procedures so they can work in a correct and safe way as soon as their job begins. If any employee is found to not be following any official guidelines or legislation, they should be appropriately reprimanded. In most cases, this should in the first instance mean a warning. If an employee breaks the rules again, more serious discipline may be given (Portsmouth City Council, n.d.).

In a health and social care environment, official policies are of particular importance. They ensure each individual employee treats customers with care and professionalism. For instance, a doctor in a hospital must refrain from operating on patients whom he or she knows personally. This is because their emotions could affect their judgment during the procedure. Alternatively, a nurse in a clinic should regularly wash his or her hands. This prevents infections being passed from one patient to another. Although certain health and safety procedures may seem unnecessary and time-consuming, it is essentia...

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.../can-you-please-explain-how-legislation-policies-and-procedures-are-used-to-promote-the [accessed: 14 th March, 2014]

• The Scottish Government (2003). The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Acts 2004 & 2009: Consultation on Changes to the Secondary Legislation and Supporting Children's Learning Code of Practice [webpage] available at The Scottish Government website; scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/03140104/3 [accessed: 23 rd March, 2014]

• The Scottish Government (2007). Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 [webpage] available at UK Government website; legislation.gov.uk/asp/2007/10/contents [accessed: 23 rd March, 2014]

• UK Government (2003). Employing people: Dismissing staff and redundancies [webpage] available at The Scottish Government website; scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/03140104/3 [accessed: 23 rd March, 2014]

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