The reporting of accidents and incidents within NHSGGC will enable the safety performance of the organisation to be monitored and allow statistics relative to the accidents and incidents occurring to be compiled. These statistics will provide information about the hazards that employees, patients, visitors and others encounter on Division premises and ensure that suitable precautions can be taken to minimise these hazards and prevent a recurrence of an incident that has already caused or could potentially cause injury.
The incident report is a primary tool for collecting data about an incident, analysing the data and translating the information into a strategy for change.
Any unplanned event that has resulted in, or could result in, injury or ill health to people, damage to or loss of property, plant or materials. This would apply to all people on hospital property including patients, staff and visitors. This definition takes account of the usual accident where personal injury results, and of near miss reporting where an incident could have resulted in injury and includes any act of non-consensual physical violence or verbal abuse.
As a result of chance or intervention the outcome could have lead to harm but on this occasion it did not. Reporting a near miss is just as important as reporting an actual incident. Near misses indicate difficulties that may be due to incorrect or missing procedures being in place. It is important that these are recorded. Although staff may only see an isolated incident within their area, this may have wider implications.
If you wish to report an incident, please click here. (Only available when logged into NHSGGC)
Incidents fall into the following categories:
The list of ‘specified injuries’ in RIDDOR 2013 includes:
This includes:
NB Where an employee who sustains a high risk needlestick injury subsequently sero-converts to a reportable disease, a RIDDOR Reportable Disease report will require to be submitted in addition to the report of the Dangerous Occurrence
These are certain, specified ‘near-miss’ events (incidents with the potential to cause harm.) Not all such events require reporting. There are 27 categories of dangerous occurrences that are relevant to most workplaces, for example:
Only when they occur at work – over seven day injuries, not counting the day of the accident but including weekends and rest-days, which result in an employee being away from work or unable to do their normal duties for more than seven days (including non-working days).
If the accident occurred at a hospital, the report only needs to be made if the injury is a ‘specified injury’ (see above).
Staff can be identified as being lone workers if their working activities involve periods of time where they are without any kind of close or direct supervision, or in contact with any other colleagues. The NHSGGC Policy on Lone Working provides further guidance on identifying lone workers.
When a manager identifies that they have staff who are lone workers, a risk assessment is required to identify the risks involved and any measures to control the risks. Guidance on undertaking a lone worker risk assessment can be found in the NHSGGC Lone Worker Policy. There are many potential control measures, of which one is the lone worker support service, currently provided by Reliance Protect.
This service uses a specialist Lone Worker Device. If the lone worker’s safety is compromised, they can discreetly use the device to summon support and/or emergency assistance.
This service should only be considered after undertaking a lone worker risk assessment in conjunction with the guidance provided within the NHSGGC Lone Worker Policy. If the Lone Worker Support Service is identified as a potential control measure, this should be discussed and agreed with the appropriate budget holder who will be paying for the service.
If the services require additional lone worker devices please contact the Health & Safety Service in the first instance.
Guidance presentation used during training for using the Lone Worker Support Identicom Device.
An escalation protocol outlines how a service will use the lone worker support service and details what to do in the event an alert is raised by a lone worker. An example protocol is provided here.
These sessions are for those identified by managers as staff who will provide support and help with managing the use of the Dedicated Lone Worker Devices issued by Reliance Protect. Training sessions, further information and nominations are available on request.
Contact Reliance Protect on – Training@reliancehightech.co.uk – with your name, email address and device serial number
Changes to details associated with a device – all changes should be notified directly to Reliance Protect’s customer service department using servicedesk@reliancehightech.co.uk or 0800 840 7121 (Option 1). This includes changes to a lone workers personal details, for example, car registration, personal mobile; or work details, for example, work mobile phone or managers details. Both the lone work and the manager named at the top of the escalation form associated with the group can make these changes.
Changes to escalation form details associated with a lone working group should be notified directly to Reliance Protect’s customer service department using to servicedesk@reliancehightech.co.uk or 0800 840 7121 (Option 1). This includes changes to lone workers on the form and contact details of any of the escalation point. The manager named at the top of the escalation form associated with the group can make these changes. Any requests must include the email addresses of any persons that the change relate to.
Changes associated with an escalation form should be notified directly to Reliance Protect’s customer service department using servicedesk@reliancehightech.co.uk or 0800 840 7121 (Option 1). The Manager named at the top of the escalation form receives the monthly reports directly from Reliance Protect and can make changes to the form. The manager can add additional ‘managers’ to the group/escalation form. Any requests must include the email addresses of any persons that the change relate to.
When a lone worker leaves employment, the device should be retained by the manager and re-assigned to their replacement. Reliance Protect should be contacted directly to inform them of this change to both the lone workers details associated with the device and the escalation form. Contact Reliance Protects customer service department using servicedesk@reliancehightech.co.uk or 0800 840 7121 (Option 1)
For example, a new pin, lanyard or charger. These are available at extra cost and should be ordered from Reliance High Tech using a non-stock order form. Ensure the order form is clearly marked ‘Lone Worker device accessory’ and the supplier is ‘Reliance High Tech’.
For further information, contact Health and Safety through the internal email system or through the main HR contact number 0141 278 2700.
The need for FFP3 Mask (oral nasal disposable mask respiratory protection) to be worn is identified through clinical risk assessment. The mask is used to protect against respiratory borne pathogens. To use these masks, relevant staff must be ‘face fit tested’ to ensure that they can achieve a suitable face fit of the mask and that it operates at the required efficiency.
The following documentation is used specifically in relation to face fit testing:
A list of current FFP3 mask fitters as of 3rd December 2020 is available here (only accessible to staff on NHS network).
After checking, if you believe a fit test record is not on eESS that should be, please contact the Health and Safety Service: wig-movhan736@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
Prior to the onset of COVID-19, NHSGGC fit tested to 3 masks – Alpha Solway 3030V and S-3V; and, the 3M 1863+. In early March 2020, significant challenges to worldwide supplies of FFP3 disposable masks occurred and as a result a number of different FFP3 masks were sourced and introduced.
The following document gives an overview of the masks that have been issued by procurement during this period for face fit testing against:
FFP3 Mask Model Overview – updated 20th May 2020
Changes to mask availability due to the above, is likely to continue to occur during the next few months of 2020 and as such the Face Fit Test flow chart below identifying which masks should be fit tested against and are available, will be updated regularly
Guidance including for donning and fit checking an FFP3 mask is provided below:
A Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is a type of respirator used to safeguard workers against contaminated air. PAPR consists of headgear and a fan which takes air from the surrounding environment, passes it through a filter and delivers it through a hose to the users face via the hood.
Within NHSGGC the need for respiratory protection to be worn is identified through clinical risk assessment. The first choice control measure is an FFP3 mask to which staff must be face fit tested, to ensure a tight seal is achievable. Staff will only be considered for PAPR if no available FFP3 masks are suitable for them and they are required to undertake / work in Aerosol Generating procedures/environments.
If you have been identified as requiring PAPR you will require to undertake learning, complete a self assessment and be competency assessed by GGC PAPR trainers, to ensure you are competent to Don, Operate, Doff, Decontaminate and Maintain/Manage the system. If you are assessed as competent to use PAPR safely, you will be enabled to use the system during AGP work activities. PAPR must be stored at your place of work.
The head gear will always be specific to you, however the rest of the system, fan unit, hose, belt, battery and charger may be used by multiple people. Arrangements for how and where to store the PAPR and the designated areas to put on and take off the system will be explained to you by your line manager prior to you using the equipment for AGP activities.
Training in PAPR will be specific to the PAPR system you will be issued, that is, after the training you will only be able to use the specific make and model you have been trained on and issued with.
A step by step guide relating to the management process, including how to use the documentation below, for staff who have received training in the use of PAPR within NHSGGC, can be found here
Every day, seemingly lawful actions such as sending text or email, making phone calls, posting messages on social media sites or sending private messages can become a stalking offence if they occur twice or more and if the perpetrator knew, or ought to have known, that their actions would cause fear and alarm.
The following are some examples of stalking behaviours:
Stalking can also be a form of domestic abuse. Those experiencing stalking, may also be exposed to other forms of domestic abuse too. Please see our Protection from Abuse resources for more support and guidance.
Despite its prevelance and the harm it can cause, stalking is a crime that is often not reported to the police. It is believed that people don’t report for 3 reasons:
It is estimated that stalking affects approximately 1.5 million people each year. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 12 men will be affected at some point in their lifetime. It can have a very profound physical, psychological, emotional and socially traumatic effect.
Effects can include:
Cyber-stalking can have a very serious impacts on those who experience it. It can become a constant presence in the person’s life.
Cyberstalking can include the following:
This can become extremely invasive of someone’s life and they may need to make significant changes to their day to day routines and online security measures.
If you believe you are being cyber-stalked, it is essential that you contact Police Scotland to report this. You will also need to get expert help as quickly as possible too. The following link can help you get this support: The Cyber Helpline. Further support organisations are listed at the bottom of the page.
NHSGGC uses the following strategy to help support staff who are being stalked:
The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 makes any form or stalking a criminal offence. This can include, seemingly, harmless and subtle behaviours.
For example, a text message saying ‘you looked nice when I saw you earlier’ seems trivial, but if it is intended to cause fear and alarm (or the perpetrator should have known that it would) and it happens, at least, twice, then it can be classified as stalking and becomes a criminal offence.
(Please note – if this only happens once, it would not be counted as a stalking offence, at that stage. Instead, it would be counted as an incident of abuse and harassment under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010) and you wold still be within your rights to report it to the police).
You always have a lawful right to report incidents of stalking (and abuse and harassment) to the Police. This is always the case, irrespective of the alleged perpetrators, personal circumstances, or other people’s opinions.
You can report any incident of stalking to the police, online, or you can contact them on 101, or 999, in the case of an emergency.
The following links can provide you with more information about your lawful rights:
NHSGGC’s Staff Witness Support Service can also provide support and information to any member of staff who may need to go to court.
This is also called ‘building a case’. In order to do this, it is essential that you record any and all incidents where you believe a stalking incident has occurred – no matter how, seemingly, insignificant the incident may be. To do this you should keep a safe record of the following details:
If you are a woman aged 18 years or above, the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre have developed the following app: ‘FollowItApp’.
This app can be used to help you record any relevant details, safely and securely. It has been designed in collaboration with The Crown Prosecution Service, Police Scotland and other stakeholders including Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid, to ensure that it meets the needs of women who are being stalked and that it is compliant with Scot’s Law.
In addition the Suzy Lampugh Trust, also provides guidance, resources and apps that can help anyone record any relevant details of stalking incidents. Information about personal safety apps can be found in their ‘Help and Advice’ section
It is then essential that you report these incidents to the Police either online, via 101 or 999 (in the case if an emergency).
If incidents occur within NHS property, or is associated with your work, you should also complete a Datix incident report.
Cyberstalking can be very traumatic and can has severe repercussions on those who experience it. It is essential that you take, immediate steps to secure your online identity and accounts. As a well as taking the steps outlined here, you should also refer to our Online and Cyber Stalking Resources page for advice.
If you are being stalked, it is vital that you take steps to promote your safety. Unfortunately, these can sometimes can significant effects on your daily life and routines, but they may be needed to ensure your safety. As well as the measures already outlined here e.g. recording & reporting incidents, contacting the police and protecting your online identity you may need to consider the following: Change your daily routine Inform people you trust of your concerns Record and report incidents to the Police Change your online passwords and use a password manager to protect them Take advice from specialist services
Additionally, line managers may need to adopt flexible work patterns and arrangements for any staff member(s) who are being stalked this could include, altering the staff members start and finish times, moving them a more secure work base & giving them access to additional technology (mobile phones, alarms, Reliance devices)
This must always involve the person who is being stalked and they must be central to the decision making process.
NHSGGC has a number of different services who can offer support to you if you believe you are being stalked. These are:
As a part of NHSGGC’s commitment to supporting our staff who are being stalked, we want to establish better relationships with Police Scotland and other Third Sector organisations that specialise in supporting those affected by stalking. Part of that includes providing you with a route to access to those services. The list below are public and voluntary bodies that can provide you with expert support and guidance:
NHSGGC want all our employees to know that we take safety and well-being of our staff extremely seriously and will offer all relevant support to staff who are being, or believe they are being, stalked.
Wherever an employee is being stalked, or believes that they are being stalked, we want to support them to report this to the police as soon as possible.
Any member of staff, who believes they are being stalked should contact the Occupational Health Service and the Health and Safety Service for advice, guidance and support.
The following organisations can also be contacted and will be able to offer specialist advice and support:
All Moving and Handling training courses are available for booking on eEES.
Use link to access course information and dates NHSGGC Moving & Handling
Line Manager request form for manual handling assessment of a staff member returning to work following a period of absence.
All Induction (Foundation) courses remain the same, however, rather than providing refresher training for everybody irrespective of need, a process of assessment is used to identify where additional support may be required.
An overview of the approach and how it relates to the Acute Services and for Partnerships is provided.
Competency assessments for staff that regularly move and handle static loads as part of work tasks.
NHSGGC Moving and Handling Bariatric Guidelines contain guidance related to moving and handling plus sized (bariatric) patients. Information about suitable equipment available within the main hospital sites is here
The bariatric beds on the Clinical Therapy Bed Contract, including advice on which one to order and ordering instructions are in the resource folder. In addition to the bariatric beds, other specialist beds are also available on this contract, including low level beds and spinal beds
Arjo rental phone number to order bariatric or low-level beds 08457 342000.
Please forward request to procurement for purchase order number prior to contacting company.
NHSGGC’s patient hoists and standing aids are currently serviced every six months by contractors Drive DeVilbiss. When you go to use the hoist or standing aid, as well as your normal pre-use checks, if it does not have an up to date service sticker attached to it, please report this to your local Estates department.
NHSGGC’s patient hoists, standing aids and fabric slings are inspected as per the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) every six months. Currently the inspections are undertaken by Allianz. When you go to use the hoist, standing aid, as well as your normal pre – use checks if it does not have an up to date inspection sticker attached to it, please take the equipment out of use and report this to your local Estates department.
NHSGGC’s patient beds are serviced annually and is currently undertaken by Drive DeVilbiss. When the bed has been serviced a label will be placed on the bed frame at the brake end.
Guidance on reporting faults to electric beds can be found here.
These Notes are developed in response to incidents that have occurred or hazards that have been identified. They are designed to be used by Local Managers to communicate key safety messages to their staff, taking no more than two minutes. They can be presented in a number of ways including at handovers, safety briefings and staff meetings. Not all Notes will be relevant to all areas.
The risk assessments are generic in that they will apply to a number of areas within NHSGGC. You can download them to be included in your ward / departments Health and Safety Management Manual. If you do so however, you must ensure that you have altered the generic principles of the risk assessment to your own specifc area, for example, you may have to take into account specifc risks associated with the environment you work in or the equipment you have access to.
Blank moving and handling risk assessment forms are available from the Health & Safety Policies, Guidance Documents and Forms pages.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are problems affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves or other soft tissues and joints. The back, neck and upper limbs are particularly at risk. The aims of the NHSGGC Guidance for Managing Musculoskeletal Disorders are to:
Information relating to treating minor musculoskeletal conditions can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk/injuries/muscle-bone.
Occupational Hygiene is the applied science concerned with the identification, measurement, appraisal and control of physical, chemical and biological factors in the workplace which may affect the health of those at work or in the community.
Moving and handling education within NHSGGC is divided into two parts. Induction courses for employees who are new to NHSGGC and do not have a Scottish Manual Handling Passport and update education.
The requirement for an update for staff undertaking higher risk manual handling activities, is identified through competency assessment. Induction courses remain the same, however rather than providing refresher training for all staff irrespective of need, a process of competency assessment is used to identify where additional support may be required.
Nominations for all NHSGGC Moving and Handling courses to be made through eESS.
For further information or assistance with booking staff onto training please email WIG-movhan736@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Please ensure delegate is aware of dress code for Moving and Handling Training, appropriate clothing and footwear for practical work. Class register requires payroll number or eESS ID, bring copy of this to the training day.
Attendance will be recorded on eESS. In addition local managers should keep local training records and to assist with this if a delegate does not attend the nominating person will be contacted within 24 hours to inform them of the non-attendance.
Staff should have completed Manual Handling Theory on Learnpro prior to attending the practical course, staff should bring evidence of completing module to practical training.
Practical moving and handling training is now a one day course, dates and venues available to view on eESS.
Staff who complete a one day competency assessor course will be able to carry out moving and handling assessments within ward / department.
Staff who have previously attended a one day course and require an update can attend a half day session, book through eESS.
Please request by sending details to the M & H inbox & a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a session.
Please request through Moving and Handling teams, if requiring contact details of local teams email M & H inbox.
For any further information email the Moving and Handling inbox WIG-movhan736@ggc.scot.nhs.uk