PHE operates an EO policy which forms part of our staff handbook. Several pages are devoted to this subject and all staff are made aware of this issue. As part of the induction course, learners are shown a video on the subject, are lectured on the subject and are given written questions as part of their subject matter testing. All test results are recorded and filed.
It is worth commenting that with our new approach to our ANA course (using an ETE approach) demonstrates in clear terms our intention to operate an equal opportunities policy. Advertising is carefully monitored to reflect our employer practice as is all promotional material .We have at present veterinary partners of both sexes, and staff who are Black, White Asian and Oriental at vet and nurse level. We employ handicapped staff and severely dyslexic staff and provide support for these staff members.
We constantly reinforce our Equal Opportunities policy to learners, not only at induction and throughout lectures, but with a video, periodically in tests and discussion and in their comprehensive staff handbook which deals in detail with EO.
We present an upgraded health and safety programme in all levels of nurse function, be it veterinary or educational. We educate staff to handle different aspects of the H&S programme and do not rely on external sources to handle our nurses as part of their recruitment drive for numbers.
We make Health and Safety a key issue in all the practices and businesses that accept our students, and have a department of 2 staff members to implement all the policies to ensure safety for all in the workplace. All staff undergo an H&S course with lectures and appropriate notes for all, and run periodic refresher courses to remind of the importance and emphasis we put on the subject. The health and safety policy is correlated and administered from our head office by the two staff members dedicated to this portfolio.
Apart from frequent visits to practices to check and monitor, by observation, question and answer, and discussion on our H&S policy, learners and staff are constantly being issued with instructions on the subject via the intranet. The condition of H&S equipment is constantly checked as is the staff's usage of the equipment.
All practices have an accident book which is checked on each practice visit to ensure it is being used. Every practice has a first aid officer who has attended one of PHE's first aid courses and has a certificate in this regard. All serious accidents have to be reported to our H&S officer and are fully investigated by them.