Staff policy awareness
Absence of a system to confirm that all staff have read and understood existing, updated, or new policies, procedures, and guidance documents.
135 items
1 source
28 inquiries
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Staff policy awareness has been flagged across 1 independent accountability source:
135 inquiry recs
This theme has been identified in one data source. As more data is added, cross-references may emerge.
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry Recommendations (135) — showing 50 strongest matches
16 — Drivers and staff to use formal fault reporting
Recommendation: Railtrack and TOCs must impress on drivers and other staff the need to use formal fault reporting procedures where the Rules so provide, and that the duty to report a fault must be performed personally and the report delivered to …
Unknown
15 — Emphasise compliance with the Rule Book
Recommendation: All parties must emphasise the need to comply with the Rule Book and must not condone departures (para 7.9).
Unknown
11 — Avoid using several documents for one operational issue
Recommendation: The use of more than one document (whether Rules, Group Standards or otherwise) to cover a single operational issue should be avoided, save where proper reasons exist for use of multiple sources (para 15.9).
Unknown
10 — Rules and Group Standards clear and unambiguous
Recommendation: Railtrack must ensure that Rules and Group Standards applicable to operators, including drivers, are clear and unambiguous. In particular, Railtrack should urgently complete the review of operating Rules to ensure they are workable in the privatised, fragmented industry (para 16.6).
Unknown
27 — Guidance on signals-on control
Recommendation: The signallers at Kings Cross PSB should be provided with guidance to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the circumstances in which the signals-on control is to be used.
Unknown
16 — Clarify RT/CE/S/053 inspection timing
Recommendation: Network Rail Company Standard RT/CE/S/053 should be revised to remove ambiguity about whether the inspection required by paragraph 12 is to be undertaken at the same time as a detailed inspection or as part of the three-monthly/six-monthly inspection required by …
Unknown
15 — Clarify RT/CE/S/103 inspections
Recommendation: Network Rail Company Standard RT/CE/S/103 should be revised to clarify the following: • Paragraph 4.4 as to how often track gauge in S&C is to be measured and by whom (ie basic inspector, supervisor or track engineer). • Paragraph 8.1.2 …
Unknown
12 — Common understanding of Rule Book clause 3.3
Recommendation: Signallers and technicians should have a common understanding of the types of work that are permissible under Clause 3.3 of Module T1A of the Rule Book GE/RT8000.
Unknown
1 — Review stretcher bar nut guidance
Recommendation: The effectiveness of the guidance contained in Network Rail Company Code of Practice RT/E/C/10179, The Set Up and Maintenance of Adjustable Stretcher Bars - A Good Practice Guide, in relation to the positioning and tightening of stretcher bar nuts, should …
Unknown
64 — Guidelines and disciplinary proceedings
Recommendation: Guidelines relating to the requirements of the Human Tissue Act 1961 and the obtaining of fully informed consent shall be drawn up and provision made for breach to result in disciplinary proceedings which could lead to suspension, dismissal or financial …
Unknown
57 — Instruct doctors on Human Tissue Act
Recommendation: The Department of Health, the Royal Colleges and medical schools shall instruct members of the medical profession in the precise terms and provisions of the Human Tissue Act 1961, on the basis of our analysis, and the need for strict …
Unknown
56 — Pathologists limit retention
Recommendation: The Royal College of Pathologists shall instruct all practising histopathologists that they shall not retain samples and organs beyond those reasonably incidental to establishing the cause of death unless there is also written consent properly obtained under the Human Tissue …
Unknown
47 — Coroners’ Society instructions
Recommendation: The Coroners’ Society shall instruct Coroners that: – in the proper exercise of their judicial discretion, the decision to order a post mortem examination is not to be delegated to Coroner’s Officers and Deputy Coroners must be available at all …
Unknown
44 — Do not raise Coroner unless reportable
Recommendation: Clinicians shall not mention to the next of kin the possibility of an examination under the Coroner’s jurisdiction unless the death is reportable to the Coroner.
Unknown
43 — Follow Chapter 10 on retention
Recommendation: Clinicians wishing to retain organs or samples after the end of the Coroner’s process for the purposes currently allowed under the Human Tissue Act 1961 shall follow the Recommendations in Chapter 10.
Unknown
41 — Instruct doctors on Coroner’s Act
Recommendation: The Department of Health, the Royal Colleges and medical schools shall instruct members of the medical profession in the precise terms and provisions of the Coroner’s Act 1988 and in particular the circumstances in which it is obligatory to report …
Unknown
8 — Inform staff of procedure in force
Recommendation: The Chief Executive and Trust Board shall inform all staff when a Serious Incident Procedure is in force.
Unknown
137 — Departures from guidelines not a breach
Recommendation: A departure from suggested guidelines should not be automatically seen as a breach of good practice (17.78).
Unknown
62 — Full written instructions for removal
Recommendation: At least in complex cases those involved in the removal of the child should be given full written instructions (16.35).
Unknown
38 — Guidance on instructing removal
Recommendation: Guidance should be given on the occasions on which the discretion to instruct removal should be exercised (16.7).
Unknown
27 — Guidelines as guidance, not mandatory rules
Recommendation: While guidelines should be available for practitioners working in cases of child sexual abuse they should not be mandatory rules but guidance for normal procedure (15.55-56).
Unknown
38 — Display of issued permits to work
Recommendation: Copies of all issued permits to work should be displayed at a convenient location and in a systematic arrangement such that process operating staff can readily see and check which equipment is under maintenance and not available for operation (para …
Unknown
13 — Awareness of emergency plan responsibilities
Recommendation: It is essential that those who would be required to take action under the Windscale emergency plan are fully aware of the responsibilities the plan places on them (para 11.30).
Unknown
5 — Consult crews and train on testing policy
Recommendation: Owners and operators should discuss all these questions with representatives of officers and crews before they are included in contracts and they should embark on an education and training programme for all employees in order to ensure that they understand …
Unknown
76 — Time to read mental disorder booklet
Recommendation: Profiled time should be set aside for staff to read the booklet explaining the main components of the mental health awareness training course. The booklet should include advice given on the course about how prisoners with particular disorders should be …
Unknown
55 — Wing officers calling for reviews
Recommendation: Wing officers should be reminded of the need to call for a review of an assessment when the necessity for one is triggered by some occurrence which might affect the prisoner’s emotional well-being.
Unknown
47 — Model procedure for external report comments
Recommendation: The Prison Service should publish a model procedure dealing with how establishments should bring Prison Service Orders and other instructions, whether national or local, which affect the management of prisoners to the attention of staff. The model procedure should be …
Unknown
12 — Guidelines on requests to share with named prisoner
Recommendation: The Prison Service should publish guidelines to assist officers in handling requests by prisoners to share a cell with a particular prisoner. Practical problems should not be treated as an insuperable hurdle preventing an otherwise suitable move of a prisoner …
Unknown
FP75 — Recommendation 75
Recommendation: COPFS should ensure that appropriate written guidance as to fingerprint evidence is available to its staff. COPFS should also ensure that a sufficient number of lawyers fully conversant with fingerprint evidence are available to deal with any issues that may …
No response yet
FP68 — Recommendation 68
Recommendation: Cases where there is scope for a difference of opinion should not be classified as ‘erroneous’. The cases that merit investigation are where there may have been a mistaken fingerprint analysis or a breach of accepted procedures.
No response yet
FP4 — Recommendation 4
Recommendation: Differences of opinion between examiners should not be referred to as disputes.
No response yet
51 — Review Catholic safeguarding policies manual
Recommendation: The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should review its policies and procedures manual and the documents within it to ensure that they are consistent, easier to follow and more accessible.
No response yet
42 — Church in Wales provincial safeguarding officers
Recommendation: The Church in Wales should make clear that the operational advice of provincial safeguarding officers must be followed by all members of the clergy and other Church officers. It should be enshrined in policy that those who are volunteers and …
No response yet
39 — Political party safeguarding policies
Recommendation: All political parties registered with the Electoral Commission in England and Wales must ensure that they have a comprehensive safeguarding policy. All political parties must also ensure that they have procedures to accompany their policies, in order that politicians, prospective …
Words of: HM Government, Government response to the IICSA Westminster report, published by the Cabinet Office, 18 September 2020
Gov response: The government agrees that political parties should have in place a comprehensive child safeguarding and whistleblowing policy alongside the appropriate procedures. However, the Electoral Commission – whose remit is focused on electoral law – has …
Accepted in part
No update 2+ yrs
38 — Government department safeguarding policy reviews
Recommendation: The Cabinet Office must ensure that each government department reviews its child safeguarding policy or policies in light of the expert witness report of Professor Thoburn. There must also be published procedures to accompany their policies, in order that staff …
Words of: HM Government, Government response to the IICSA Westminster report, published by the Cabinet Office, 18 September 2020
Gov response: All government departments have been made aware of the Inquiry’s recommendation and of the contents of Professor Thoburn’s detailed report. As Professor Thoburn’s report acknowledges - ‘It is appropriate that safeguarding policies and procedures will …
Noted
No update 2+ yrs
36 — Guidance on DBS for overseas work
Recommendation: The Home Office should ensure explanatory guidance is issued, providing clarity to recruiting organisations and individuals concerning the use of the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme for work and volunteering outside the UK.
Words of: HM Government, Government response to the Children Outside the UK phase 2 report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published by the Home Office, 21 January 2021
Gov response: 22. The DBS currently signposts applicants to the ICPC if their work abroad makes them ineligible for DBS certificates. The Home Office will work with the DBS to ensure that this message is reinforced in …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
30 — Amend Canon C30 on safeguarding due regard
Recommendation: The Church of England should amend the current canon requiring clerics to comply with the Bishop's Guidance on Safeguarding. The use of the words 'due regard' in Canon C30 is an acceptable term of art, but lacks sufficient clarity. Very …
Words of: Church of England, Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure 2021 (2021 No. 3), section 2, as enacted 20 October 2021
Gov response: 2 Amendments and repeals (1) Section 5(1) to (2A) of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance) is repealed. (2) In section 6(3) of that …
Accepted
F9 — Fundamental standards of behaviour
Recommendation: The NHS Constitution should include reference to all the relevant professional and managerial codes by which NHS staff are bound, including the Code of Conduct for NHS Managers.
Speaker not recorded. Source: Department of Health, Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First, volume 2 (Cm 8777-II), November 2013
Gov response: Accepted in principle. We support the principle of making clear which codes staff are expected to follow. However, as the NHS Constitution is intended to be a succinct and enduring document, the details of codes …
Accepted in part
F7 — Clarity of values and principles
Recommendation: All NHS staff should be required to enter into an express commitment to abide by the NHS values and the Constitution, both of which should be incorporated into the contracts of employment.
Speaker not recorded. Source: Department of Health, Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First, volume 2 (Cm 8777-II), November 2013
Gov response: Accepted in principle. It is important that employers are able to recruit and retain the caring and compassionate staff the NHS needs. NHS Employers will support NHS organisations in developing and strengthening local policies and …
Accepted in part
BAHA-19 — JDP 1-10 Redraft Clarity
Recommendation: In the current redrafting of JDP 1-10 and in future subordinate doctrine and instructions regarding CPERS: (1) plain English, simplicity of structure and brevity should be given greater priority while allowing for the target audience and complexity of the subject …
Words of: Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence, statement to the House of Commons, 8 September 2011 (HC Deb vol 532 col 571), as published by the Ministry of Defence
Gov response: I can inform this House that I am accepting in principle all of his recommendations with one reservation.
Accepted in part
BAHA-6 — Five Techniques Terminology
Recommendation: In the interests of clarity for all, the five techniques should be referred to as being banned or prohibited rather than proscribed.
Words of: Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence, statement to the House of Commons, 8 September 2011 (HC Deb vol 532 col 571), as published by the Ministry of Defence
Gov response: I can inform this House that I am accepting in principle all of his recommendations with one reservation.
Accepted in part
POH-11 — Apply best offer principle equally in GLOS
Recommendation: The "best offer" principle which will apply in HSSA, as explained in response to Recommendation 10, shall be equally applicable in GLOS.
Words of: Department for Business and Trade, Government response to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry report (volume 1), 9 October 2025
Gov response: The minister announced on 8 July that DBT would adopt a best offer principle at panel stage on the GLO, HSSA and HCRS schemes. DBT consulted the Advisory Board, Sir Ross Cranston and claimants’ legal …
Accepted
167 — Guidance for Reporters
Recommendation: Consideration should be given to the preparation of guidance for Reporters to secure greater uniformity across Scotland in their practice (18.56).
Unknown
2 — Avoid undefined labels in abuse cases
Recommendation: As regards terminology it is recommended that in the investigation and practical management of cases of child sexual abuse care should be taken to avoid the use of labels without a common understanding of the definition and the purpose of …
Unknown
21 — Ten-foot width guidance
Recommendation: Consideration should be given to the need for guidance to be included in training material, or in the Rule Book GE/RT8000, that specifies the width of ten-foot that is required to enable a person to stand in safety between two …
Unknown
19 — Revise basic visual inspection procedures
Recommendation: The planning, operating, and recording of basic visual inspection procedures, as prescribed in RT/CE/S/103, should be reviewed. Revised Track Inspection Sheets and Track Patrol procedure documents should be produced that: • Mandate the exact procedures that staff are required to …
Unknown
10 — Consistent excess motion specification
Recommendation: Network Rail Company Standards RT/E/C/11772, RT/E/C/11210 and/or associated drawing BRS-SM 2370/2 & /8 should be modified so that they are consistent in respect of the specification for excess motion setting and of the terminology used.
Unknown
8 — Flangeway gap standards
Recommendation: Railway Group Standard GI/RT7004 and all Network Rail technical documents covering installation, inspection and maintenance of point flangeway gaps, including the opening at the switch toes, should be reviewed, and, where necessary, modified, in order to: • Use consistent terminology. …
Unknown
71 — Review of pipeline emergency procedures
Recommendation: Operators should be required by regulation regularly to review pipeline emergency procedures and manuals. The review should ensure that the information contained in manuals is correct, that the procedures contained are agreed with those who are responsible for executing them …
Unknown
11 — BNFL safety precautions and procedures
Recommendation: BNFL should do more, in future, to ensure that safety precautions and operating procedures at Windscale are sufficient for all eventualities, are strictly observed and are continually rehearsed. (para 11.11.)
Unknown