1. c – what do you know about the EPINet system? Go to the Needlestick forum website and find out more or refresh you knowledge. If you do not work in the NHS then consider how relevant you think this is to you and your practice. Discuss with your supervisor, mentor or respected colleague
2. d – is this statistic as relevant in your place of work? Have you explored the reasons for needlestick or sharps injuries? Are there any other significant reasons
3. a – refresh your knowledge of each of these viruses and consider their differences and implications to your practice
4. d
5. b – Are you used to putting together a business case? If not explore some of the resources to find out more
6. d – HSE say that the cost of an accident or injury at work is underestimated. Visit the HSE website (see resources) to find out more about the cost of workplace accidents, especially the hidden costs.
7. b
8. a
9. b – visit each of these websites for more information on the roles and functions of these organisations and how they can help you with keeping up-to-date with your practice. The Public Audit Committee is part of the National Audit Office
10. a
RESOURCES
This is a website hosted by the Safer Needles Network, and aimed at those concerned with reducing needlestick injuries. This site offers access to EPINet as well as hosting the Safer Needle Network, access to the latest research and
- Official government and institutional guidance on reducing needlestick incidents
- Yools and techniques to help you assess risk, track prevention and evaluate products and techniques for yourself
- Ways of working to reduce the risk of needlestick injuries
- Education and training programmes they have been made aware of that target the reduction of needlestick injuries
- The outcomes of the evaluation of specific devices.
This is the website for the National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament. It is totally independent of the government. The NAO is headed by the comptroller and auditor-general, Tim Burr. It audits the accounts of all central government departments and agencies, as well as a wide range of other public bodies, and reports to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which they have used public money.
The Health Protection Agency offers comprehensive information on infectious diseases and has a section dedicated to occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses. Includes up-to-date information about the H5N1 strain of avian flu.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive page on making the business case and offers a link to:
- www.agc.gov.uk/documentation_and_templates_business_case.asp where there is more guidance on making a business case and templates to download.
- www.hse.gov.uk/costs/accidentcost_calc/accident_costs_intro.asp
This website provides two different interactive tools to assist with the identification of how much accidents may be costing your organisation. These two tools are the: annual accident calculator and incident costs calculator. The annual accident calculator allows you to simply estimate, using three different methods, the potential uninsured costs of accidents to your organisation each year. Adding to these the money you spend on insurance premiums, indicates the potential total costs of accidents to your organisation each year. The incident costs calculator is an interactive form that allows you to input the actual (or best estimated) costs of an incident that has occurred in your organisation. Using this you can track the real costs of an incident.
