Policies and Procedures

For recruitment and with many of our courses, including (but not limited to), license-linked qualifications, candidates are required to physically attend practical sessions in person to satisfy the learning criteria and stipulations imposed by the awarding body and the security industry authority. In such situations you will, upon arrival need to provide proof of your identity, date of birth and address. You will normally need to provide at least two identifying documents for this process, depending on exactly what you have available. 

The various acceptable documents are divided into two categories, A and B, with documents from category A given more weight. 

You would ideally provide TWO documents from category A, However if you are unable to provide two group A documents, then; 

You will need to provide ONE document from category A and TWO documents from category B.

Specifically for security related courses you will also need to supply two good quality, passport-size (45mm x 35mm) colour photographs. One of these will go to the awarding body and another will need to be submitted with your licence application and will be the picture that appears on you SIA card.

WARNING: Failure to provide the relevant qualifying documentation and two passport photos will result in you being removed from the any security related course that you may be booked on. 

WHERE REQUIRED – YOU MUST PRESENT

Either TWO identity documents from group A. At least one document must show your current address and at least one document must show your date of birth.

Or

ONE identity document from group A and TWO documents from group B. At least one document must show your current address and at least one document must show your date of birth.

GROUP A DOCUMENTS

• Signed valid passport of any nationality
• Signed valid UK photo driving licence (both parts of the full or provisional licence are required) *
• UK original birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth
• UK biometric residence permit
• GB issued driving licence photo card (not valid if issued by DVLA Northern Ireland)*

GROUP B DOCUMENTS

• UK adoption certificate
• Valid EU photo ID card
• Valid UK firearms licence with photo
• Signed valid UK paper driving licence
• Marriage certificate or Civil Partnership certificate, with translation if not in English
• UK birth certificate issued more than 12 months after date of birth, but not a photocopy
• Non-UK birth certificate, with translation if not in English
• P45 statement of income for tax purposes on leaving a job issued in the last 12 months
• P60 annual statement of income for tax purposes issued in the last 12 months
• Bank or building society statement issued to your current address, less than three months old. You can use more than one statement as long as each is issued by a different bank or building society
• 2nd Bank or building society statement issued to your current address, less than three months old from a different provider to 13 Mortgage statement issued in the last 12 months
• Utility bill (gas, electric, telephone, water, satellite, cable,) issued to your current address within the last three months. You can only use one utility bill in support of your application (mobile phone contracts are NOT accepted)
• Pension, endowment or ISA statement issued in last 12 months
• British work permit or visa issued in last 12 months
• Letter from H.M. Revenue & Customs, Department of Work and Pensions, employment service, or local authority issued within the last three months. You can use more than one letter as long as each is issued by a different Government department or a different local authority
• 2nd letter from different provider to 21
• A credit card statement sent to your current address within the last three months. You can use more than one statement as long as each is issued by a different issuer
• 2nd credit card statement from different provider to 23
• Council Tax statement issued in the last 12 months
• Child benefit book issued in last 12 months
• NI issued Driving license photo card ( issued by Northern Ireland DVLA)*
• Driving license paper counterpart issued by DVLA Great Britain or Northern Ireland.*

* NB the SIA will not accept a two part driving license as both the Group A and Group B document

Effective: 01st January 2024

TMS Protect Ltd (medsec.academy) focus on providing the very best service to all our associates including employees, clients, customers and trainees and have therefore developed a clear appeal and complaint procedure to ensure these are dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Our appeals and complaints procedure indicate the way in which complaints should be reported, and how all parties can expect complaints to be handled.

If satisfaction is not obtained from us we need you to tell us about it.  This will help us to develop our standards.

PROCEDURE

If you have a complaint regarding a colleague at work then ask your supervisor or manager for guidance and they will be able to help you. If you have a complaint regarding a fellow trainee during a course then ask your instructor for guidance and they will be able to help you.

If you have any other complaints regarding work related matters or wish to appeal a decision on any of the coaching you have received or the results of your course work or examinations, you should contact us immediately at the details below:

TMS Protect Ltd 9 Wheatstone Court, Waterwells Business Park, Quedgeley, Gloucester, England, GL2 2AQ

When making a written appeal or complaint, it is helpful if you give as much information as possible (including personal details) and include steps that you have taken in pursuing your complaint, mention any discussions that you have already had about the matter, attach copies of any earlier correspondence, and state clearly what solution, you are seeking.

On receipt of your appeal or complaint, it will be recorded in our central register and assigned to the most appropriate senior member of staff to deal with.

The staff member will send you an email or contact you by telephone acknowledging receipt of your appeal or complaint and asking you to confirm or explain the details set out.

The staff member will then start to query your appeal or complaint.  This will normally take up to 5 working days from the receipt of your complaint but can sometimes take longer.  You may contact the staff member at any time if you would like information concerning the investigation.

The staff member will contact you as soon as their enquiry is complete to discuss their findings and any actions that may be required.  If you are satisfied with the outcome then the appeal or complaint will be closed.

If you are still not satisfied after the investigation of your appeal or complaint then you should contact the appropriate awarding body.

HABC

• Highfield House
• Heavens Walk
• Lakeside
• Doncaster
• South Yorkshire
• DN4 5HZ
• 0845 2260350

City & Guilds

• 4th Floor
• 144 West George Street
• Glasgow
• G2 2HG
• 0141 341 5700

First Aid Awards Ltd

• The Award Centre
• 10 Central Treviscoe
• St Austell,
• Cornwall
• PL26 7QW
• 08458 333999

If you are still not satisfied after speaking with the appropriate awarding body then you should contact the appropriate qualification regulator.

SQA

• The Optima Building
• 58 Robertson Street
• Glasgow
• G2 8DQ
• 0345 279 1000

Ofqual

• Spring Place
• Herald Avenue
• Coventry
• CV5 6UB
• 0300 303 3344

Effective: 01st January 2024

This policy has been designed to show how all entities associated to T1 Protect Ltd including medsec.academy and 4titude.pro will be conducted given a conflict of interest arising from any aspect of our business operations or training programs in relation to education, evaluation, or invigilation.

TMS ensure all trainees are provided with the highest standard of teaching, assessment, and invigilation where there will be no preferential treatment given to any individual based on their association with anyone within the training structure.

CONFLICT BETWEEN LEARNER AND INSTRUCTOR/ASSESSOR

Any conflict of interest should be dealt with at the time of application to attend an identified training course, whereby alternative arrangements would be made for that trainee, so they are not disadvantaged.

medsec.academy / 4titude.pro will endeavour to obtain a replacement training provider within the local area for the trainee so as to certify complete transparency. Where this is not possible medsec.academy and 4titude.pro will reschedule that trainee to a different course within a suitable time frame (one month) whereby a different trainer will be allocated to the centre to teach that course. Pending suitable qualifications and acceptance to become an Awarding Organisation (AO) nominated instructor.

CONFLICT BETWEEN LEARNER AND INVIGILATOR

Where this arises it will be the Training Manager’s responsibility to guarantee that this is addressed at the earliest occasion and another invigilator is allocated to the assessments.

DISCREPANCIES

Where a conflict of interest has occurred and hasn’t been dealt with, thus the trainee may have been given preferential treatment in the eyes of other trainees; a full inspection will be carried out with all evidence being presented to the Training manager who will then send it to the (AO). If this is found to be the case then the trainee under questioning will have their qualification suspended (if already certified). The trainee will then have to retake any formal assessments or examinations already taken with an entirely impartial assessor/ invigilator to demonstrate that they meet the guidelines of the qualification specification.

Any event of this nature that is proven will lead to the member of the Training staff being investigated and could be accountable to disciplinary action, amounting to gross misconduct.

Effective: 01st January 2024

It is the policy of TMS Protect Ltd including medsec.academy and 4titude.pro to ensure that all employees, contractors, co-workers, associates and trainees are treated with dignity and respect and that they will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

TMS Protect wide are committed not only to its legal obligations but also to the positive promotion of equality in all aspects of its business and aims to provide an environment free from fear and discrimination where diversity, respect and dignity are valued.

All employees, contractors and trainees will be made aware of the provisions of this policy.

PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS

The headings of age, disability (which includes mental health and people diagnosed as clinically obese), gender reassignment (people who are having or who have had sex change, transvestites and trans gender people), marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation are known as ‘protected characteristics’.

 
DEFINITION OF DISCRIMINATION

Types of discrimination:

• Direct discrimination occurs when one person is treated less favourably than another on grounds relating to a protected characteristic.
• Associative discrimination occurs when one person is treated less favourably than another because they are associated with another person with a protected characteristic.
• Indirect discrimination occurs when a rule or policy that applies to everyone disadvantages a person with a protected characteristic.
• Harassment occurs through behaviour deemed offensive by the recipient, employees may find something offensive even when it’s not directed at them.
• Harassment by a third party occurs through harassment by people not directly employed by the company, such as contractors.
• Victimisation occurs through discrimination against someone because they made or supported a complaint under the Equality Act Legislation.
• Discrimination by perception occurs through direct discrimination against someone because others think they have a protected characteristic, even if they don’t.

 
RESPONSIBILITIES TO EMPLOYEES

• TMS Protect Ltd will not differentiate on the basis of a protected characteristic in the allocation of duties between employees employed at any level with comparable job descriptions.
• TMS Protect Ltd will put in place any reasonable measures and/or adjustments within the workplace for those employees who become disabled during employment or for disabled appointees.
• All employees will be considered solely on their merits for career development and promotion with equality of opportunity for all.
• All employees will be provided with appropriate training regardless of any protected characteristic.

 
RESPONSIBILITIES TO LEARNERS

• TMS Protect Ltd will ensure trainees have equal access to all training courses irrespective of any protected characteristic.
• TMS Protect Ltd will ensure that all trainees undertaking a training course are fully aware of the contents of this policy via the training course induction.

 
MONITORING

• TMS Protect Ltd will ensure that all aspects of this policy are kept under review and are operated throughout the organisation.
• Where it appears that employees, contractors or trainees are not being offered equality of opportunity, circumstances will be investigated to identify any policies or criteria which exclude or discourage certain employees, contractors or learners and, if so, whether these are justifiable.

GRIEVANCE

• Any complaints of discrimination, of any type, pursued through the Appeals and Complaints Procedure will be thoroughly, sympathetically and quickly investigated.
• TMS Protect Ltd emphasises that discrimination is unacceptable conduct and may lead to disciplinary action through the normal disciplinary process, which may result in a warning, suspension or dismissal of an employee, termination of a contractor’s contract or removal of a learner from a course.

Effective: 01st January 2024

In alignment with the requirements of our Awarding body there are strict processes to be followed to maintain the integrity of the examination process.

PAPER BASED EXAMS

• Examination papers will be downloaded 2 days prior to the exam by the examinations controller.
• Sufficient copies should be printed for both the exam paper and answer sheets.
• Any files will be deleted from the system and physical papers will be securely stored in a cast iron key locked safe. The safe itself is stored in a secure office only accessible via two digitally key coded doors by the examinations controller.
• The papers should be secured in the office until signed out by the person taking the papers to the examination room. The back-up envelope (must be signed and sealed) must be returned unopened with the documentation.
• These papers will only be retrieved from the safe and brought into the examination room 10 minutes before exams are due to take place by the invigilator who will watch over all documentation and exam conditions.
• The invigilator will complete the Test Room Log sheet to ensure that the standards are met.
• These forms should be placed back in the safe for return with the completed test papers.
• On completion of the test the invigilator will return the completed documents to the safe and seal to ensure that the papers are secured until they are ready to forward to the examining body.
• All documents will be scanned and processed. The completed test papers will be shredded and correct documentation completed & signed.

 
DIGITAL BASED EXAMS

• TMS Protect Ltd are proud to provide the option to take exams on a ‘Digital‘ platform via ‘Tablets‘ provided by us at the time of examinations, which are conducted under the strict supervision of an invigilator.  Our digital devices are securely preconfigured  and adhere to guide lines set out by the awarding body for this procedure. 

 
HEALTH & SAFETY CHECKS INCLUDE;

• Wires 
• Posters on walls /other distractions
• Chairs and tables (distance of 1.5 meters apart)
• Correct lighting
• Noise
• Clock

HEALTH & SAFETY BRIEFING

• Fire Alarms

 
EXAM FORMAT

• Toilets
• Heating/Light/Noise
• Switch off all mobile phones
• Remove all items off the desk
• No talking throughout the exam
• If you require my attention place your hand in the air and I will come to you
• I cannot answer any questions about the exam
• I cannot give a different meaning to a word in the question

EXAM PAPER

• Correct procedures on filling out response sheet
• Check correct identification
• Demonstrate on flip chart / wipe board how to fill in response sheet
• Demonstrate how to correct an error or change your answer
• Ask any questions for confirmation
• Timings of exam
• Procedures when you finish
• DO NOT MARK EXAM PAPER

ANY QUESTIONS

• Exam timings: Write timings on clean Flip chart paper
• Start/ 30minutes/ 45 minutes last 5 and Finish

Turn over exam paper

• Write exam number on top of correct response sheet

You may start your time is:

In accordance with its duty under section 2 (3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, and in fulfilling its obligations to employees, visitors, neighbours, contractors, and the public who may be affected by its activities, the Director of TMS Protect Ltd, has produced the following Statement of Policy in respect of health, safety, welfare, and environmental concerns.

IT IS THE POLICY OF TMS PROTECT LTD, AS FAR AS REASONABLY PRACTICAL, TO ENSURE THAT:

• The working environment of all associates, delegates, employees and co-workers is safe, without risks to health and that sufficient provisions are made with regard to the facilities and arrangements for first aid and welfare at work.
• The provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health.
• Persons who are not our associates or customers, who may be affected by our activities, are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
• Information, instruction, training, and supervision are provided, as necessary, to secure the health and safety at work of all associates and customers.
• Arrangements for the use, handling, storage and transportation of articles and substances for use at work that are safe and without risk to health.
• Adequate information is available with respect to articles and substances used at work, dealing with the conditions and precautions necessary to ensure that, when properly used, they present no risks to health or safety.
• There is suitable provision for the safe access and egress to and from all working areas
• Arrangements for the safe use, handling, storage and transport of all relevant items
• The ability for employees to discuss health & safety related matters, in the form of queries, suggestions and complaints.
• Suitable and sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all employees to comply with the company Health & Safety Policy
• Appropriate management procedures and consultative arrangements to monitor and audit compliance with the company Health & Safety Policy 
• Appropriate arrangements to assess and control the risks associated with work activities undertaken by TMS Protect Ltd at any of its venues or sites 
• Appropriate policies to ensure that only Health & Safety policy compliant venues are taken on as contracts by TMS Protect Ltd for its agents to work on
• Associates are reminded of the legal requirement to comply with the Policy, Arrangements, and Procedures.
• To assist in the implementation of the Health & Safety Policy appropriate external sources of information may be consulted coupled with the commissioning of adequate competent personnel to advise on particular health & safety matters as required.
• Risk’s resulting from our work activities are continually assessed in accordance with the requirements of the Management of Health & Safety Regulations 1999 in an attempt to reduce these risks. Any additional controls deemed to be necessary to prevent serious injury from occurring will subsequently continue to be strengthened.
• The successful implementation of this policy can only be achieved with the full commitment and involvement of personnel from all levels within the business. To ensure a pro-active approach to health & safety, staff welfare and policy compliance, all employees will be given access to fully comprehensive information, such as instruction and necessary training to enable them to undertake their work activities safely, both for themselves and others.

IN PARTICULAR, THEY ARE REQUIRED: 

• To take reasonable care for their own health and safety at work and those who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
• To co-operate with TMS Protect Ltd to ensure that they comply with any duty or requirement for health and safety, imposed upon TMS Protect Ltd or their clients by law, and contained in this Statement and the Policy, Arrangements, and Procedures Manual.
• Not to interfere with intentionally or recklessly or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.

This is the statement of general policy and arrangements for: TMS Protect Ltd

Shantelle Badman (Company Director) Has overall and final responsibility for health and safety

Lee Badman (Operations Manager) Has day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into

practice.

Implement emergency procedures – evacuation in case of fire or other significant incident. You can find help with your fire risk assessment at: 

https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities

Note 1: https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities

Accidents and ill health at work reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor  http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor

Subject to Review, Monitoring and Revision by Lee Badman (Operations Manager)  

Every: 3 Months or sooner if work activity changes

Internal moderation is how medsec.academy (TMS Protect) ensures quality of all programmes delivered through all Awarding Bodies.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF INTERNAL VERIFICATION ARE THAT:

• The IV has access to all assessments
• Sampling is carried out to ensure consistency
• A variety of assessments are sampled (See percentages below)
• Sampling includes evaluations that Tutor(s) / Assessor(s) feel will not result in the award, as well as, evaluations that the Tutor(s) / Assessor(s) feel will result in the award being given

SAMPLING MUST:

• Adequately cover the range
• Include all levels of the programme
• Be adequate and provide a consistent and valid measure
• Any of issues of concern will be discussed by the IV with the Tutor(s) / Assessor(s).
• Internal Verification is a system whereby the IV checks assessment procedures against the best practice of the team, as well as, networking to share ideas and review issues affecting quality. 
• The Internal Verifier will monitor how the submission document to the awarding body is being met in practice and ensure the External Verifiers recommendations are included in action planning in an annual cycle.
• We look in general to internally verify at the completion of the portfolio. However, the invigilator can refer portfolios at any time to the IV. They can sample portfolios anytime especially if there are problems uncounted by the student or completion is taking a lengthy period.
• medsec.academy has an Internal Verification system which will provide for:
• A co-ordinated approach, including efficient recording, monitoring and evaluation
• Accountability allowing for action planning
• A procedure for assessment sampling including a minimum of 50 % of trainees work and a minimum of 50% Units per trainee and all trainees work assessed by new Tutors / Assessors for their first 100% group
• A minimum of 2 standardisation meetings per year
• Sampling will occur for all courses with the IV observing teaching / assessment on at least 2 occasion(s)
• Communication with the external moderator as necessary

This policy is aimed at our customers, including learners, who are delivering/registered on courses approved qualifications or units and who are involved in suspected or actual malpractice/maladministration. It is also for use by our staff to ensure they deal with all malpractice and maladministration investigations in a consistent manner.

It sets out the steps our centre, and learners or other personnel must follow when reporting suspected or actual cases of malpractice/maladministration and our responsibilities in dealing with such cases. It also sets out the procedural steps we will follow when reviewing the cases.

CENTRE’S RESPONSIBILITY

It is important that all staff involved in the management, assessment and quality assurance of our qualifications, and learners, are fully aware of the contents of the policy and we have arrangements in place to prevent and investigate instances of malpractice and maladministration.

DEFINITION OF MALPRACTICE

Malpractice is essentially any activity or practice which deliberately contravenes regulations and compromises the integrity of the internal or external assessment process and/or the validity of certificates.

It covers any deliberate actions, neglect, default or other practice that compromises, or could compromise:

The assessment process;

• The integrity of a regulated qualification;
• The validity of a result or certificate;
• The reputation and credibility of the medsec.academy Training Centre; or,
• The qualification or the wider qualifications community.

Malpractice may include a range of issues from the failure to maintain appropriate records or systems, to the deliberate falsification of records in order to claim certificates.

For the purpose of this policy this term also covers misconduct and forms of unnecessary discrimination or bias towards certain or groups of learners.

DEFINITION OF MALADMINISTRATION

Maladministration is essentially any activity or practice which results in noncompliance with administrative regulations and requirements and includes the application of persistent mistakes or poor administration.

EXAMPLES OF MALADMINISTRATION

• Persistent failure to adhere to our learner registration and certification procedures.
• Persistent failure to adhere to our centre recognition and/or qualification requirements and/or associated actions assigned to the centre.
• Late learner registrations (both infrequent and persistent)
• Unreasonable delays in responding to requests and/or communications from TMS Protect (medsec.academy) \
• Training Centre or our Learners.
• Inaccurate claim for certificates
• Failure to maintain appropriate auditable records, e.g. certification claims and/or forgery of evidence
• Withholding of information, by deliberate act or omission, from us which is required to assure Active.

EXAMPLES OF MALPRACTICE

• Failure to carry out internal assessment, internal moderation or internal verification in accordance with our requirements
• Deliberate failure to adhere to our learner registration and certification procedures.
• Deliberate failure to continually adhere to our centre recognition and/or qualification approval requirements or actions assigned to your centre
• Deliberate failure to maintain appropriate auditable records, e.g. certification claims and/or forgery of evidence
• Fraudulent claim(s) for certificates
• Intentional withholding of information from us which is critical to maintaining the rigour of quality assurance and standards of qualifications
• Collusion or permitting collusion in exams/assessments
• Learners still working towards qualification after certification claims have been made
• Plagiarism by learners/staff
• Copying from another learner (including using ICT to do so).

PROCESS FOR MAKING AN ALLEGATION OF MALPRACTICE OR MALADMINISTRATION

Anybody who identifies or is made aware of suspected or actual cases of malpractice or maladministration at any time must immediately notify the Company Director or Training Director. In doing so they should put them in writing/email and enclose appropriate supporting evidence.

• All allegations must include (where possible):
• Learner’s name and Highfield registration number
• Training staff members name and job role – if they are involved in the case
• Details of the course/qualification affected or nature of the service affected
• Nature of the suspected or actual malpractice and associated dates details and outcome of any initial investigation carried out by the centre or anybody else involved in the case, including any mitigating circumstances

The Directors/HR Manager will then conduct an initial investigation prior to ensure that staff involved in the initial investigation are competent and have no personal interest in the outcome of the investigation.

In all cases of suspected malpractice and maladministration reported we’ll protect the identity of the ‘informant’ in accordance with our duty of confidentiality and/or any other legal duty.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND WHISTLE BLOWING

Sometimes a person making an allegation of malpractice or maladministration may wish to remain anonymous. Although it is always preferable to reveal your identity and contact details to us; however if you are concerned about possible adverse consequences you may request that the Company Director, Training Director or HR Manager do not divulge your identity.

While we are prepared to investigate issues which are reported to us anonymously we shall always try to confirm an allegation by means of a separate investigation before taking up the matter with those the allegation relates.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INVESTIGATION

In accordance with regulatory requirements all suspected cases of maladministration and malpractice will be examined promptly by TMS to establish if malpractice or maladministration has occurred and will take all reasonable steps to prevent any adverse effect from the occurrence as defined by Ofqual.

We will acknowledge receipt, as appropriate, to external parties within 48 hours.

Our Director will be responsible for ensuring the investigation is carried out in a prompt and effective manner and in accordance with the procedures in this policy and will allocate a relevant member of staff

to lead the investigation and establish whether or not the malpractice or maladministration has occurred, and review any supporting evidence received or gathered by TMS.

NOTIFYING RELEVANT PARTIES

Where applicable, our Company Director, Training Director will inform the appropriate regulatory authorities if we believe there has been an incident of malpractice or maladministration which could either invalidate the award of a qualification or if it could affect another awarding organisation.

Where the allegation may affect another awarding organisation and their provision we will also inform them in accordance with the regulatory requirements and obligations imposed by the regulator Ofqual. If we do not know the details of organisations that might be affected we will ask Ofqual to help us identify relevant parties that should be informed.

INVESTIGATION TIMELINES AND SUMMARY PROCESS

We aim to action and resolve all stages of the investigation within 10 working days of receipt of the allegation.

The fundamental principle of all investigations is to conduct them in a fair, reasonable and legal manner, ensuring that all relevant evidence is considered without bias. In doing so investigations will be based around the following broad objectives:

• To establish the facts relating to allegations/complaints in order to determine whether any irregularities have occurred.
• To identify the cause of the irregularities and those involved.
• To establish the scale of the irregularities.
• To evaluate any action already taken
• To determine whether remedial action is required to reduce the risk to current registered learners and to preserve the integrity of TMS and the qualification.
• To identify any adverse patterns or trends.

The investigation may involve a request for further information from relevant parties and/or interviews with personnel involved in the investigation. Therefore, we will:

• Ensure all material collected as part of an investigation must be kept secure.
• If an investigation leads to invalidation of certificates, or criminal or civil prosecution, all records and original documentation relating to the case will be retained until the case and any appeals have been heard and for five years thereafter.
• Expect all parties, who they are either directly or indirectly involved in the investigation, to fully co-operate with us.

Either at notification of a suspected or actual case of malpractice or maladministration and/or at any time during the investigation, we reserve the right to withhold a learner’s, and/or cohort’s, results.

Where a member of medsec.academy staff or a TMS Protect Associate is under investigation we may suspend them or move them to other duties until the investigation is complete.

Throughout the investigation our Company Director, Training Director or HR Manager will be responsible for overseeing the work of the investigation team to ensure that due process is being followed, appropriate evidence has been gathered and reviewed and for liaising with and keeping informed relevant external parties.

INVESTIGATION REPORT

After an investigation, we will produce a draft report for the parties concerned to check the factual accuracy. Any subsequent amendments will be agreed between the parties concerned and ourselves. The report will:

• Identify where the breach, if any, occurred.
• Confirm the facts of the case.
• Identify who is responsible for the breach (if any)
• Confirm an appropriate level of remedial action to be applied.

We’ll make the final report available to the parties concerned and to the regulatory authorities and other external agencies as required.

If it was an independent/third party that notified us of the suspected or actual case of malpractice, we’ll also inform them of the outcome – normally within 10 working days of making our decision – in doing so we may withhold some details if to disclose such information would breach a duty of confidentiality or any other legal duty.

If it’s an internal investigation against a member of our staff the report will be agreed by the Company Director, along with the relevant internal managers and appropriate internal disciplinary procedures will be implemented.

INVESTIGATION OUTCOMES

If the investigation confirms that malpractice or maladministration has taken place we will consider what action to take in order to:

• Minimise the risk to the integrity of certification now and in the future.
• Maintain public confidence in the delivery and awarding of qualifications.
• Discourage others from carrying out similar instances of malpractice or maladministration.
• Ensure there has been no gain from compromising our standards.

THE ACTION WE TAKE MAY INCLUDE:

Imposing actions in order to address the instance of malpractice/maladministration and to prevent it from reoccurring

In cases where certificates are deemed to be invalid, inform the Awarding Organisation concerned and the regulatory authorities why they’re invalid and any action to be taken for reassessment and/or for the withdrawal of the certificates. We’ll also let the affected learners know the action we’re taking and that their original certificates are invalid and ask – where possible – to return the invalid certificates to medsec.academy Informing relevant third parties (e.g. funding bodies) of our findings in case they need to take relevant action in relation to the centre.

Internal moderation is how medsec.academy TMS Protect Ltd ensures quality of all programmes delivered through all Awarding Bodies.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF INTERNAL VERIFICATION ARE THAT:

• The IV has access to all assessments
• Sampling is carried out to ensure consistency
• A variety of assessments are sampled (See percentages below)
• Sampling includes evaluations that Tutor(s) / Assessor(s) feel will not result in the award, as well as, evaluations that the Tutor(s) / Assessor(s) feel will result in the award being given

SAMPLING MUST:

• Adequately cover the range
• Include all levels of the programme
• Be adequate and provide a consistent and valid measure
• Any of issues of concern will be discussed by the IV with the Tutor(s) / Assessor(s).
• Internal Verification is a system whereby the IV checks assessment procedures against the best practice of the team, as well as, networking to share ideas and review issues affecting quality. 
• The Internal Verifier will monitor how the submission document to the awarding body is being met in practice and ensure the External Verifiers recommendations are included in action planning in an annual cycle.
• We look in general to internally verify at the completion of the portfolio. However, the invigilator can refer portfolios at any time to the IV. They can sample portfolios anytime especially if there are problems uncounted by the student or completion is taking a lengthy period.
• T1 Training has an Internal Verification system which will provide for:
• A co-ordinated approach, including efficient recording, monitoring and evaluation
• Accountability allowing for action planning
• A procedure for assessment sampling including a minimum of 50 % of trainees work and a minimum of 50% Units per trainee and all trainees work assessed by new Tutors / Assessors for their first 100% group
• A minimum of 2 standardisation meetings per year
• Sampling will occur for all courses with the IV observing teaching / assessment on at least 2 occasion(s)
• Communication with the external moderator as necessary

This policy sets out the procedures that learners and tutors should follow when implementing reasonable adjustments and special considerations.

REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

A reasonable adjustment helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation.

Reasonable adjustments must not affect the validity or reliability of assessment outcomes, but may involve:

• Changing usual assessment arrangements
• Adapting assessment materials
• Providing assistance during assessment
• Re-organising the assessment physical environment
• Changing or adapting the assessment method
• Using assistive technology.

Reasonable adjustments must be approved by the Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) and set in place prior to assessment commencing. It is an arrangement to give a learner access to a qualification. The work produced following a reasonable adjustment must be assessed in the same way as the work from other learners.

Below are examples of reasonable adjustment. It is important to note that not all adjustments described below will be reasonable, permissible or practical in particular situations. The learner may not need, nor be allowed the same adjustment for all assessments.

A reasonable adjustment must never affect the validity or reliability of assessment, influence the outcome of assessment or give the learner(s) in question an unfair assessment advantage.

Examples of reasonable adjustments as defined by the above categories are listed below.

• Allowing extra time, e.g. assignment extensions
• Using a different assessment location
• Use of coloured overlays, low vision aids, CCTV
• Use of assistive software
• Assessment material in large format or Braille
• Readers/scribes
• Practical assistants/transcribers/prompters
• Assessment material on coloured paper or in audio format
• Language-modified assessment material
• British Sign Language (BSL)
• Use of ICT/responses using electronic devices

APPLYING REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Reasonable Adjustments are the responsibility of the Training Centre. Reasonable adjustments are approved by the Quality Team before an assessment and are intended to allow attainment to be demonstrated.

A learner does not have to be disabled (as defined by the DDA) to qualify for reasonable adjustment; nor will every learner who is disabled be entitled to reasonable adjustment.

TMS will facilitate access for the learner. A reasonable adjustment is intended to allow access to assessment but can only be granted where the adjustment does not:

• Affect the validity or reliability of the assessment
• Give the learner(s) in question an unfair advantage over other learners taking the same or similar assessment
• Influence the final outcome of the assessment decision.

TMS is committed to fair and equal assessment of its learners.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

Special considerations are different to reasonable adjustments as they apply to a disadvantage that occurs to the learner either just before or during the assessment. Reasons for special consideration could be:

• Temporary illness
• Injury
• Adverse circumstances at the time of the assessment.

A learner may be eligible for special consideration if:

• Their performance in an external assessment is affected by circumstances beyond the control of the learner, e.g. recent personal illness, accident, bereavement, serious disturbance during the assessment
• The alternative assessment arrangements which were agreed in advance of the assessment proved inappropriate or inadequate
• Any part of an assessment has been missed due to circumstances beyond the control of the learner.

TMS will submit a written Special Consideration request to the Awarding organisations.

All applications for special consideration can only be made on a case-by-case basis and thus separate applications must be made for each learner.

Learners may apply for special consideration during or after an assessment but may not apply for special consideration in the case of a permanent disability or learning difficulty.

The size of the adjustment will depend on the circumstances during the assessment and will reflect the difficulty faced by the learner.

This Risk Assessment was completed by TMS Protect Management following the guidance in Five Steps to Risk Assessment.

1 To identify the hazards, the manager:

• looked at HSE’s web pages for small businesses (www.hse.gov.uk/smallbusinesses/index.htm), and for entertainment and leisure (www.hse.gov.uk/ entertainment/index.htm), to learn where hazards can occur.
• walked around various licensed premises including pubs, clubs and outdoor events noting things that might pose a risk and taking HSE’s guidance into consideration;
• talked to supervisors and staff to learn from their knowledge and experience of areas and activities, and to listen to their opinions about health and safety issues in the workplace;
• talked to the office cleaning contractors, and to his preferred suppliers of maintenance work, to ensure that their activities did not pose a risk to club staff, and vice-versa; and
• looked at the accident book, to gain an understanding of previous incidents.

2 TMS management then wrote down who could be harmed by the hazards and how.

3 For each hazard, they wrote down what controls, if any, were in place to manage these hazards, then compared these controls to the good practice guidance provided on the HSE website to establish what could be done to eliminate/control/reduce or limit the risk.

4 Putting the risk assessment into practice, the management decided and recorded that Shantelle Badman is ultimately responsible for implementing the actions identified as necessary. TMS Protect provide access publicly to this document along with all company policies and procedures and include it as part of the induction process for new employees.

5 At the staff meeting, the management team discussed the findings of the risk assessment with staff and pinned up a copy in the staffroom. They decided to review and update the risk assessment every year, or straightaway if any major changes in the workplace happened.

The following risk assessments are applicable to large format external and internal events including, but not limited to music events, festivals and sporting events. The first section of our risk assessments considers the risk to site/venue

For the full risk assessment please click here