Statutory And Mandatory Training: Important Things To Know

Both statutory and mandatory training are important to keep the workplace safe and healthy.

Statutory training is required by law to follow rules and keep employees and the public safe. This includes things like Health and Safety training, Equality training, and Fire safety training.

Mandatory training, on the other hand, is decided by the organisation as important to help staff do their jobs safely and well. It helps improve skills and keeps standards in line with the organisation’s rules.

All statutory training is mandatory because businesses must follow the law.

Completing both types of training helps employees do their jobs safely and correctly. This includes infection control, protecting people at-risk, fire safety, and safe lifting.

Organisations will often choose the best way to deliver these training, whether face-to-face, online, or a mix of both.

🟣Related Post: What is Mandatory Care Training and Why is it Important?

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What is Statutory and Mandatory Training?

In the workplace, you may hear the terms “statutory training” and “mandatory training.” People often use them as if they mean the same thing, but they are different. This note explains what they mean, how they are different, and why they are important in the UK.

However, some extra training might be mandatory for a certain role or workplace, even if it is not required by law for all healthcare workers.

Let’s start by understanding these two terms, which are often used the same way:

Statutory Training

Statutory training is training that is required by law or ordered by a government body based on specific rules.

The main goal of statutory training is to make sure employees keep the workplace safe and healthy for themselves, their co-workers, and visitors.

Important laws that require this training include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

So in statutory training, it will be that it is:

• Required by specific laws and regulations, like the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• Created and regulated by government agencies.
• Often has set course content and time limits.
• Usually needs accredited training.

Mandatory Training:

Mandatory training is training that an organisation says is necessary to provide services safely and effectively.

This type of training helps reduce risks for the organisation and ensures they follow local or national rules and government guidelines.

Mandatory training is based on regulations, national advice, best practice in the profession, and the organisation’s own policies.

So for mandatory training, it is:

• Required by the employer, not by law.
• Based on workplace rules and risk assessments.
• May cover a wider range of topics, like soft skills.
• Sets local standards and best practices.
• Can use training content that is not accredited.

All statutory training is mandatory, but not all mandatory training is statutory.

Think of a Venn diagram with overlapping areas. We’ll look at some common examples soon.

The Importance of Statutory and Mandatory Training

Both statutory and mandatory training are very important to keep the workplace safe, follow the law, and help the organisation run smoothly.

They serve several important purposes:

1. Legal Compliance: Statutory training helps the organisation follow the law and avoid any fines or legal problems.
2. Risk Reduction: Both types of training help make the workplace safer for employees, clients, and the organisation.
3. Professional Development: Training helps employees keep learning and getting better at their jobs.
4. Quality Assurance: Training ensures that staff are up-to-date with the latest rules and ways of doing things, so they can provide high-quality service.
5. Organisational Culture: Regular training reminds everyone in the organisation about the importance of safety, following the rules, and always improving.

Why Healthcare Organisations Mandate Training

Leaders often get asked why certain training modules are mandatory.

Here are some reasons:

1. To meet rules from groups like the Care Quality Commission and NHS England.
2. To make sure staff skills and the quality of care are the same everywhere.
3. To reduce risks for the company, like fines, lawsuits, and losing contracts.
4. To keep both staff and patients safe and healthy.
5. To address risky areas found during risk assessments.
6. To make sure staff use technology, like health IT systems and equipment, properly.
7. To teach new staff the company rules and procedures.
8. To keep insurance coverage that needs proof of training.
9. To create a culture of always improving and giving great care.

Even though mandatory training may seem hard, reasons like keeping everyone safe and reducing harm make it very important.

Examples of Statutory and Mandatory Training

Common Statutory Training Courses:

• Fire Safety Awareness
• Health and Safety at Work
• Manual Handling
• First Aid at Work
• Food Safety and Hygiene (for relevant industries)
• Data Protection and GDPR

Common Mandatory Training Courses:

• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Information Governance
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Safeguarding Adults and Children
• Conflict Resolution
• Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Training

It’s important to remember that what counts as mandatory training can be different depending on the organisation and the type of work, as this depends on risks and what is needed for operations.

Statutory and Mandatory Training in Healthcare

In healthcare, statutory and mandatory training is essential to ensure the safety of both staff and patients. For example, in the NHS, all new employees must complete core health and safety training, which usually includes:

• Understanding local health and safety policies
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) awareness
• Reporting Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)
• Fire safety awareness
• Manual handling
• Basic risk assessment

In addition, healthcare workers may also be required to complete mandatory training in areas such as:

• Blood transfusion processes
• Child protection
• Clinical record keeping
• Complaints handling
• Conflict resolution
• Mental capacity and safeguarding adults
• Medicines handling and management
• Resuscitation

Employer Responsibilities

Employers have important duties when it comes to statutory and mandatory training. These include:

• Identifying Training Needs: Employers must assess and figure out which training is needed for different jobs.
• Providing Adequate Training: Employers must make sure all employees receive the right training to do their jobs safely and well.
• Maintaining Records: Employers should keep accurate records of who has completed training and ensure refresher courses are given when needed.
• Allocating Resources: Employers need to provide enough time and resources for employees to complete their required training.
• Ensuring Accessibility: Training should be available to all employees, no matter their work schedule or location.

Employee Rights and Responsibilities

Employees have certain rights and responsibilities when it comes to statutory and mandatory training:

• Right to Training: Employees have the right to receive the training needed to do their job safely and well.
• Time for Training: In companies with 250 or more employees, workers have the right to ask for time off for study or training, as long as they have worked for the employer for at least 26 weeks.
• Obligation to Attend: Employees must attend and complete all required training that is relevant to their job.
• Application of Training: Employees should use the knowledge and skills learned in training in their everyday work.

Challenges in Implementing Statutory and Mandatory Training

Even though statutory and mandatory training is important, organisations often face challenges in making it effective:

• Time Constraints: It can be hard to find time for training, especially in busy jobs like healthcare, where there may not be enough staff.
• Budget Limitations: Training can be expensive, which is a problem for smaller organisations.
• Engagement: It’s difficult to keep employees interested in training and make sure they remember what they’ve learned.
• Relevance: Making sure the training is useful and fits the different roles in the organisation can be tricky.
• Keeping Up-to-Date: Organisations must stay updated with changes in laws and best practices to keep training accurate and compliant.

Best Practices for Statutory and Mandatory Training

To overcome challenges and make training more effective, organisations can follow these best practices:

• Needs-Based Approach: Regularly check what training is needed for each role or department to make sure training is relevant.
• Blended Learning: Use different methods for training, like e-learning, in-person sessions, and hands-on workshops, to suit different learning styles and work situations.
• Regular Updates: Regularly update training content to keep it relevant and in line with the latest laws and practices.
• Clear Communication: Make sure employees understand why training is important, showing how it helps their safety, skills, and the success of the organisation.
• Accessible Scheduling: Offer flexible training times and ways to fit different working hours and locations.
• Tracking and Reminders: Have systems to track training completion and send reminders for refresher courses.
• Feedback and Improvement: Collect feedback from employees about the training and use it to improve the programme.

The Future of Statutory and Mandatory Training

As workplaces change, statutory and mandatory training will also evolve. Some trends that will shape the future of workplace training include:

• Increased Use of Technology: Tools like virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence will provide more engaging and personalised training experiences.
• Focus on Soft Skills: There will be more emphasis on training for emotional intelligence, resilience, and adaptability, alongside technical skills.
• Continuous Learning: Instead of training once or twice a year, there will be more bite-sized, ongoing learning to keep knowledge fresh and up-to-date.
• Data-Driven Approaches: Advanced technology will help create more tailored training programmes based on individual and company needs.
• Integration with Performance Management: Training completion and how well it’s applied may be linked to performance reviews and career growth.

Explaining Some Core Topics

Basic Life Support Training

Basic life support skills enable rapid response to breathing and cardiac arrests in that critical first few minutes before experts can come to help.

Required training ensures we can provide potentially lifesaving assistance when emergencies strike.

Common BLS training topics include:

• Assessing consciousness
• Recovery position
• Performing chest compressions
• Clearing airways and rescue breathing
• Using AED defibrillators
• Managing choking
• Calling for emergency assistance

Some healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses require more advanced life support training for interventions like medications and advanced airways.

But core skills like high-quality CPR make BLS training mandatory for all direct care providers.

Fire Safety Training

Catastrophic facility fires remain one of the highest hazard risks in healthcare.

Mandatory fire training prepares us to contain fires, safely evacuate, and prevent their ignition in the first place.

Standard fire training instruction covers:

• Facility fire safety features – alarms, exits, extinguishers, sprinklers.
• Fire chemistry and using different extinguisher types.
• PASS – proper extinguisher use technique.
• Roles when fire alarms activate – containment, evacuation support, roll calls.
• Hazards increasing fire risk that must be reported.
• Fundamentals of prevention – storage, oxygen, smoking policies.

Fire drills applying learning in situ are key to responding instinctively when real emergencies strike.

Infection Control Training

Preventing the spread of infections helps keep both healthcare workers and patients safe. Common infection control training includes:

• Hand hygiene – washing hands, using sanitiser.
• Isolation – putting on and taking off protective gear, different types of precautions.
• Cleaning equipment and areas.
• Sharp safety – safe use and disposal of needles and other sharp objects.
• Waste management – sorting waste by hazard levels.
• Handling exposure – what to do in case of needle sticks or other risks.
• Immunisation – vaccines required for healthcare workers.
• Reporting – what to do if there’s an exposure or outbreak.

This training helps keep everyone safe and healthy.

Mental Capacity and Consent

Getting proper consent respects patient rights and supports ethical care.

Important topics include:

• Legal definition of capacity – the ability to understand, remember, and make decisions.
• How to assess capacity and record decisions clearly.
• Identifying conditions that affect capacity, like dementia, confusion, intoxication, or developmental disabilities.
• Protecting vulnerable groups who need extra support.
• What to do if a patient cannot make decisions, such as involving advocates and making decisions in their best interest.
• Types of medical consent.
• What is needed for informed consent – clear information, understanding, and a choice made freely.
• Documenting consent properly.

Being clear and careful about consent helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures we respect what patients want.

Conclusion

Statutory and mandatory training are important parts of keeping a workplace safe, following the law, and running smoothly.

Statutory training is based on laws, while mandatory training focuses on what the organisation needs to do its job well.

Both types of training help employees do their jobs better, keep the workplace safe, and help the organisation succeed.

As workplaces change with new technology and working styles, training will also need to change.

Organisations that see training as a chance to improve and help employees grow will benefit from better compliance, efficiency, and happier employees.

By staying up-to-date on laws, best practices, and new ways of doing training, organisations can make sure their training programmes are useful, interesting, and meet both legal requirements and company goals.

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Statutory and Mandatory Training FAQs