QUALITY ASSURANCE

MANUAL
and

QUALITY ASSURANCE
POLICY

HDC Training & Consultancy

0208 693 0520 ~ 07834 322158 ~ [email protected]
www.hdconsultants.org.uk www.hdctraining.btck.co.uk
Company No: 6680263 VAT registration No: 939 5308 91
 CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. POLICY and OBJECTIVES 3
3. DEFINITIONS 4
4. QUALITY SYSTEM 4
5. THE ORGANISATION 5
6. AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBILITIES 5
7. COMPLIANCE WITH ISO9001 6
8. MANAGEMENT and QA REVIEW 6
9. CONTRACT REVIEW 6
10. DOCUMENTATION CONTROL 7
11. APPOINTMENT OF TRAINERS AND ASSOCIATES 7
12. REVIEW MEETINGS, EVALUATIONS & PROJECT PLANS 8
13. RECORDS 9
14. TRAINING 9
15. LIST OF POLICY DOCUMENTS 10

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 1. INTRODUCTION
HDC Training & Consultants (HDC) is an independent training provider and
Education Management Consultant organisation offering training and
consultancy services to individuals, public sector, school, colleges and
community and voluntary sector organisations. This Quality Assurance (QA)
System relates to the full range of training and consultancy activities.

2. POLICY and OBJECTIVES

HDC’s quality policy is to achieve sustainable growth by providing quality
training programmes and consultancy services which consistently satisfy the
needs and expectations of its clients and customers.

This level of quality is achieved through the adoption and embedding of a

system of procedures that reflects HDC's competence, to existing and
potential clients and customers. Achievement of this policy involves all who
are involved in delivering HDC activities, who are individually responsible for
the quality of their work. This policy is provided and explained to each
member of staff, trainers and associates by the Diretor-Principal and Lead
Trainer, Dr Helen A Deane, retains responsibility for the strategic and routine
operation of the QA System.

The objectives of the QA System are:

a) To maintain an effective QA System complying with International Standard

ISO9001 (Quality Systems).

b) To achieve and maintain a level of quality which enhances HDC's

reputation with customers.

c) To ensure compliance with relevant statutory and safety requirements.

d) To endeavour, at all times, to maximise customer satisfaction with the

services provided by HDC Training

Dr Helen A Deane (Principal and Lead Trainer)

Revised March 2014

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 3. DEFINITIONS
The terms and descriptions used in this Manual are generally defined within
ISO9001 - Quality Systems.

4. QUALITY SYSTEM
The QA System applies to all activities HDC, and has been developed in
accordance with ISO9001. The QA System is fully documented and structured
in 3 levels:

Level 1 : Quality Manual

This document details the quality policy and structure of HDC Training and
references appropriate documents and processes.

Level 2 : Operating Procedures

These documents describe the actual process, and controls applied, to all
activities concerned with the attainment of a quality assured training and
consultancy service.

A list of documents and processes is given in the annex of this Quality

Assurance Manual.

Level 3: Quality Planning

As HDC Training deliver a range of training courses and programmes

customer satisfaction and quality are achieved by operation in accordance
with the documented quality system. Specific customer and client training
requirements must be documented during the initial stage of the training
contract and communicated at the beginning of the training course or activity.
This will ensure that satisfaction of all training requirements are understood,
communicated and achieved.

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 5. THE ORGANISATION

DR HELEN A DEANE
Director- Principal &
Lead Trainer

ASSOCIATE TECHNICAL AND ADMIN, FINANCE &

TRAINERS & E-LEARNING ACCREDITATION
CONSULTANTS SUPPORT SUPPORT

6. AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBILITIES

6.1 Authority
6.1.1 Any independent trainers or associates employed to work on training
courses or services are given the authority to perform their allocated
responsibilities. The following is a summary of the principal responsibilities of
the Director - Principal and Lead Trainer.

6.1.2 All trainers and associates share the authority and responsibility of
identifying and recording instances of noncompliance or possible
improvements. This is in order to both rectify the immediate situation and to
prevent recurrence. This includes when issues arise where there is legal non-
compliance on the part of the client or customer – e.g. Health and Safety or
Equality issues.

6.1.3 The Director - Principal and Lead Trainer continually reviews the
resources to ensure that adequate expertise is available to meet customer
and client requirements.

6.2 Responsibilities Director - Principal and Lead Trainer

 Approval of the QA System
 Review, control and maintenance of the QA System
 Estimating of Training Contracts and Commissions
 Control of Contract Documentation and Management
 Trainer and Associate Selection
 Training of Trainers and Associates
 Allocation and monitoring of tasks and Activities to Trainers and
Associates
 Training Course and Project Reviews
 Project Management
 Purchasing and Control of Resources and Materials

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 7. COMPLIANCE WITH ISO9001
This Quality System is structured with statements relating to each area of
activity being within the relevant training and consultancy processes. HDC is
not at this time ISO certified as it is not a compulsory requirement. However,
the framework has been adopted for good practice and quality benchmarking
purposes and consists of the standards and guidelines relating to the
supporting standards.

8. MANAGEMENT and QA REVIEW

A review of the suitability and effectiveness of the Quality System takes place
twice a year in August and February where actions are allocated and minuted
to record the development of HDC's management and QA systems.

The objectives of Management Review are:

a) To establish that the QA System is achieving the expected results and

meeting HDC's requirements, continuing to conform to the ISO9000
Standards, continuing to satisfy the customer and client needs and
expectations, and functioning in accordance with the established QA
processes

b) To expose irregularities or defects in the system, identify weaknesses and

evaluate possible improvements.

c) To review the effectiveness of previous corrective actions, and to review the

adequacy and suitability of the management system for current and future
activities.

d) To review any complaints received, identify the cause and recommend

corrective action if required.

e) To identify any areas of recurring problems or potential improvements.

9. CONTRACT REVIEW
HDC offers training courses and consultancy services to meet each customer
and client need. Training and consultancy requirements differ from one
individual or company to another, therefore each is quoted for the specific
training agreement.

Once a training proposal is accepted by the customer, it is recorded and

reviewed to establish that the requirements are adequately defined and
documented, any differences from the proposal are resolved, and HDC are
capable of fully satisfying the requirements.

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 10. DOCUMENTATION CONTROL
All documentation relating to the QA or management systems itself, or to the
execution of individual customer training is controlled to ensure that it is
revised and reissued as necessary, and all obsolete versions are removed
from systems. Such documentation typically includes:

 Quality Assurance Manual  Equality & Diversity Policy

 Trainer and Associate Handbooks Data Protection Policy
 Participant Course Handbooks  Training Plan Pro-forma
 Operating Procedures  Training Programme Risk
 Health & Safety Policy Assessment Proforma
 Child and Vulnerable Adult  Training Programme Evaluation
Protection Policy documents
The Quality Assurance Manual, Policies and Procedures are maintained by
the Director - Principal and Lead Director who ensures that the appropriate
and up to date items are issued to all associates who need them. The
distribution of the documents is recorded on Trainer and Associate records,
which are reviewed and updated as changes occur. Up to date documents
are held in HDC Training data files on computer systems for ease of access
and manipulation and is backed up on a monthly basis.

Each training contract or programme has a file which contains all relevant
information. Information is also held at HDC's (registered office) computer
system for ease of access and manipulation and is backed up at least on a
weekly basis.

11. APPOINTMENT OF TRAINERS AND

ASSOCIATES
Trainers and associates employed are selected on their ability to meet the
requirements of the training programme. A list of approved trainers and
associates is maintained which is compiled on the following criteria:-

a) Previous performance in working on similar projects and requirements.

b) Qualifications which conform to the relevant client or awarding body
specification and requirements.
c) Recommendation by other consultants or commissioned clients
d) Evaluation of performance – this may involve a micro-delivery session
during HDC Training CPD activities.

All trainers and associates are subject to an authorised HDC commissioning

letter providing full clarification of the training activities. Should an associate,
not on the HDC Training approved list, be proposed by a client or customer,
they will be analysed by capability and subject to acceptance by the Director -
Principal and Lead Consultant.

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 12. REVIEW MEETINGS, EVALUATIONS AND
PROJECT PLANS
HDC has established procedures for review of all activities in order to identify
and evaluate all possible improvements in methods and processes. All
trainers and associates are encouraged to suggest improvements in methods.

Regular review meetings must be built into milestones on training programme

plans. The plans must be reviewed and updated regularly at course review
meetings which must indicated on training schedules. A report must be
completed following each review. This will be available to clients or
customers on their request. It must record changes to previous plans with
improvements recommended and should;
.
 state the action to be taken to address weaknesses
 address normal practice and strengths as appropriate
 include reference to client performance indicators, achievement of
milestones
 all actions should be ‘SMART’

Evaluations are carried out on all completed training courses and programmes
with results being documented. Should a course provided not be acceptable
against the agreed criteria, this will be discussed with the client with a view to
resolving outstanding issues. A subsequent evaluation will take place.

1. Proformas for Training Proposal Plans and

2. Evaluation Forms

These are supplied to all associates electronically and must be used as

standard templates.

13. RECORDS
Storage facilities are allocated which ensure that all stored records are
identifiable and retrievable, and the storage areas are free from damp and
other agents which could cause premature deterioration.

Where records are maintained on computer hard drive or transportable

memory systems, these are subject to "back-up" at regular intervals, with the
"back-up" information being stored in a protected location to ensure security
from loss/ damage of active data.

All training records are retained for a minimum of 3 years. (this does not
include financial records which are kept for 6 years as required by company
law).

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 14. TRAINING
The policy of HDC is to ensure that all trainers, consultants and associates
are trained and experienced to the extent necessary to undertake their
assigned activities and responsibilities effectively. HDC generally procures
and appoints trainers and associate consultants capable of meeting the
technical, skill, experience and educational requirements of the training or
consultancy activities.

Full records are maintained of all training undertaken by trainers and

associate consultants who are encouraged to include this on any Continuing
Professional Development records for maintenance of Professional Standards
records (i.e. Institute for Leadership – IFL).

ANNEX
LIST OF POLICY DOCUMENTS
(Available on request)

 Health & Safety Policy

 Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy

 Equality & Diversity Policy

 Data Protection Policy