Describe the relationship between legislation, policies & procedures

1.3 Describe the relationship between legislation, policies and procedures

The relationships between legislation, policies, and procedures provide a very important framework in health and social care, education, and organisational settings. Knowing how they connect guarantees safety, legality, consistency, and high-quality service provision.

Legislation: The Legal Foundation

Legislation refers to laws produced by government agencies that outline the legal parameters under which an organisation and its professionals must work. These laws set out minimum standards and identify the expectations or responsibilities of employers, employees, and service users. For example, the Care Act 2014 and the Children Act 1989 impose duties to safeguard the welfare and interests of individuals. Legislation is not negotiable because it ensures that organisations maintain safe and respectful practices and operate within the law. It acts as the foundation upon which all workplace policies and procedures are developed.

Policies: The Organisational Interpretation

Policies translate legislative requirements into clear organisational intentions. Whereas legislation states the legal “musts”, policies outline the “shoulds”. They define how an organisation will meet legal standards and describe an organisation's values, principles, and commitments.

For instance, an Equal Opportunities Policy would normally be produced according to the Equality Act of 2010. This reflects the commitment of an organisation towards ensuring fairness and non-discrimination in respect of legal requirements. Policies support consistency and fairness by interpreting how the law applies within the practical operations of an organisation and by directing behaviours and decision-making at the employee level.

Need help understanding how legislation, policies, and procedures apply to your coursework or health and social care assignments? Get expert academic support from Locus Assignments. Our experienced UK assignment helpers can help you write structured, plagiarism-free assignments that meet your qualification standards.

Procedures: How to Apply in a Practical Way

Procedures prescribe the steps to be taken in implementing policies. They outline specific actions and responsibilities needed to carry out both policies and legislation.

Whereas policies tell what should occur and why, procedures explain how it should be done. For example, a safeguarding policy articulates the stance of an organisation concerning the protection of individuals from harm; safeguarding procedures detail how concerns are reported, to whom, and within what time frames. Having clear procedures means that staff will know precisely what to do, thus encouraging accountability while minimising mistakes.

The Relationship Between the Three

Legislation, policies, and procedures are interconnected and interrelated in a hierarchical manner:

Legislation sets out legal duties and requirements.

Policies interpret and adapt these laws into organisational standards and commitments.

Procedures outline the steps necessary to put policies into everyday practice.

The relationship reinforces that every action taken within an organisation is based on legal standards of operation, therefore ensuring ethical and consistent practice. Each component provides for the others: without legislation, there would be no legal base; without policies, there would be no organisational direction for action; and without procedures, the staff would have no direct means to apply those principles in practice.

Importance of the Relationship

Taken all together, legislation, policy, and procedures provide the basis for the delivery of services safely, legally, and efficiently. They protect the rights of all individuals, minimise risks, and engender trust and accountability. They must be reviewed regularly to keep them in line with changes in legislation and developing organisational needs.

For example, safeguarding frameworks base their work on legislation such as the Care Act 2014. The policies state what the organisation is required to do to protect individuals, and the procedures explain how staff should act on any concerns. This clear link from law to daily action ensures that in practice, legal requirements are fully met. 

Conclusion 

In sum, legislation provides the law, policies interpret the law into organisation-specific commitments, and procedures describe how to enact those commitments. Together, they form a formal, consistent, and legally sound system for ensuring safety, equality, and quality in all sectors.