The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the organisation that regulates Health and Social Care Providers in England. Their regulations are embedded within a document called the Essential Standards of Quality and Safety, which details a number of outcomes that the Commission expect to be evidenced within a provider operating to high standards in relation to safety and care. The decisions concerning whether these standards are met, and to what extent, are made by CQC assessors who use a document entitled the Judgement Framework to assess a provider's level of compliance. This document explains how a decision should be reached by considering evidence about compliance. It focuses on the 16 regulations and associated outcomes that most directly relate to the quality and safety of care.

However, the Judgement Framework and its enforcement have been open to criticism since its implementation, and the CQC are now striving to simplify and strengthen their regulatory model to reflect the main focus back onto their core business of monitoring and inspecting. The changes that they wish to make will be designed to build on the knowledge they have gained and the lessons that they have learned over the last 18 months.

In order to identify which changes need to be brought about, the Commission are holding a consultation regarding the Judgement Framework and their Enforcement Policy. With the hope that the changes they propose within the consultation will result in most services being inspected more often and these inspections becoming more targeted. In addition there is an expectation that where providers are not meeting their legal requirements, swift action will follow, something that the CQC have been criticised for not doing at the moment.

In order to implement these changes in practice the documents that support the practice will also need to be changed, hence the need for a full consultation on the key guidance material, allowing the general public, health and social care providers, commissioners, stakeholders and CQC staff the chance to comment.

The CQC have also pledged a commitment to ensuring the continuation of joined-up regulation in health, therefore, Monitor, the foundation trust regulator, will look at how to reflect the changes that the CQC put forward within their own operations and regulatory approach.

One further issue that the CQC hope to address during the consultation is to change the way that information is published to ensure that it is clear, accessible and supports choice; with this hopefully starting with a re-vamp of the Commission's website which is being approved as of October 2011.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVCA) all use Duct systems to deliver and remove air and regular air duct cleaning is important to maintaining the indoor quality of the air in any large building, where large numbers of people work, study or live.

Temperature control can also be an issue because people to not perform at their peak, either in the schoolroom or lecture room, or in the workplace, if the air is stuffy or too warm.

In any building where people are frail or may have a weakened immune system, such as residential homes for the elderly and hospitals and indeed poor air quality has been implicated in situations of sick building syndrome as well as the control of airborne infections air quality is important.

where toxic chemicals need to be removed from the atmosphere of the laboratory or the workplace the efficiency of an air duct system could make the difference between life and death.

In the UK the Health and Safety Executive and the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) both have an interest in maintaining the quality and safety of air in buildings.

One of the main problems of maintaining the hygiene and efficiency of any heating or ventilation system that relies on air ducts is whether the system has enough access points.

If the system was installed some years ago it is likely that it no longer meets modern advisory standards, which have been detailed by HVCA (Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association).

Equally the building may have been altered, extended or otherwise added to over the years and again this can complicate access to the existing ventilation ducting system.

If an organisation is using its own maintenance team to take care of ductwork cleaning the employer has a duty of care to ensure that the work can be carried out safely and using the proper equipment, and again this can be difficult to achieve when the access to the ductwork is less than adequate.

Regular maintenance and duct cleaning should be a part of any building maintenance programme. It is not only important for prevention of fire risk, possible ill health of employees but also because a well-maintained system will operate efficiently to keep energy costs as low as possible.

Many specialist commercial cleaning companies offer an initial free survey and checking service and will advise not only how frequently the system should be cleaned, filters checked and replaced, but also whether access to ductwork can be improved.

If it should prove that access is an issue they also offer a service to install extra access points, which if carried out should result in less time having to be spent on future occasions for cleaning and maintenance.

A survey will reveal whether there are enough access points to enable proper access to ductwork systems essential for efficient ductwork cleaning and maintenance. By Ali Withers. Click here to see more 

An important factor in operating any business successfully is understanding cost behavior and how it affects profitability. As the current economy offers challenges in operating efficiently, many owners find themselves working harder than ever to keep up. Knowing the difference between fixed versus variable costs is beneficial for predicting sales as other factors change.

Variable Costs

Variable costs are expenses that change based on the activity level of the business. For example, a company producing aquariums purchases their base materials from an outside source. These materials are then assembled into a product at their warehouse.

Assume that the direct cost of materials for each unit is $10, and the company manufactures anywhere between 5,000 and 30,000 aquariums each quarter. Even though the cost of materials for each unit remains unchanged, the actual material expense will fluctuate based on product production. As the demand for aquariums rises and falls, so does the amount of money needed for purchasing materials.

Fixed Cost

Fixed costs are expenses that remain unchanged even when the activity of a business varies. Probably the most common example of this is the cost of rent. Regardless of production or sales, the monthly amount remains the same.

Another illustration that demonstrates this is salary. If a company selling perfume pays the production manager a salary of $54,000 per year, this expense remains the same. The tricky part is that even though this particular cost is fixed, it still affects the overall cost of each bottle.

Cost Behavior and Profitability

In tracking the associated costs, a business is able to analyze ways to improve overall revenue. This is sometimes referred to as a cost-volume-profit ratio. One vital factor in this is the contribution margin.

This tells the business owner how much profit is left over once a product or service is sold. Increasing profitability usually means increasing the contribution margin by reducing certain expenses.

Due to the complicated relationship between fixed and variable costs, small business software can be beneficial. While the expenses can be divided into specific categories, the impact of cost on revenue can be more difficult to establish. Accountants use mathematical equations to provide this information. Small business software puts this information at the fingertips of the owner.

One of the largest expenses that a business can realize is that of payroll. This cost can be variable or fixed depending on the industry. Sometimes, as the activity of a business increases, so do the staffing needs.

Again, the overall expense affects the contribution margin. The cost analysis should breakdown the amount spent by department. Furthermore, it is also necessary to track department productivity. Payroll software is a critical step in identifying where the money is allocated and how to reduce expense without damaging quality.

You know what? You don't need to go to an attorney or law firm to incorporate in Maine. And you also don't need to get a tax accountant's help to set up an S corporation. The reason? Both the state of Maine and the Internal Revenue Service provide helpful, free resources to small business people wanting to do this stuff.

Free Resource #1: Free forms from State of Maine

To incorporate in Maine, you file articles of incorporation or articles of formation with the Maine Secretary of State. But while you can retain an attorney to do these articles for you, you can also work from free forms the state provides at its website.

The website addresses of the free downloadable forms change pretty frequently. But if you know the exact name of the free Maine form you need, you can search (using something like Google or Bing) on the form name and quickly locate what you're looking for.

For example, to locate the free downloadable form for incorporating in Maine, search on "MBCA-6: Articles of Incorporation." And to locate the free downloadable form for setting up a limited liability company in Maine, search on "MLLC-6: "Certificate of Formation."

Two quick points about these forms: First, even if you don't end up taking a do-it-yourself approach to incorporating in Maine, download and examine the forms so you better understand the process. Two, note that both Maine corporations and Maine LLCs can make an election to be treated as a S corporation.

Free Resource #2: Free EIN set up

The step you take after forming a corporation or limited liability company is getting a taxpayer identification number for the new entity. You can get this number, called an employer identification number, from the Internal Revenue Service. And, the good news is, the application process is both free and fast.

The standard (and slightly old school) way to get an employer identification number, also called an EIN, is to download an SS-4 form from the IRS dot gov website, fill out the form, and then either mail or fax the completed the form to the Internal Revenue Service.

The faster way to get an EIN is to visit the IRS website's home page and click on the link that lets you apply online for your new corporation's or limited liability company's ID number. Look for the link labeled "Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online." Note that the online EIN application walks you through the steps for applying, supplies helpful onscreen help to answer your questions, and gives you a EIN at the end of the process.

Free Resource #3: Free sub S election help and forms

Commonly, as hinted at in the opening paragraph, a small business owner goes to a tax accountant for making a Subchapter S election for a new Maine LLC or corporation. But you can do the election yourself, as long as you know which form to use and where to get instructions for filling out the form.

If you're ready to try (or least think about trying) this yourself, know that the form you use is the "Internal Revenue Service 2553 form." And know that to find this form, all you need to do is visit the IRS dot gov website and enter this phrase into the home page's search box.

You'll probably also want the free instructions that explain the form. To get that instruction for the 2553 form from the IRS website, search on the phrase "2553 Instructions."

Best-selling QuickBooks and Quicken author Stephen L. Nelson has recently published down-loadable guides for Maine S corporations and Incorporating in Maine.

In setting a strategic advertising plan for your business, it is a convenient way to use promotional products to launch your company name, product and services to the public. It has an influential role in making a brand identity and has been the tool used by many enterprises for years. Personalized promotional gift items are creative ways of introducing your products and services in the market. Hundreds of selected items can be used as gift items where you can put your company logo and leave a positive impression to your clients. Products which can be given away include shirts, desk accessories, food gifts, pens, mugs, bags, key chains and custom apparels.

The Type of Items to Choose and their Relevance

Consider first what type of items you will be giving away. The right promotional products to use are those items people use everyday such as notepads, sticky pads and pens which are relatively cheap. Unless you have something more in your mind than these items and you think you can afford more expensive ones you can choose mouse pads or USB drives and other state of the art products. Common sense has a big role in selecting a promotional product as well. You have to balance the level of usability and appeal of the various products that are available to choose from. Relevance should be considered when you are to choose the right promotional product for your company. Make sure that the chosen items reflect your business, products or services. You have to make sure that you give away products that fit the right place of where you decided to distribute them.

Right Timing and Longevity

Time is the last thing you have to consider. This has something to do with the length of time that the product would possibly last. It is better to chose products which can be use for long periods of time or can be used from time to time daily. It is not considered cost effective if the items you have chosen are only used ones and thrown away by its users. This will not effectively give better investment returns.

If you have accomplished the task of choosing the right promotional products for you, the next thing you need to do is think of a way on how to make each of the item will be personalized with your company name and product. Make sure that the name of your company or product is imprinted visibly on the items. Remember that the type of promotional products you will use will tell your recipients the kind of company you are and the kind of product you have.

If you need high quality promotional products and other promotional items, visit us at http://www.promotionalproductssupplier.com.au/.

The fact remains that a back load (in numbers) can make up for many of the impending losses that tough times have brought about. However, there are a few things that independent haulers and courier drivers need to know in order to keep a back load beneficial to their businesses- like most things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad.

Here are a few tips and reminders from those in the know for those in the haulage industry regarding back loads. Keep these in mind, and you'll be able to profit from the added business (and income!) that they can bring.

Take Them Seriously

Remember that motto, "no job too big or too small?" Or how about this one, "Everything worth doing is worth doing well"? The secret to being successful in business is accomplishing tasks with the same amount of painstaking detail, regardless of size or budget. This means that a back load, despite being considered somewhat akin to a side job, needs to be given the same amount of attention as regular (or main) loads. This means treating the customers and their goods as professionally as you can, taking the same amount of care and conscientiousness as you would a main load. After all, it's probably better for you, your driving, your vehicle and most of all, your business. Who knows, today's back load client could be tomorrow's major client.

Don't Sacrifice Your Main Delivery

If this seems contradictory to the earlier tip, it isn't. Remember that a back load is meant to augment your business, make up for increasing costs and adding to your income. Counting on them for every trip however may, in the long run, cost you more if you focus on them entirely. Don't forego or delay your main deliveries and don't accept an unprofitable delivery just because you know there may be a back load available to take up the slack. This is not just bad for your business but for the entire industry as well. Don't make the mistake of costing the main jobs as you would the return load just because it is there. And most of all, remember rule number one of taking on a back load - it needs to be on the same route back!

Take Care Of Your Contacts

This means your regular buddies, the ones that tip you off, the ones that text you, "Hey, man, estate furniture load just a corner from where you're dropping off that panda," or similar! Treating them to drinks once in a while is great, but they'd probably appreciate you doing a good job on their recommendations more - and of course, returning the favour on tips once in a while.

The back load- it's probably the Solomonic answer to problems for both workers in the haulage industry and their customers, and the popularity of these sorts of jobs is currently on the rise.

It's About Time!

Ask any small businessman these days how they feel about courier and haulage costs, and chances are, they will say that they cost too much, and cut into their already miniscule profit margins. Ask a courier driver about the same topic, however, and you will find that their answer is quite the opposite- many of them are not able to charge enough to defray their costs and make a decent living. That was, of course, until the advent of jobs enabling a back load.

With fuel prices continuously going up with no end in sight, and traffic problems getting worse by the day, it seems that courier and haulage jobs seem to be getting harder and harder to come by- or, at the very least, less profitable for both sides. A back load can go towards solving this problem, providing the small businessman a way to transport his goods at affordable rates, while proving the haulage industry worker a way to maximize his time, effort, and most of all, his fuel costs on jobs.

What is a Back Load?

A back load, put simply, is a haulage job that comes in for the courier-driver or truck driver that he can do on the return trip of another delivery. While technically often counted as a return-trip haul, small enough packages or loads can also be piggybacked on top of a main load if necessary, though this practice is not usually encouraged.

Benefits of Taking a Back Load

The logic is simple: why return with an empty truck when there's someone who needs goods moved to wherever you are returning? After all, trips wherein the truck or van is empty cost practically the same as when they are loaded. Since main jobs are costed for both delivery and return trips, however, whatever you are going to make taking on a job moving goods on a back load is gravy. This allows you to quote lower prices for the job on the return trip, making it an easier decision for the customer to choose your haulage and delivery services.

Not only is a back load a more efficient use of your time, effort and fuel expenses, it's also a way for the courier driver to do his part in helping conserve fossil fuels- it's actually a more environmentally friendly way of doing business! The result - better business for both the people in the haulage company and their customers and in turn, a boon to the economy.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.