Record Control Procedure
Record Control Procedure
1. Purpose
The purpose of this is to control the issue, revision, currency and storage of documents within
the quality management system.
2. Scope
Record Control covers written policies (set the broad operational framework for a
process or practice), procedure (explains what task to do and in what order), work
instructions, checklists, quality control forms, office documents, forms and templates,
precedents, standard contracts, and agreements.
It also covers system to control documents of external nature such as legal reference
texts, legislation and any other books or journals that are involved providing a service to
clients.
The procedure covers control of Quality Manual and the marketing literature pertaining
to all products and services offered.
This procedure applies to all documents that are produced by the practice and used by
the practice, irrespective of their origin.
3. Persons Affected
All personnel
4. Policy
It is the policy that all documents and records required by the quality management system shall
be controlled.
5. Definitions
The term “document” include all company’s policy, procedures, working instructions, office
documents, forms and templates, precedents, standard contracts and agreements and external
documents such as equipment manuals, reference texts, legislation and any other internal and
external documentation that is used in the provision of client services.
6. Responsibilities
The GM/CEO have overall responsibility for ensuring documents issued as part of the
Quality Management System are controlled.
The Quality Manager oversees the control of all documents.
The Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring all procedures and the Quality Manual
are revised and approved as required.
7. Procedures
7.a. A process to authorize the development and subsequent release of new procedures or
precedents.
Original documents shall be reviewed for adequacy and completeness and approved by
the departments and personnel responsible prior to issue.
Prior to release, revisions to previously approved documents shall require the same
authorization and approval as the original.
All documents in the quality management system are reviewed yearly.
Additionally, all personnel can initiate a change to any existing documents by
completing a corrective action form.
Fortnightly meetings to review change requests are attended by the relevant personnel.
If the change is approved, the Quality Manager is responsible for updating affected
documents.
The new version is published on the system and the old version is archived for future
reference.
7.d. A system to ensure that the documents are readily available and accessible to the staff that
need them.
All approved documents and changes are updated in the system and made readily
accessible to the personnel concerned.
Any document shall be printed or photocopied must be checked for legibility before
distribution.
Records and Documents are electronically controlled and identified by their title.
Historical versions of documents and records are maintained by the Records
Management system.
7.f. A process to ensure that the practice maintains up to date copies of reference texts and
legislation.
Obsolete documents retained for the purpose of legal and knowledge preservation hall
be identified as “Obsolete” and shall be controlled.
8. Quality Measures
Regular audits of QMS records will be used to monitor the successful execution of the
document control process as described in the procedure.