Health Staff: The latest updates to the COVID-19 Endorsed Guidance for NHS Staff and Managers on Coronavirus can be found here .This is being shared using a link rather than pdfs to ensure that it is clear which is the most up to date version; This will include the following updates:
PPE Guidance
Update to PPE guidance based on the revised PHE Guidance (issued on 17th April). This will include the Scottish Government stance on re-usable PPE, noted below:
The Scottish Government expect hospitals to support their staff to follow HPS guidance on the appropriate PPE for their role and are very clear that no single-use equipment should be re-used.
The Scottish Government continue to encourage healthcare staff to use their dedicated email if they do not have the PPE they need. This is covid-19-health-PPE@gov.scot. It will be monitored continuously and allow the Scottish Government to act to resolve any specific supply issues more quickly.
Pregnant Workers Guidance
We have revised the Pregnancy Guidance in light of the changes made to the Royal College of Gynaecologist guidance for pregnant health workers on 21st April.
The key changes are:
Every pregnant worker should have a risk assessment with their manager, which may involve occupation health.
Employers should modify the working environment to limit contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients to minimise the risk of infection as far as possible.
In the light of the limited evidence, pregnant women can only continue to work in direct patient-facing roles if they are under 28 weeks’ gestation and if this follows a risk assessment that recommends they can continue working, subject to modification of the working environment and deployment to suitable alternative duties.
Pregnant women of any gestation should not be required to continue working if this is not supported by the risk assessment, as per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW). If a risk assessment indicates that a pregnant woman under 28 weeks’ gestation can continue to work in a patient facing role, and the woman chooses to do so, she should be supported by her employer.
If a Risk Assessment dictates that a pregnant member of staff can’t be at work, they will be paid as if at work.
This change in the guidance should not affect Health Boards, as the Supporting Work life Balance PIN policy outlines the risk assessment and health & safety requirements for all pregnant staff, and pay implications.
Sections on Staff Travel and Uniforms, have also been updated based on advice from HPS,