Keeping safe at work: What you need to know about RPE

Supporting nurses and midwives with Long Covid

New! Dr Evonne T Curran’s latest blog looks at the LACK of evidence that covid is transmitted via droplets – click here to read the blog.

Make sure you read Dr Evonne T Curran’s blog: Patient Healthcare Worker and Visitor Safety during an outbreak (and a begging bowl)

Dr Evonne T Curran’s previous blog can be found here: Erroneous assumptions: It’s droplets…

Covid is airborne

State of play in NHS organisations

Figure 1: Results of Twitter poll

National infection control guidelines not fit for purpose

Employers’ obligations under Health and Safety Legislation

Employers’ obligations under Health and Safety Legislation require them to:

World Health Organization advice

In healthcare facilities where ventilation is known to be poor or cannot be assessed, or the ventilation system is not properly maintained.

Based on health workers’ values and preferences and on their perception of what offers the highest protection possible to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

What should NHS organisations be doing

If this is not the case in your organisation here are some things you can do:

  • If you work in health or social care, send a copy of the EBN blog to your line manager, lead for infection protection and control in your Trust, your chief nurse and chief executive.
  • Use the RCN’s covid 19 workplace risk assessment tool and then discuss the situation with your union rep and see what action they advise.
  • If you are in England, please write to your MP (and consider copying in the Health Secretary) you can find out who your MP is here.
  •  If you are in Scotland, write to your constituency MSP, but please also consider copying in your regional MSPs (especially if they are in different political parties) and also the Health Secretary at the Scottish Parliament. For information about your representative in the Scottish Government look here.
  • If you are in Wales write to your assembly members. Details abo
  • ut representatives at the Welsh Government/Senedd can be accessed here.
  • If you are in Northern Ireland details of your representatives can be found here.

What you can do as an NHS employee