Today’s update is below
- ALL STAFF RISK ASSESSMENTS TO BE COMPLETED BT 24TH AUGUST
- PPE USE IN SUB-CLINICAL AREAS
ALL STAFF RISK ASSESSMENTS TO BE COMPLETED BY 24TH AUGUST
ALL STAFF are now required to complete a COVID Risk Assessment eForm, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, and pre-existing conditions.
All COVID Risk Assessments must be completed by 24th August 2020.
If you have previously completed a personal COVID risk assessment, then unless your circumstances change, you do not need to repeat the risk assessment on the new eform.
The new eForm can be accessed via the link on the image below or via the Covid Staff Website
PPE USE IN SUB-CLINICAL AREAS
Where staff need to meet in sub-clinical areas e.g. for handover and MDT meetings, in rooms with no direct patient contact that are within a clinical ward or department, the room must be assessed and the maximum occupancy based on 2M social distancing marked on the door.
Where it is not possible to conduct usual business and remain socially distanced i.e. more people have to be in the room, managers are able to complete the following risk assessment (this needs to be done for each individual room):
https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/RA-for-sub-clinical-areas-test-and-trace-v-2.doc (password: STHKcovid19)
Where the risk is calculated as low, staff can use these rooms with the same precautions as used in other non-clinical areas that cannot be made fully COVID Secure through social distancing measures alone i.e. staff need to wear surgical face masks, clean their hands on entering and leaving and clean touchpoints and workstations.
If the risk assessment indicates that the risk of COVID transmissions is high risk with these precautions the rooms can only be occupied with staff wearing full PPE; surgical face mask, gloves, apron and eye protection, if there are more staff than social distancing will allow.
Please could all managers of clinical services review the rooms in their areas which fall into this sub-clinical category and undertake the risk assessment based on how the room is used.
This will clarify to staff the level of PPE that needs to be worn if social distancing cannot be maintained.