COVID-19 Update 18Working Arrangements and Testing for StaffIntroduction I hope you are all well and managing to enjoy some of the wonderful weather. I am writing today to update you on six important aspects of our response to COVID-19 and for our plans for June 2020. I wish to cover:
Working Arrangements for June When I last communicated working arrangements, the advice was that if you can work from home you should do so. This is in line with government advice. For the month of June, we are not changing the Trust’s advice on this matter. Staff should continue to work from home if they are able to do so and maintain the current working arrangements. We will communicate arrangements for July once we have more information from the government on lifting the lockdown restrictions, the return of schools and workplace guidance. We have recently completed an exercise seeking the views of staff on current working arrangements – what has and hasn’t worked well, what aspects staff would wish to retain and those they do not. We are also conscious that we have moved forward considerably with our use of digital technology. We are however treating all of this cautiously, as we know that this will not be right for some of our staff and some of our service users. The feedback we have gained is currently being collated. We will be aiming to publish the results back out into the Trust in due course and we will be working with individual teams during June to establish future working arrangements. In parallel, work is ongoing at pace to assess our buildings and office spaces to look at what measures can be put in place to allow people to safely return to their work places in the future. This work will take time and is being done with colleagues in Health & Safety, the Infection Prevention and Control Team and Staff Side representatives. Antibody Testing An antibody test can tell someone whether they have had the virus that causes COVID-19 in the past, by analysing a blood sample. We have been working with regional and national colleagues to organise the first antibody tests that will be available to the Trust. We are aiming to have offered a test to the majority of staff during the month of June, with the first staff being able to be tested next week. Further information on how to access an antibody test will come out from me over the next few days – please keep an eye out for this. A positive antibody test demonstrates that someone has developed antibodies to the virus. The presence of antibodies signals that the body has staged an immune response to the virus. COVID-19 is a new disease, and our understanding of the body’s immune response to it is limited. We do not know, for example, how long an antibody response lasts, nor whether having antibodies means you can’t transmit the virus to others. Our understanding of the virus will grow as new scientific evidence and studies emerge and in particular we establish how many in the population who have staged an immune response to the virus. The test is entirely voluntary and no staff member will be asked to have the test if they do not wish to have it. Staff Testing What should staff do if they suspect they have symptoms of COVID-19? Staff should:
How do staff get tested? If a member of staff develops symptoms, they should be tested for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Guidelines on who can get tested and how to arrange for a test can be found here. If staff have any issues accessing the testing site or a home test, please contact the Incident Control Room on 07521 266421. Staff should apply as soon as they are symptomatic and within the first 3 days of having symptoms. The test is best taken within 5 days of symptoms starting. If symptoms do not get better after 7 days, or their condition gets worse, they should speak to Occupational Health (Team Prevent) or use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If they do not have internet access, they should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency, they should call 999. Staff who come into contact with a COVID-19 patient or a patient suspected of having COVID-19 while not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) can remain at work. This is because in most instances, this will be a short-lived exposure, unlike exposure in a household setting that is ongoing. Staff must keep managers informed about their status and managers must continue to use the Recording & managing absence guidance with regards to any new absences. Staff who test positive for COVID-19 should immediately inform their line manager and the Incident Control Room. This will enable support to be provided to staff members and the monitoring of the track and trace process and outbreaks within staff groups. HR / Workforce Update Q. What is the process for a return to work following testing? Links for the return to work process if symptomatic can be found here, and the link for the process if asymptomatic can be found here. Q. What happens a staff member receives a negative test result but they still have worries/concerns over their own welfare (or that of others who may be affected)? If a member of staff remains symptomatic following a negative or inconclusive COVID-19 test, but does not feel well enough to return to work, as with any other virus or illness, the member of staff should stay off work until they have recovered, irrespective of the test result. Current guidance advises that, where staff still have symptoms of COVID-19 following a negative test result, they should return to work after the 7-day isolation period has ended, but only if there is clinical improvement AND when they are two days free of fever (afebrile), if applicable. If a cough or a loss of or a change in normal sense of smell or taste (anosmia) is the only persistent symptom after 7 days (and they have been afebrile for 48 hours without medication), staff can return to work (post-viral cough known to persist for several weeks in some cases) if they are medically fit to return. Currently, it is not known how long any immunity to COVID-19 might last. If staff become unwell again, they should self-isolate and may need to be tested again. If a member of staff is asymptomatic after a negative test result, they should return to work (if they have not already remained in work) as long as they are still asymptomatic and managers should follow the steps outlined in flowchart here. However, we recognise that for some staff, a negative test result may not alleviate a staff member’s concern and anxiety as we continue to live and work in the midst of a global pandemic which is set to have an enduring impact. This may lead some staff members to request multiple tests where there is not an obvious clinical need to do so, which may be for many underlying reasons, such as concerns for risk factors that increase their vulnerability, their own mental and physical health or that of loved ones, particularly those that they live with who may be shielding. Others may be concerned about the impact of them going to work on their childcare arrangements or test results not being accurate. In this situation, managers should follow the guidance set out in the Supporting Attendance at Work policy and the Recording & managing absence guidance, carrying out supportive discussions with staff and identifying measures that may be put into place to help them return to work. Whilst these are unprecedented times, the same principles of the policy remain the same, specifically in terms of ensuring support and adjustments are put into place to support staff. Any sickness absence related to COVID-19 is not counted for the purposes of any sickness absence triggers. Where a member of staff has been self-isolating with suspected COVID-19, in line with public health advice, they would be entitled to COVID-19 special leave. If they subsequently test negative, their previous COVID-19 special leave would stand and the absence would not have any impact on sick leave entitlements or triggers. However, if after the negative test results are received, the member of staff does not feel well enough to attend work, from this point, this would then be counted towards sick leave entitlements and triggers as normal. Staff concerned about how this may affect them personally should discuss this with their managers. If they do not feel well enough to return to work, the member of staff should stay off work until they have recovered, irrespective of the test result, for the safety, health and wellbeing of themselves, other work colleagues, patients and our service users. As normal; support, reasonable adjustments and phased return to work plans should be considered to facilitate a return to work as early as possible, where appropriate. Managers should work with affected staff to listen and explore their concerns and signpost to the various forms of support available, as appropriate, such as Occupational Health (management and self-referrals) and Staff Counselling, in addition to the various wider support mechanisms detailed here and here. Patient Leave Guidance Guidance on leave and Section 17 leave has been updated as of 22 May. This includes ways we can support patients' leave, what they can do whilst on leave, and the risk factors to consider when a patient goes on leave. Stay cool, Keep well Although most of us welcome the summer sun, high temperatures can be harmful to your health. The heat can affect anyone, but some people run a greater risk of serious harm. Many of those who are at risk of harm from heat are also at greater risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important that you know what actions to take to keep yourself and others safe from high temperatures. Drink plenty of fluids Everyone is at risk of dehydration in hot temperatures, but the elderly are particularly vulnerable. PPE Watch out Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two potentially serious conditions that can occur if you get too hot:
What can I do? Information based on the PHE leaflet Beat the Heat: Coping with heat and COVID-19 2020
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