Revised HSE advice to health and welfare staff, which was published earlier this week, goes into more detail on the management of close and casual contact with the coronavirus in health service settings.

It says staff should not be rostered to work with coronavirus patients if they don’t have appropriately-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE). And it says they should be trained in the proper use of PPE.

Separately, Fórsa understands that chronic shortages of PPE have been overcome with supplies continuing to improve. But issues remain in some areas.

The union’s advice to health workers is that they should only perform functions where HSE guidance calls for the use of PPE if the equipment is in place.

The latest version of the guidance from HSE occupational health again rewords the advice to pregnant staff and those with a medical vulnerability. This more specific and detailed guidance has also been issued. 

Fórsa has told the HSE that the union’s advice to those with concerns is unchanged.

Fórsa says if pregnant staff and those with a medical vulnerability have concerns about going into work, they should contact their GP and follow their advice. The HSE has agreed that these workers should be facilitated if they want to transfer to roles that don’t involve coronavirus patients.

The HSE occupational health guidance identifies some basic steps required to prevent the transmission of the virus in healthcare settings.

These include instruction and training about the virus, modes of transmission and the measures staff should take to protect themselves.

It also says employers should provide a safe work environment including through the provision of appropriate PPE. It identifies the need for training and staff competency in coronavirus-related infection control practices and procedures, including the proper use and disposal of PPE.      

It says managers are responsible for:

• Providing adequate resources for the prevention and management of coronavirus
• Advising staff about the terms and conditions of sick leave and special leave with pay
• Identifying staff in contact with confirmed cases of Covid-19 and referring any possible close contacts to Occupational Health for contact tracing
• Maintaining and providing access to contact packs within the clinical and hospital settings, and
• Providing information to pregnant staff and workers with pre-existing illnesses about the risks from Covid-19 in line with the HSE occupational health guidance.

It says staff must:

• Follow the guidance provided by Occupational Health, Public Health and their manager.
• Immediately act to self-isolate if they have been identified as a contact and become unwell at work, and inform their manager and Occupational Health so that appropriate testing can be arranged.

The guidance also covers a range of other issues including the management of exposure in the workplace, the management of contacts and close contacts, self-quarantine, the role of Occupational Health, and health workers returning from abroad.

The HSE has also published this professional guidance for healthcare professionals.