I find this article interesting in that alread there is differing
approaches to screening staff relating to mental health issues. For example
the NHS trust where I work new student nurses and those staff (nurses)
working with children are only cleared once a GP report has been obtained,
yet I know of another trust who undertakes checks on any member of staff
who has access to children.
I must admit I feel it is onlya matter of time before all staff coming into
contact with children will need to have GP reports prior to be cleared, but
this surely could also apply to other patient's who could be deemed to be
in a vulnerable position.
The worrying thing is that an indivdual with a severe mental health problem
may not necessarily have seen their GP, and so the value of such reports
must be questioned.
Glenn Raybone
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