Hi
I have to confess that we only see new staff who will have patient contact
or who need health surveillance etc. So any staff member who is working in
admin for example will not be seen anyway unless they are potentially at
some risk. Like you we tend to see most new starters after they have started
and we try to see them within 2 weeks of start date. The only exception are
the new doctors who are brought down to us on their first day for clearance.
We also saw our overseas recruits on their first day. Ideally we would see
all new staff and we would see them before they start but workload and the
recruitment process would not allow for this.
I do worry that some must fall through the net though. Additionally we tried
to set up Heaf sessions in order not to waste PPD, but people inevitably
fail to attend the appt. We are having to revert to testing at initial appt
and bear the cost of the wastage.
Regards
Su
-----Original Message-----
From: Saghir Siraj [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 December 2003 12:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: BCG DEBATE
To change the subject a little could I ask what are peoples opinions on TB
and health clearance for the NHS health care worker.
At the moment we clear staff to start work and then check their TB status
after they have started. This is due to the practicalities of checking
scars pre-employment. The only exception is those staff coming from
countries with high incidence of TB.
The issues I am looking at are as follows:
1 Should all clinical staff be checked for scar or heaf test(if no scar)
pre-employment.
2 Are TB symptom questions on the pre-employment questionnaire adequate for
clearance if no abnormalities stated.
3 Is it or should it be compulsory for all new staff to physically attend
the OH for scar check if they do not have documentary proof.
Unlike Hep B/C status for EPIP workers which is unambiguous, I find that TB
clearance is difficult to nail down and do not find the DOH document "HEALTH
CLEARANCE FOR SERIUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES" althogether clear, it states
that "ALL NEW ENTRANTS TO THE NHS" should be checked for TB status. I would
be interested to know what happens in other departments.
All opinions welcome.
Saghir
-----Original Message-----
From: Baldwin Chris (RFF) Occupational Health Nurse Advisor
[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 December 2003 10:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: BCG DEBATE
Good morning everyone,
thank you all for your fascinating responses and comments etc re
this
original question.
As a newish subscriber and also OH degree student, I seem to have
set
everyone off with discussion and debate. The original question was
posed as
a result of a colleague in another part of the country expressing
some
concern re vaccination and Heaf testing partly due to confidence in
the
correct technique even with training and also Heaf testing,
subsequent BCG's
etc taking into account past history, proof of vaccination,
guidelines etc
and a toe was placed in the water to gain some insight into fellow
OH
professionals feelings and practice also on this issue. This forum
in terms
of information gathering and learning resources is priceless and
thank you
all for your sharing of knowledge and experience and details of same
have
been passed on to my fellow class mates. May I come out from under
the table
now please?
Best wishes to you all for Christmas
Chris Baldwin
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