I used to work in an NHS setting and interestingly nurses supplied via
recruitment agencies from the Philippines and South Africa arrived with
chest X-rays and test results for Hep B & HIV.
We tended to re check their Hep B antibody levels as we were also taking
blood for rubella an chicken pox immunity.
I suppose in answer to the question about racism is to ask whether you
would test a white employee coming from an endemic area if they themselves
did not feel that had any past exposure ??
Regards
Sam
Samantha Davies
Occupational Health Adviser
Glenn Raybone
<gumpoandwordy@AO To: [log in to unmask]
L.COM> cc:
Subject: HIV testing
11/02/2004 13:43
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Hello all,
can I put a real ethical question to you, especially my NHS colleagues?
We undertake screening for an organisation that provides health care
workers throughout various care organisations. A large majority of these
HCW's have come into the UK from South Africa where I believe the
prevalence of HIV infection is approximately 1 in 3. However we do not
offer HIV testing at pre-employment. Now comes the difficult bit!
The draft document 'Health Clearance for Serious Communicable Diseases:New
Health care Workers' has not really helped as it seems nothing further has
moved with this document.
Whilst we test for TB immunity from an endemic country, can or should the
same apply to a country where the incidence of HIV is so high? Could this
be seen as having racial undertones? Is it discriminating?
Obviously any HCW has a moral and ethical duty and obligation to notify
such infections, but there have been cases where a questionnaire is full
of 'no' answers yet the truth is somewhat different.
I have no real thoughts on what would be ideal here, and just wanted to get
a flavour of what others think or do.
Look forward to hearing from you,
regards,
Glenn Raybone
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