Hi Lindy - we seem to be doing the same as you. We accept a self-declaration form and mark our records as 'has had disease'.
We even do this for new starters. If the person cannot remember having Varicella (and no relative can confirm that they did) we perform the serology.
If they're immune - all's well; if not.......
Our pharmacist tells me that she will be getting the vaccine very soon so we have a pending file of those with no immunity and hope to start the process soon.
 
Happy stabbing!
Judith
Occupational Health Department
Queen's Hospital
Burton on Trent
-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Lindy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 09 March 2004 13:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: This won't hurt...much!!

Hi Bob
 
I suppose it depends what you mean by documented history.
 
Letters from GP practices are good as are path reports from accredited UK labs.  However we are just starting a varicella screening and vaccination programme and we are sending out our own 'declaration of varicella status' forms.  If the staff member signs the form saying they have had chicken pox/shingles, or the vaccine already then we have to accept they are immune and that is documented history.
 
We offer new employees the blood test.  Most take us up on the offer, some don't.  But until a vaccine can be offerred then it may be considered unnecessary, because we can't do anything about it until a vaccine becomes available and it is not going to restrict anyone's working practices.
 
Out of interest, what are others of you who work in the NHS doing re varicella? 
 
Lindy
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Dunn [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 09 March 2004 11:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: This won't hurt...much!!

Hi everybody,
 
Can I please have your feedback regarding unnecessary invasive procedures, (blood tests),  especially the requirement by some of our NHS colleagues for 'proof', (a laboratory report), of antibody levels for varicella in medical students that have a documented history of having had Chickenpox and/or shingles?
 
Regards, Bob
 
 
Robert Dunn TD
Senior OH Adviser / Operations Manager
University of Oxford Occupational Health Service
10 Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PD
Tel: 01865 282680
 
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