Hello List, help again please! This may seem ‘bread and butter’ to some of you but is a thankfully rare occurrence for me here at Loughborough.

I am not attached to the NHS directly but still have researchers etc that are at risk of needlestick injuries. I am trying to understand, and tackle, the thorny issue of donor consent following such an injury.

I am not directly involved in the immediate post incident clinical management of the injury. We have a policy for the recipient to attend their GP for this purpose, that bit’s fine. The stumbling block though is getting the consent from the donor for testing/ release of info.

I understand the donor should be asked to sign a consent form and undergo blood testing via their GP and for the results to be passed back to the recipient’s GP. This all sounds good in theory, but how does it work in practice? Is there a standard form to use, or do we make our own? Do they take a copy of the consent form to their GP, and that GP corresponds with the recipients GP?

I am reading guidance from the GMC and the Human Tissue Act etc but wondered if any of you out there in similar situations have experiences, protocols and standard forms that they would be willing to share?

Kind Regards,

Tim Ellis RN, SPCHN (OH), PgDip OH
Occupational Health Advisor

Edward Herbert Building (EHB)

Loughborough University
Leicestershire
LE11 3TU

Telephone: 01509 222851

Mobile:      07917 053340

Fax:           01509 222852

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/hse/occupational/