ASHCROFT LEADS
- Doctor: Dr Liz Hamblin
- Nurse: Chantelle Kerin & Melanie Greenwood
- Admin: Chris Rushton & Pam Brown
DATE REVIEWED:
20th Aug 2019
DATE OF NEXT REVIEW:
Aug 2020
The Policy/Protocol
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974, employers, employees and the self-employed have specific duties to protect, so far as reasonably practicable, those at work and others who may be affected by their work activity, such as contractors, visitors and patients. Central to health and safety legislation is the need for employers to assess the risks to staff and others.
The objective of providing Occupational immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff is to protect workers at high risk of exposure and their families, to protect patients and other staff from exposure to infected workers, and to sustain the workforce.
Our responsibilities to you as an Employee
- At induction, all staff are advised to supply their medical information to Ashcroft Surgery who then identify those who need follow up (for example, vaccination boosters). We do this via a pre-employment health form furnished to all new staff. See DOWNLOADS section above.
- Any staff accepting the practice recommendation for various vaccinations and immunisations can then get that completed by one of our practice Nurses or via currently the Airedale Occupational health Service.
- We would like to assure staff that the Occupational Health staff file matrix is kept locked in the same staff personal files cabinet location.
- We will also provide our health care staff various annual training, some via NHS eLfH on-line provision, including Infection Prevention and Control training.
Your responsibilities as an Employee
- Potential exposure to pathogens, and therefore the type of immunisation required, may vary from workplace to workplace. So the practice strongly recommends al staff to have, and keep up to date with the stated vaccinations and imms.
- All staff should be up to date with their routine immunisations, e.g. tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR. The MMR vaccine is especially important in the context of the ability of staff to transmit measles or rubella infections to vulnerable groups. While healthcare workers may need MMR vaccination for their own benefit, they should also be immune to measles and rubella in order to assist in protecting patients.
- Familiarise yourself with our Infection Control and Needlestick Policy: https://www.ashcroftsurgery.co.uk/infection-control-policy/
- Attend training events that we provide for you around this area of Occupational health, Infection Prevention, Infection Control and Sepsis.
The Airedale Occupational Health Service
The Occupational Health Service aims to identify and protect those most at risk. Examples of services available to employees of this surgery include…
- Pre-employment screening.
- Assessment of individuals in relation to their employment or working environment.
- Immunisation and vaccination.
- Advice and follow up following inoculation or contamination incidents.
- Advice for new and expectant mothers.
- Advice on complex risk assessments for display screen equipment users.
- Health surveillance for night workers and workers exposed to hazardous substances, such as latex.
- Advice about sickness absence management, rehabilitation, and return to work plans.
- Provision of a confidential staff counselling service.
To implement the government’s vision of the NHS as a model employer, ways of addressing the health needs of the workforce as a community must also be considered. So, in addition to the individual focused services above, the Airedale Occupational Health Service also offers:
- Workshops on occupational health issues, for example stress management and display screen equipment risk assessment.
- Presentations at staff meetings and professional forums on all occupational health issues, where requested.
- Health promotion initiatives, for example smoking cessation support, and general lifestyle advice.
- Specialist advice on Occupational Health issues for policy and procedure development.
- Research, health needs assessment and audit to establish internal and external trends.
Recommendations for Different GROUPS of Staff
Staff Role | Roles | Risks identified | Risk | Recommendations | Evidence – in file |
GP Partner & Salaried GP
(Same patient contact role) |
|
| High |
| Evidence of enhanced protection as recommendations ( or reason for exemption) |
Practice Nurse |
|
| High |
| Evidence of enhanced protection as recommendations ( or reason for exemption) |
Health Care Assistant
(Separate item to PN in case any differe4nces required)
|
|
|
|
| Evidence of enhanced protection as recommendations ( or reason for exemption) |
Practice Manager & Assistant Manager
|
|
|
|
| Satisfactory evidence of basic protection. |
Admin staff
|
|
|
|
| Satisfactory evidence of basic protection. |
Secretary & Summariser
|
|
|
|
| Satisfactory evidence of basic protection. |