HIV / AIDS Infected Healthcare Workers
The Department of Health issued guidance on HIV/AIDS infected Healthcare Workers; “Guidance on the management of Infected Healthcare Workers”
Your attention is drawn to the ethical responsibilities of Healthcare Workers drawn up by the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council and the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
The key recommendations are:
1. All employees should routinely follow existing general infection control policy and adopt safer working practices to prevent the transmission of HIV infections
2. All employees have an ethical duty to protect patients. Those who believe they may have been exposed to infection with HIV in their personal life or during their work must seek medical advice and, if appropriate, diagnostic HIV antibody testing
3. HIV infected employees should not undertake procedures that may place patients at even a remote risk of infection. These procedures are defined as exposure prone invasive procedures*
4. All employees found to be infected must seek appropriate medical and occupational advice and those who perform or assist in exposure prone invasive procedures must obtain further advice on their practices, which may need to be modified or restricted to protect patients. The appropriate advice may be sought from the Occupational Health Department at any hospital
5. HIV infected employees who continue to work with patients must remain under close medical supervision and receive appropriate medical and occupational advice as their circumstances change
6. Employees found to be HIV positive and who have performed exposure prone invasive procedures whilst infected must cease these activities immediately and inform their employing authority
7. Personal Physicians or Occupational Health Physicians who are aware that infected Healthcare workers under their care have not sought or followed advice to modify their practice must inform the employing authority and appropriate regulatory body. Where an employee is not a member of such a body, the physician will inform only the employing authority
8. All matters arising from and relating to the employment of HIV infected employees will be co-ordinated by an Occupational health Physician
9. Health Authorities /Trusts will make every effort to arrange suitable alternative work and retraining, or, where appropriate, early retirement for HIV infected employees
10. The Department of Health and in particular, the Occupational Health Department respects its duty to keep information on the health, including HIV status, of employees confidential, and is not legally entitled to disclose that an employee has a HIV infection, except where the employee consents, unless to do so would be in the public interest. A decision to disclose such information without consent would be carefully weighed and authorities making such a disclosure may be required to justify their decision.
*Exposure-prone Invasive Procedures
Examples of procedures where infection might be transmitted are those in which hands may be in contact with sharp instruments or sharp tissues (spicules of bone or teeth) inside a patient’s body cavity or open wound, particularly when the hands are not completely visible. Such procedures should not be performed by HIV infected employees.
Key Information Document (KID)
The Key Information Document (KID) is intended to improve transparency of information for agency workers – particularly with respect to pay and who their contract is with. The purpose of the KID is not to include all the contractual information, it is intended to provide a brief overview of how prospective terms of engagement affect worker pay.
This new regulation came into effect from 6 April 2020. From this date, all agency workers must be given a KID before agreeing terms with an Employment Business. The regulation does not apply to agency workers with existing terms with an employment business, but they will be entitled to a key information document when they sign up with a new employment business
All agency workers engaged via Red Sector Recruitment are subsequently entitled to a KID. These must be provided to direct PAYE, Umbrella and Limited Company (PSC) workers - although the information will differ on each form. It must be provided before the agency worker signs a contract with Red Sector Recruitment, and Red Sector Recruitment must be able to show that they have given the worker a KID corresponding to the final engagement.
The following Representative Example Statements illustrate deductions which are to be expected when operating through each payment mechanism (PAYE, Umbrella, and PSC) within assignment with the following assumptions:
· £25 per hour pay rate
· £20 per week Umbrella Administration fee
· 37 hours per week work schedule
Should your mechanism of engagement change or there be a significant change to the information used to generate the document, then a new KID will be issued.
Should you notice any discrepancies in the layout or deductions of your pay statement, or if you have any queries relating to your KID, then please contact your Red Sector Recruitment representative immediately.
I confirm that I have received the Representative Example Statements and understand my responsibility to notify Red Sector Recruitment and my Umbrella Provider or HMRC of any discrepancies within my pay statement not in keeping with statutory deductions.
Declaration Consent
I declare that all information given in this application is a true reflection of my information and is now complete to the best of my knowledge. I have read and understood the terms and conditions provided and the declarations contained. I agree to comply with the health and safety act at all times and if I am uncertain of any information I will contact Red Sector Recruitment. I understand that my appointment is subject to the receipt of a minimum of two satisfactory references and is subject to disclosure. I authorise Red Sector Recruitment to make any other enquires needed to process my application. I agree to respect the confidentiality of patients and clients and any other information I may have access to at all times.
Health Declaration Consent
I declare that the information given herein is true and correct and is not presented in any way to mislead. I am not aware of any condition, medical or otherwise, which effect or limit my employment or performance. I agree that if I have given false or misleading information or omit to give relevant information now or in the future, this may result in termination of assignment without notice, as well as a claim for recovery of any payments I have received together with a claim for loss of profits to Red Sector Recruitment. I can confirm that I have a professional indemnity for my line of practice
Criminal Declaration Consent
I have read and understood the information and declaration contained relating to Criminal Declarations and hereby give consent to Red Sector Recruitment to provide information contained within CRB disclosure that may be necessary to assist with an assessment of my suitability for any vacancy.
Data Protection Consent
I have read and understood the information and declaration contained relating to Data Protection and hereby confirm that my personal data may be held and disclosed by Red Sector Recruitment and its Clients and/or end hirers for the aforementioned purposes and in the manner set out in this form.
Key Information Document
I confirm that I have received the Representative Example Statements and understand my responsibility to notify Red Sector Recruitment and my Umbrella Provider or HMRC of any discrepancies within my pay statement not in keeping with statutory deductions.
I understand that I can always access my terms and conditions by contacting Red Sector Recruitment if need be.