Across South Yorkshire it is recognised that staff are feeling anxious about the potential risk to their health of carrying out their usual work activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Media stories of threats to the supply of PPE, inconsistencies of approach between staff in virtually identical work-based scenarios and changes to guidance have significantly increased that anxiety.
Whilst this is a complex and changing situation, there is enough known about the epidemiology of Covid-19 to develop some simple and clear guidelines for use of PPE by staff across our region.
The guidance has been developed based on the following, agreed principles:
- We will act together to ensure the safety and reassurance of all our staff and clients.
- PPE will be supplied according to evidence of efficacy and assessment of clinical risk.
- All efforts will be made to secure a reliable and adequate supply of suitable PPE.
- If supplies were to be threatened, distribution would be prioritised according to clinical risk and ‘mission criticality’.
- PPE does not negate the need for social distancing and hand and respiratory hygiene.