Coronavirus staff guidance University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Last updated: 28 October 2021 at 20:20

Staff are reminded of the importance of handing over a COVID-19 test result (positive, negative, pending) to ensure a safe, timely patient transfer.

For more information on patients’ handover please refer to the page below:

• Patients' handover

The following process must be followed for any patient requiring transfer with an unknown COVID–19 status, regardless of their destination.

ED arrivals

• All those to be admitted must have COVID-19 screening in ED (like an MRSA screen) as per Inpatient Testing protocol

Admissions from other areas

• COVID-19 screen must be completed on admission (check results from previous ward, site or Trust)
• All patients must wear surgical mask during their transport, regardless of COVID-19 result
• The patient must be placed in a side room wherever possible. Ensure a screen has been undertaken to confirm COVID-19 status as soon as possible. If a cubicle is not immediately available, a patient can be safely managed in a bay if the  clinician reviewing the patient does not have a strong suspicion of COVID-19 as the presenting complaint and it has been confirmed with transferring area that the patient is not a known COVID-19 contact or transfer from an area experiencing an outbreak.
• Staff must wear appropriate PPE for the level of care being delivered to the patient. Further information on PPE can be found on the Coronavirus staff guidance intranet page. Ask the patient to wear a mask unless they are in a side room on their own. Do not transfer patients before discussing them with a nurse on the ward.

Important: unknown COVID-19 status should not prevent patient treatment.

To support you, UHB has COVID-19 pages on the Coronavirus microsite. Please see the "Related links" section to find out more.

For further advice or information please refer to or contact Infection Prevention and Control:

• Infection prevention and control: who to contact