Coronavirus staff guidance University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

As we continue to adjust to living with COVID-19, whilst balancing the risk of reducing transmission of the virus against ensuring that we can safely care for as many patients as possible, there are some important updates and reminders to share with you in light of recent changes to national guidance.

Mask wearing and social distancing

Mask wearing in both clinical and non-clinical areas remains for staff, patients and visitors to ensure the safety of everyone. This includes non-clinical areas, where within two metres of a colleague. The need for regular handwashing and use of appropriate PPE, remains. Social distancing restrictions have been lifted in clinical areas to optimise delivery of patient care, to pre-COVID-19 levels. Standard work-based good practice, as well as health and safety considerations, should always apply.

Testing for patients on admission

Patients requiring an overnight stay will continue to be tested in advance of elective procedures and on the day of admission, as per existing procedures. Point of Care Test PCR admission screening in our emergency departments and admission areas will also continue. Patients will continue to be triaged on arrival to identify symptomatic patients and determine appropriate placement.

Testing for inpatients

All patients will be tested again by PCR on days three and five of their inpatient stay. Any inpatient who develops symptoms of COVID-19, will be tested by PCR on symptom onset. Enhanced screening regimes will be in place for our clinically extremely vulnerable patients, such as oncology and haematology.

Testing for patients who are being discharged

There will be no requirement for pre-discharge testing for patients being transferred to an NHS community setting. For patients who are being discharged to a social care setting, or with a package of care, testing within 48 hours of discharge remains.

COVID-19 treatment

Please continue to ensure treatment is offered to our patients testing positive for COVID-19, in accordance with Trust guidelines, including those who are asymptomatic and at risk of clinical deterioration.

• Management of patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19

Testing and isolation requirements for staff

PCR and LAMP testing are no longer available to staff; regular self-testing with lateral flow tests (LFTs) should be carried out. LFTs are available to order from the Government website (when ordering, NHS staff should select ‘yes’ to the question: ‘Do you work for the NHS in England and take part in their staff testing programme’).

• Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests

All staff should be taking a LFT at least twice a week and report the results:

• Self-testing kits reporting form

Staff who have a positive LFT must stay away from work for a minimum of five days. LFTs should be taken on days five and six (24 hours apart) and the staff member can return to work on day six, if both tests are negative and they do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.

Staff who have a positive household contact are not required to isolate, if they remain negative, but must take a LFT for 10 consecutive days. Any staff who have virus-like symptoms, should do a daily LFT for five days, and only come to work if their LFT remains negative and they feel well enough.