Health and Safety – Page 21

Need someone to talk to about your Mental Health?

15th April 2020 admin Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet Council have published a list of

Mental Health First Aiders who are available to speak with you.

Click on the link and open the folder to see who is on the rota and available to speak.

https://www.barnet.gov.uk/internal/mental-health-and-wellbeing

COVID Update: Listen to critical care nurse give lifesaving advice to Barnet care workers about PPE

14th April 2020 admin Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Health and Safety, Local, UNISON Campaign

COVID-19 PPE Message for Barnet UNISON care worker members

11th April 2020 admin Health and Safety, Local, National, UNISON Campaign

Care Workers in London Borough of Barnet Please read

10th April 2020 admin Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, National, News, Uncategorised, UNISON Campaign

If you are a care worker in Barnet please please click on the link below for details of the type of PPE you should be wearing in your workplace.

Priorities for PPE Allocation (v7)

Care workers:“What protection is in place for workers in care settings?”

2nd April 2020 admin Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Health and Safety, Local, UNISON Campaign

1. What are Public Health advising should be in place in care settings where a resident has COVID-19?

The link below provides details of what types of mask you should be wearing if working with someone with COVID-19

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874411/When_to_use_face_mask_or_FFP3.pdf

2. Public Health England advice for standard infection control principles that should be in place in all health and care settings.

If you work in a care setting and you have residents with COVID-19 make sure you read this guidance as it provides details of what type of PPE you need to wear.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Interim-IPC-advice-for-care-homes_v1.2_20200318.pdf

Public Health England are stating that if residents or staff are not showing symptoms there is no risk of sharing or contracting the virus, therefore staff do not need to wear the PPE that is required when working with residents with COVID-19.

OUTBREAKS OF COVID-19 IN CARE HOMES: INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES

2nd April 2020 admin Health and Safety, Local, News, Schools, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has received a large number of concerns from careworkers who, now, like NHS staff are caring for individuals who have become infected with Coronavirus.

All care settings MUST comply with the advice set out by Public Health England. Please contact us if you are working in a setting where these minimal standards are not being adhered to.

Contact us on 0208 359 2088 (leave a message)

or email us at

contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

if you have any further concerns.

“Droplet precautions, isolation and personal protective equipment (PPE):

Care homes are not expected to have dedicated isolation facilities for people living in the home.
Isolation precautions should be implemented in the same way care homes operate for influenza.
A resident’s own room can be used if isolation is needed, ideally a single bedroom with en-suite.
If this is not possible, discuss the option of cohorting with your local PHE health protection team.

Staff should use PPE for close personal contact with a symptomatic resident or bodily fluids.

Aprons, gloves and fluid repellent surgical masks should be used in these situations.
If there is a risk of splashing, then eye protection will minimise risk.
New PPE must be used for each episode of care.
On leaving the resident’s room, PPE should be removed, and hand hygiene performed immediately, as per standard infection control precautions.
Isolation may end after 7 days from illness onset, so long as the case feels better and has no fever.”

Read full guidance by click link below.

Interim IPC advice for care homes_v1.2_20200318

When to use a surgical face mask or FFP3 respirator: Government Guidance

2nd April 2020 admin Care & Support, Health and Safety, Local, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign

“When caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, all healthcare workers need to – prior to any patient interaction – assess the infectious risk posed to themselves and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimise that risk.”

Click on the link for full advice

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874411/When_to_use_face_mask_or_FFP3.pdf

Front line worker: What should you do if you have someone else living with you?

1st April 2020 admin Austerity, Health and Safety, Local, Schools, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign

Below is the latest government advice for those workers who live with someone who is defined as at risk from the Coronavirus.

“Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19”

Updated 30 March 2020

Background and scope of guidance

This guidance is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition, and for their family, friends and carers. It is intended for use in situations where the extremely vulnerable person is living in their own home, with or without additional support. This includes the extremely clinically vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities, either for the elderly or persons with special needs.

Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all interaction between those who are extremely vulnerable and others. We are strongly advising people with serious underlying health conditions (listed below), which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19), to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.

Minimise as much as possible the time other family members spend in shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas, and keep shared spaces well ventilated.
Aim to keep 2 metres (3 steps) away from people you live with and encourage them to sleep in a different bed where possible. If you can, you should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. Make sure you use separate towels from the other people in your house, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes.
If you do share a toilet and bathroom with others, it is important that they are cleaned after use every time (for example, wiping surfaces you have come into contact with). Another tip is to consider drawing up a rota for bathing, with you using the facilities first.
If you share a kitchen with others, avoid using it while they are present. If you can, you should take your meals back to your room to eat. If you have one, use a dishwasher to clean and dry the family’s used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. If you are using your own utensils, remember to use a separate tea towel for drying these.
We understand that it will be difficult for some people to separate themselves from others at home. You should do your very best to follow this guidance and everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face, and clean frequently touched surfaces.

If the rest of your household stringently follow advice on social distancing and minimise the risk of spreading the virus within the home by following the advice above, there is no need for them to also shield alongside you.”

Read more advice here

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19