Colleagues across the trust are no longer required to take a COVID-19 test when they have COVID-19 symptoms unless they are providing direct inpatient care to severely immuno-compromised patients.
Severely immuno-compromised
This includes colleagues working in chemotherapy or treating patients who have recently had chemotherapy as well as those treating solid organ, stem cell or bone marrow transplant patients.
This means colleagues who are not providing direct inpatient care for severely immunocompromised patients who test positive for COVID-19 can now attend work if they are well enough to do so.
If managers have concerns about any individual members of staff, then a risk assessment should be undertaken.
Staff who have symptoms and are not well enough to work should follow the Sickness absence policy and procedure.
If colleagues who provide direct inpatient care to severely immuno-compromised patients receive a positive COVID-19 test result they must stay off work and follow the guidance in the flow chart below:
COVID-19 testing flow chart for staff who provide direct inpatient care to severely immuno-compromised patientsMask wearing
To help stop the spread of flu and other respiratory diseases, we have made the decision to introduce the mandatory wearing of fluid-resistant masks across the winter period for all staff in the following wards:
The James Cook University Hospital:
• Emergency department
• Urgent treatment centre
• Same day emergency care
• Ward 1 (acute assessment unit)
• Ward 4 (renal)
• Ward 9 (respiratory)
• Ward 14 (oncology)
• Ward 31 (medicine short stay)
• Ward 33 (haematology)
• Ward 37 (acute medical unit)
While patients and visitors are not required to wear a mask, staff on these wards are being asked to offer them to everyone on the ward.