Just had to ring a ward to rearrange an appointment which came through with less than 24 hours notice and was astounded to find the reason that I was unable to hear the ward clerk was because they had a sore throat - in fact they sounded dreadful!
Surely even if they are short of staff (which was the offered excuse for the clerk coming in to work) a staff member should be very wary of passing on an infection to patients?
Spoke briefly to PALS and it was suggested that they either were hoarse because of shouting (!) or that they were possibly no longer infectious. I take these points (well the second point anyway) but think this unlikely.
You need to instigate a policy that if a staff member turns up and is obviously unwell or infectious they are examined by a colleague to check if they are likely to pass on their infection to colleagues or patients. If they truly are ill they should be sent home on full pay and the illness not recorded against the staff member.
I'd rather wait for my procedure than come home iller than I was when I started out that morning!
What do others think?
"Should sick staff come in even to cover for..."
About: National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery - Queen Square National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery - Queen Square London WC1N 3BG
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