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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
Daniel, the last paragraph sums up nicely, "not a professional epidemiologist or infection control nurse".
I would get actual facts as opposed to reading newspapers and listeing to the television
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
I think you should read some research and get your facts right, unless of course your an expert in infection control and can impart best practice.
Have you some evidence about "filthy state of our hospitals"?
I'd very much welcome evidence to support that uniforms don't contribute to infection control, and likewise I'd supply evidence to the contrary. For example Medics do not wear ties or white coats, and all clinical practitioners are now 'bare below the elbow'.
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
any shoes must be well fitting (so that they cannot slip off such as crocs and clogs) and also so the foot is covered (to prevent from sharps injury and other injury in the event of something being dropped from height on the foot.
For infection control purposes there needs to be a Uniform Policy or some attention paid to uniform and this would include suitable footwear. However, common-sense must also be applied to this, for example I have had staff made to wear tights in the middle of summer which apart from being ridiculous also contributed to a health problem. The managers view was to stick to the Policy, my view was to use common-sense but this is something which seems to be in short supply in certain areas.
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
Carla, I'd contact him to find out why he is off sick (or look at the GP notes) and refer to OH and make HR aware.
If there's a DDA issue or something at work then OH can help with this (was he screened at pre-employment?) but it may be a case of getting HR involved to dismiss under Capability.
best of luck
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
Thanks Mark, so when you're GP gives you a sick note that just applies Monday to Friday does it? If you self-cert (up to 7 days) that just applies to Monday to Friday?
Be very interested to have a look at your sickness absence management Policy (assuming you have one that is)
Have a great weekend, sick or not!
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
fair point but absence is absence. If you use the Bradford score then this would be highlighted but the fact remains that if you do not work weekends and are off sick from the wednesday then call in late on the Friday to say I'm feeling better and hopefully will be in Monday. If you're not in Monday then you're sick over the weekend.
It all comes down to having a robust Policy in place and using it
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
Kevin, you could call an answerphone if there's no-one in the office, there IS a way around this believe me. The weekend is relevant, as if you're sick before it then you may be sick during and after it, you do not suddenly become well because it's a day you're not supposed to be at work.
I take your points but the starting point has to be a robust sickness absence Policy, and an effective OH service.
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
interesting thoughts on this. If you are sick then you are sick, regardless of what day of the week it is. If you are sick Friday, but well on Saturday then there should be a Policy in place whereby you can call in to say you are now well, otherwise you should be classed as sick until you return to work.
Of course this can cause as many problems as it solves. Ideally you should have a robust sickness absence Policy and this should be used in conjunction with HR and Occupational Health.
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
Whilst it is essential to manage sickness by managers and HR there must be an effective OH service in place, however, the role of OH is not to manage the sickness or employee as many managers seem to think.
The problem relating to Stress is that too many people can now get a GP note and medication rather than support and help and with some employers offering 6 months full pay it's an all too easy temptation to have absence. Whilst this may appear cynical it is amazing the number of people who become well and return to work at the point of going in to half-pay.
Early and effective referral to OH can keep people at work (which will actually help recovery) and reduce the rates of absence.
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GLENN RAYBONE
Member - 10 posts
This is great news, but could I ask why at this particular time the RCN has decided not to re-new the contract for the Professional Nursing Advisor, in Occupational health?
It seems an incredible 'own goal' and couldn't have happended at a worse time.
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