No changes to our existing Covid-19 secure working guidance

Please note that there will be no changes to our existing Covid-19 secure working guidance and our self-isolation guidance from today (19 July), despite the Government lifting many restrictions.

The Government has also been clear that the lifting of restrictions will see a significant increase in cases of Coronavirus driven by the Delta variant and in response we need increased vigilance. 

Protecting you and the patients we serve is as important now as at any stage of the pandemic. Staff should continue to use relevant PPE, including masks, test regularly and practice social distancing and good hand hygiene.  

It is vital that staff speak to their managers before returning to workspaces, as full risk assessments and covid secure measures will still be required and in place before anyone returns. 

NHS England has confirmed that patients and visitors will be expected to continue to follow social distancing rules and wear face coverings when visiting any healthcare setting. You can read more on this here. 

As well as keeping you and your family safe, following these measures will also help us provide the care our patients rely on by reducing the number of staff absent with a confirmed case or quarantining. This is especially important if we are to safely manage the rise in demand we have experienced in the past few weeks. 

We will of course continue to review our guidelines and respond to national guidance. As ever, thank you for your ongoing support and resilience. If you have any further queries, please speak to your manager or read our latest guidance which is available here. 

Published 19th July 2021