Living with Covid: Information and Support for Staff & Volunteers
Information last updated 9 June 2022
This page is to keep St Gemma’s staff and volunteers up to date with the latest updates on Living with Covid and the action the Hospice is taking to protect patients, visitors and the workforce.
Many of the national restrictions have now been lifted, but there may still be some safety measures in place at the Hospice. The latest guidance is:
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Face masks will no longer be required in non-clinical areas: around the Hospice, in the Bistro, in offices, in the AUPC etc.
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Face masks are still required in clinical areas: on the IPU and for all direct patient facing Out-Patient and community activity. This includes moving through a clinical area, e.g. staff coming into the building through the ambulance entrance before reception opens.
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Mask stations will still be available at Hospice entrance and exit sites for any staff and visitors who prefer to continue using a mask. Staff should consider wearing one if they have cold or flu-like symptoms to protect their colleagues.
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Self-isolation rules remain unchanged:
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If you are a household contact of someone who is Covid-19 positive and are not patient facing, you will now be able to continue to work on site, but only if you are well and without symptoms. You must advise your manager, take Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) for 5 consecutive days and then return to twice weekly testing as below
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If you are a household contact of someone who is Covid-19 positive and you are patient facing, please inform your manager and ExecAdmin@st-gemma.co.uk. You will need to stay at home, even if you are well and without symptoms. Work from home if your role allows. You can return to work when your household contact completes their isolation period. Please take a Lateral Flow Test at regular intervals during this time; you must LFT on the day of your return.
Hospice Testing Programme:
- Staff are no longer required to PCR test on a Monday morning.
- Lateral flow testing must be done every Monday and Thursday, or when returning to the Hospice after absence. Results must be recorded online.
- Testing kits can be collected from the AUPC.
Any testing queries, please contact Clare Russell or the Executive Admin Team.