The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Staff ‘put at risk’ after an alleged lack of guidance
Some Ninewells kitchen workers handled potentially contaminated items with no PPE
Kitchen workers at Ninewells Hospital may have been put at risk after an alleged lack of guidance led to some handling potentially contaminated items.
A source told The Courier no Covid-19 risk assessment was carried out in the department, despite workers coming into contact with meal cards.
GMB union said this means staff did not have clear protocols on when to wear PPE, with some believed to have handled the objects without gloves.
Staff are reportedly angry and claim they were not notified after a worker tested positive and were not offered testing afterwards.
NHS Tayside say all those who have symptoms are offered testing and added managers stress the importance of PPE to staff, daily.
GMB Scotland organiser Helen Meldrum described the lack of protocols as a “horror story” and one of the worst she has heard throughout the pandemic.
She said: “I am appalled to learn that safe working practices at the kitchen have not been in place for weeks.
“For there to be no up-to-date Covid-19 risk assessment which has left GMB members to handle menu cards without protection or infection control in place is quite frankly negligent.
“NHS Tayside are playing fast and loose with the health and wellbeing of staff and patients. Public health guidelines exist for a reason.”
A source in the hospital said many staff members feel they have been forgotten about, adding: “The worker, although not treated in hospital, ended up quite ill.
“Nobody was told about it and they were not offered testing, which is awful.
“The working environment is very tight and it is almost impossible to follow social distancing in.
“The rules for wearing PPE in the department are not clear. Some were told they can remove the face masks when not in wards. It’s high-risk and they should be given clear guidance.”
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “NHS Tayside takes the health and wellbeing of staff seriously and all areas are provided with appropriate PPE.
“Testing is available for all members of staff who have symptoms of Covid-19 in line with national guidance.
“We are disappointed to read the comments from the GMB as there are ongoing local discussions with all our trades unions, who are fully involved in the effective management of staff safety.
“Staff are reminded at their daily huddle with the managers of the need to ensure physical distancing and the importance of PPE. There is no shortage of PPE within the catering department.”