The Scottish Government

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Dear Colleague

AIDS/ HIV INFECTED HEALTHCARE WORKERS: GUIDANCE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF INFECTED HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND PATIENT NOTIFICATION

Summary

1. This guidance replaces the previous version published in 1998 (issued under cover of NHSMEL(1999)29), following a consultation exercise in 2002, and includes updated advice on patient notification exercises.

2. The document explains the new policy on patient notification exercises when a health care worker ( HCW) is found to be infected with HIV, which was announced in November 2001. It follows expert advice from the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS ( EAGA) and UK Advisory Panel for Health Care Workers Infected with Blood-borne Viruses ( UKAP).

3. EAGA and UKAP advise that it is no longer necessary to notify every patient who has undergone an exposure prone procedure by an infected HCW because of the low risk of transmission and the anxiety caused to patients and the wider public. It is recommended that the decision on whether a patient notification exercise should be undertaken should be assessed on a case-by-case basis using a criteria based framework.

4. The long-standing restriction on HIV infected health care workers carrying out exposure prone procedures remains.

Yours sincerely

COLIN COOK
HEAD OF DIVISION
28 July 2005

Addresses

For action

Chief Executives, NHSS
NHS National Services Scotland
Scottish Ambulance Service
Independent Healthcare Services regulated by the Care Commission

For information

Academic Heads of Depts of Nursing & Midwifery
AIDS Co-ordinators, NHSS
British Dental Association
British Medical Association
Chief Executive, NHS Education Scotland
Chief Executive, NHS Health Scotland
Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals
Community & District Nursing Association
Consultants in Dental Public Health
Consultants in Public Health Medicine ( CD& EH)
Deans of Medical and Dental Schools
Directors of HR, NHSS
Directors of Nursing, NHSS
Directors of Public Health, NHSS
Faculty of Public Health Medicine
Health Protection Scotland
Human Resources Forum
Medical & Dental Defence Union for Scotland
Medical Directors, NHSS
National Voluntary Oreganisations working in HIV/ AIDS field
NHS 24
NHS Health Scotland
Occupational Health Directors, NHSS
Public Health Institute of Scotland
Regional Virus Laboratories
Royal Colleges
Scottish Civic Forum
Scottish Consumer Council
Scottish General Practitioners Committee ( SGPC)
Scottish Partnership Forum
Scottish Practice Nurse Associaiton
Scottish Prison Service
State Hospital
UNISON

Enquiries to:

Medical Issues

Tel: 0131-244-2158
Elizabeth.stewart@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Policy Issues

Tel: 0131 244 2504
Kerry.chalmers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

HR Issues

Tel: 0131 244 2492
Bill.Welsh@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Further Copies From:

Tel: 0131-244-2501
Chris.sinclair2@scotland.gsi.gov.uk