EU Guidelines Come to the Rescue of NHS Staff
Stringent measures to protect health workers were announced last week by the European Union guidelines ahead of new legislation. The guidelines have been brought to fore to help reduce the risk of injury to healthcare staff from sharps and needles. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 cases of sharps and needlestick injuries occur in the NHS in a year.
UNISON’s Head of Health, Karen Jennings, was instrumental in the series of meetings and negotiations held at EU level after which an agreement was reached.
The agreement aims at preventing the incidents of injuries due to contaminated sharps by bringing in measures to protect people who are exposed to this risk. Moreover, it aims at coming up with a meaningful response if such an injury occurs. The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is a recognised qualification worldwide that has been developed by the UK’s National Examination Board of Occupational safety and Health; click on NEBOSH International for a course covering international standards and management systems to help train your staff to comply with workplace health and safety responsibilities within their organisations, in all parts of the world.
Jennings conveyed satisfaction on the outcome of the deliberations and complimented the unions for their hard work and determination. She also emphasized that exposing thousands of NHS workers every year to dirty needles is morally wrong, when safer needles are available at very reasonable costs.
There have been cases of death among health workers due to accidents involving needles. Such injuries can cause enormous agony and pain and may also lead to potentially life threatening diseases such as hepatitis. Moreover, the net cost of providing safer needles is miniscule compared to the amount of money spent on treating a person with a needle related injury, paying for all the tests, giving time off from work etc.
