BMA 21 May 2020
- The BMA, has set out 10 principles to be followed during the coming months to ensure patient care is safeguarded and healthcare workers are given the support they need, as the health service aims to restart more non-COVID-19 care.
- These are:
1. A realistic and cautious approach to balancing Covid and non-Covid capacity is needed
2. There must be adequate PPE for health and care workers, and measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus within the NHS
3. Decisions about staffing levels and redeployment must be safe and made in consultation with employee representatives
4. Measures must be taken to safeguard staff wellbeing
5. Clarity must be given to healthcare workers about their future contractual position, and plans to restore training and career development
6. There must be effective and transparent public communication so that patients understand what they can and cannot expect from the NHS at this time
7. Increased remote working, where clinically appropriate, and use of technology to empower patients should be supported
8. Local decisions must be guided by clinical expertise and the experience of those working at the frontline
9. The government must support and significantly enhance local public health services and ensure there is adequate capacity to test, trace and quarantine
10. A strategy is needed to ensure that restarting non-Covid work does not exacerbate health inequalities
2. There must be adequate PPE for health and care workers, and measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus within the NHS
3. Decisions about staffing levels and redeployment must be safe and made in consultation with employee representatives
4. Measures must be taken to safeguard staff wellbeing
5. Clarity must be given to healthcare workers about their future contractual position, and plans to restore training and career development
6. There must be effective and transparent public communication so that patients understand what they can and cannot expect from the NHS at this time
7. Increased remote working, where clinically appropriate, and use of technology to empower patients should be supported
8. Local decisions must be guided by clinical expertise and the experience of those working at the frontline
9. The government must support and significantly enhance local public health services and ensure there is adequate capacity to test, trace and quarantine
10. A strategy is needed to ensure that restarting non-Covid work does not exacerbate health inequalities
