A new report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) outlines an investigation into concerns raised about personal protective equipment (PPE) use requirements when visiting a patient at home in the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ category.
A safety risk was identified based on a referral to HSIB in April 2020 by a member of the public. The referral highlighted confusion around personal protective equipment (PPE) use requirements when visiting a patient at home who was in the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ category. The referral stated that some care workers did not use PPE when visiting their home during the Covid-19 response.
This report documents how concerns raised by HSIB were responded to by Public Health England, the body responsible for the development of guidelines for the appropriate use of PPE.