Research Governance Honorary Contract Health Screening Policy

Transcription

1 CONTROLLED DOCUMENT DO NOT COPY Research Governance Honorary Contract Health Screening Policy REFERENCE NO: CREATED/ REVISED: OHS-POL-7-C REV002 May 2006/ REPLACES: Version 2 VALID UNTIL: 5 years from approval date (unless superseded) Prepared by: Date X J T Craggs Reviewed by: Date X Dr F C Pickering Occupational Physician CONTENTS Page 1 of 7

2 1.0 INTRODUCTION POLICY BACKGROUND RESPONSIBILITES PROCEDURE DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY DISTRIBUTION LOCATION... 9 Page 2 of 7

3 1.0 INTRODUCTION This policy details the health screening and health care management for employees of Newcastle University who hold an honorary contract/letters of engagement with Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. To enable both non clinical and clinical practice these employees must undergo health screening to ensure they are fit for purpose in compliance with Department of Health guidelines on Research Governance and the issues of Honorary Contracts and the draft guidance on the health clearance policy for health care workers new to the NHS in England. This document also captures the Primary care trusts standards for the management of Infection Control and serious infectious diseases. Some University researchers work in many NHS organizations. This is particularly the case for those working in primary care. Only NHS organizations can issue contracts - there is no such thing as an "NHS wide honorary contract". To avoid having to obtain multiple contracts, the researcher may obtain an honorary contract from the main NHS organization she/he works with. Other NHS organizations, where the researcher is working, should be given a copy of this contract and asked to send a short letter to the researcher indicating that they also accept the terms of the contract. That letter then constitutes a contract with the second organization on the same terms as those with the main NHS organization. It is for NHS organizations to decide whether the nature of their relationship with a particular researcher requires an honorary contract or a letter of engagement. This policy details responsibilities and accountabilities to enable compliance with these requirements to ensure employees are fit for the jobs for which they are employed and /or the research work undertaking without compromise to their own health or to the health of patients whom they may encounter in the course of their activities. 2.0 BACKGROUND It has been customary for the University and other non NHS staff who work in the NHS to hold honorary NHS contracts though the extent of use of honorary contracts is currently under review given proposals to develop a Research Passport. NHS staff that teach or do research in Universities may also have honorary contracts with the University. The Department of Health Research Governance Framework makes the requirement for honorary contracts explicit. It states that researchers who do not have a paid contract with a NHS body but whose research involves NHS staff or patients, their organs, tissue or data may require an honorary contract with a NHS body though the use of letters of engagement must also be considered. The NHS organization must discharge its 'duty of care', for which the Chief Executive is personally accountable. By issuing University and other non-nhs staff with honorary contracts or letters of engagement, the NHS organization ensures that all researchers working on its premises or otherwise with its staff, patients, their organs, tissue or data are bound to take proper account of the NHS duty of care. Honorary Contracts/letters of engagement can be either clinical or non-clinical. Clinical contracts are those where the employees performs exposure prone or invasive clinical procedures where patient contact occurs. Non clinical contracts are those where the employee has no patient contract. In addition the Department of Health s draft standards for health clearance policy for health care workers new to the NHS in England and /or retuning to NHS must be captured within the medical standards for employees applying for Honorary Contract status. This places an explicit duty on the employing trust to ensure that all new health workers will have health Page 3 of 7

4 clearance for serious communicable disease and additional health clearance for blood borne viruses will be for new health care workers who will perform exposure prone procedures. 3.0 RESPONSIBILITIES Newcastle University Human Resources is responsible for the initiation and administration of the Honorary Contract/Letter of engagement application ensuring that appropriate (medical, CRB) has been completed. Newcastle University Occupational Health is responsible for the assessment of health screening questionnaires to confirm the employee s fitness for purpose including Hepatitis B status and relevant vaccination requirements for employment within the University. Thereafter with the employee s informed consent copy of the health screening questionnaire will be sent to the appointed NHS Trust Occ. Health Care Provider to enable clinical assessment and confirmation on fitness to work within the Trust in compliance with Trust criteria. Appointed NHS Occupational Health Care provider is responsible for the assessment of health screening questionnaire where the University employees undertaking the research involves NHS staff or patients, their organs, tissue or data. Assessing clinical research requirements NHS Occupational Health will perform serology testing and immunization as appropriate and undertake any additional infection control requirement specific to the NHS trust. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Personnel Department is responsible for confirming approval and issuing of honorary contracts/letters of engagement. Newcastle Occupational Health Care provider is responsible for the clinical review of employees in relation to MRSA and other communicable diseases. They will provide advice on treatments required to ensure that employees do not pose a risk to patients. 4.0 PROCEDURE In compliance with the management process of Honorary Contracts/letters of engagement applications will be dealt with by the respective bodies. Appendix 1 details the procedure for Health screening of employees working within both Newcastle University/NHS Trust and the process for the awarding of honorary contracts/letters of engagement. Page 4 of 7

5 Appendix 1 HEALTH SCREENING PROCESS Principal Investigator completes blue form for approval of research Joint R&D Office confirms to Principal Investigator requirement for Honorary Contract/letter of engagement Employee contacts University HR to request Honorary application forms/letter of engagement & health questionnaire Employee completes necessary forms Completed forms returned to University HR Health/ Health Questionnaire in sealed envelope HR forms reviewed and information entered into HR database HR forward Health questionnaire to University Occ. Health for review together with Action form Health Surveillance form forwarded to University Occ Health for review University Occ. Health assessment for Fitness to work within University Health clearance University s Occ Health notifies University HR on clearance for work within the University Uni Occ. Health forwards completed surveillance form to Trust Occ. Health for Clearance Uni. HR notifies Trust HR screening form forwarded to Trust Occ. Health Trust Occ. Health completes clinical clearance Trust Occ. Health notification to Trust & University HR on medical clearance/fit NHS Trust HR processes honorary contract/letter NHS Trust HR notifies Uni HR Contract issued Employee receives letter from Trust HR confirming issue of contract/letter Employee notifies relevant other NHS Trusts & forwards copy of Honorary contract/letter of engagement from Trust HR. Page 5 of 7

6 DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY DATE SEQUENTIAL CODE ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS, OMISSIONS OHS-POL-7-C REV002 Second Issue Page 6 of 7

7 6.0 DISTRIBUTION LOCATION File Locations A B C D E F G H I J University Occupational Health (Masters of all OH documents) University Human Resources Department Medical sciences Newcastle Occupational Health Newcastle Health Care Trust Human Resources Page 7 of 7