NHS letter

[Misty69]

Has anyone not had a letter and who is working on frontline

[twinkly29]

Do you meet the criteria for a letter? If not but you are concerned about the risk can you discuss with your GP or workplace? I know of a few asthmatics who are still working as normal (NHS) because they wouldn't meet the criteria for a letter. One's just have Covid-19 actually and been ok with it.

[Misty69 in reply to twinkly29]

Thanks for your reply 😊

[MrClay in reply to Misty69]

I’m a health care worker and have been nursing suspected covid-19 patients with just plastic aprons and surgical masks, they have been in respiratory isolation. I have only just had a risk assessment completed by my ward manager stating that I am very high risk!!! I have now been advised not to go anywhere near the isolated rooms 🤨🤨 ( bit late I feel) I’m currently on a 5 day course of steroids as my inhalers aren’t touching me at the moment 😞 I’ve spoken to my GP but doesn’t look like I’m in that category to receive a shielding letter.

[Misty69 in reply to MrClay]

That’s awful mrclay definitely a bit late with the risk assessment keep strong and well

[MrClay in reply to Misty69]

Thank you 😊

[Pebbles1012]

Yes I have !

I’ve been redeployed to doing telephone assessments from home

[Poobah]

Misty if you are concerned about being able to practice strict social distancing at work then discuss with your HR and request an occupational health review. The review should be specific to Covid-19 and your asthma. The review will recommend how to minimise the risk of exposure to Covid-19 and make suggestions for reasonable adjustments for your workplace or a change of duties. Working from home is a possibility. My friend is a community nurse but all face to face appointments are on hold and they are WFH, patient assessment being done over the phone or by online meetings.

[Misty69 in reply to Poobah]

Thank you poobah sound advice

[gillbee]

I’m an agency nurse, my hospital asthma nurse called me and told to cancel my shifts. I’m to be shielded and adhere shielding completely. I have no letter, no money, no furlough! Spoke to my consultants secretary and said I’m going back to work and received an emailed letter from my consultant stating I have severe asthma and should follow shielding guidelines. However still no money. I’m seriously considering going back to work

[Misty69 in reply to gillbee]

That is awful will you get anything now you have a letter?

[Cheetahstar88]

I am front line staff and have not recieved a letter. I have had asthma for over 30 years, usually well controlled but in the last 5 years I've had many courses of steroids for flare ups and probably should have gone to hospital more than once- but you know what us health care professionals are like

Despite not having a letter (clearly I'm not super risk) we did a risk assessment y and I'm now non-clinical and doing all the office phone calls to patients from home. Not sure how long that'll go on for? Not sure how any manager will be able to decide it's safe for vulnerable staff to return to the front line?

I feel guilty abandoning my colleagues on the front line. But I feel the way I've been with the last few chest infections- I'm pretty sure I'll end up needing a hospital bed if I catch covid and will end up making the hospital bed situation worse. Tricky one eh.

Keep well

[Misty69 in reply to Cheetahstar88]

It is I’ve been lucky as been signed off with a twisted knee but due to go back this week very worrying for us all 😬

[Duckface]

Hi . I'm a radiographer with asthma and an autoimmune condition, work has assessed me as high risk and sent me home as they cannot provide an environment with safe social distancing. No option for me to work from home so I'm just on statuary sick pay. They won't pay me but won't let me go to work. All very frustrating.

[gillbee]

Nope I’m making my full time job emailing, agency, gov, MP and organising my teenage kids and myself into a routine. Excerise, walk dogs/groom them. Kids A level homework & while they doing that I’m doing online CPD & reflections. I have enough practice hours for revalidation but not enough face to face participatory hours. Cooking & cleaning. I am supporting my frontline colleagues with what’s app & FaceTime and messenger. All worthwhile until I lose my home!!!

[HoppyNurse]

I am an A&E nurse, I have been off work since October with 15 admissions for Asthma that has just been out of control. My sick leave finished at the end of March and I am currently on annual leave - it was all carried over from my time off sick.

My trust has written a policy which states if they can’t find appropriate home working then they have to put us on paid special leave. I have not had an official shielding letter but I had telephone consultation with the occupational health doctor and he has put in his report that I should remain at home shielding until this all ends. I’m hoping that’s enough for work - it should be.

[Steffers101]

I’ve got moderate asthma, well controlled on Fostair, with no hospital admissions for a good few years now, and have been moved from patient contact to telephone apppointments along with the 3 other asthmatic team members. Like someone said above, I have no idea how and when the decision will be made for us to return to the front line. As with many other asthmatics, any respiratory virus does result in me having severe exacerbation of asthma and often chest infections. I think us asthmatics often get more scared of respiratory viruses, as we have all had the experience of gasping for breath, and needing O2 supplementation just to feel ‘ok’ ... so this whole situation has given us all a wobble I think; whether mild, moderate or severe.

[Misty69 in reply to Steffers101]

I couldn’t agree more we are all at some risk