Professional Matters Optometry & Dispensing
Measles, the risk in health care practice
Guidance for risk assessment and infection prevention and control measures for measles in healthcare settings
NHS England
The guidance sets out key infection prevention and control (IPC) principles required to prevent transmission of measles in healthcare settings and provides resources to support patient screening, triage, management
To support application of these principles organisations should ensure that:
- immunisation status/records are available for all staff (clinical and non-clinical) that may be exposed to a suspected or confirmed case of measles and staff are supported to ensure they are fully immunised. Satisfactory evidence of protection would include documentation of having received 2 doses of MMR or having had a positive antibody test for measles.
- patient screening, triaging and testing protocols are in place for all relevant care settings to ensure prompt isolation of suspected or confirmed cases of measles.
- a respiratory season or winter plan is in place to ensure, for example, appropriate segregation of patient cases depending on the pathogen and management of increasing case numbers where they occur.
- FFP3 respirator fit testing is completed for staff who may be required to assess or clinically care for a suspected or confirmed measles case.
- training in IPC measures is provided to all staff, including: the correct use of PPE and the correct technique for donning and doffing (putting on and removing) PPE safely.
- risk assessment(s) is undertaken for staff who may be at high risk of infection and/or complications from infection with measles.
The College has produced guidance as well and is available here to all
