Overview
You should take all reasonable steps to protect your own health and safety, as well as the health and safety of people around you (especially those that might be affected by your actions).
If you don’t follow any of the policies and procedures on this page, and so put yourself, your colleagues or any of our patients at risk, this may result in disciplinary action.
🍴 Kitchens & rest areas
Each of our surgeries has a kitchen and/or rest area for you to use during breaks. These areas should be kept clean and tidy at all times. Any old or expired food that is left in the kitchens or rest areas will be thrown out.
đźš Smoking policy
All of our surgeries are smoke-free (including using electronic cigarettes). If we find you smoking in a non-smoking area, this may result in disciplinary action.
You can also be fined up to £200 if you’re found smoking at work.
More information can be found on the Gov.uk website.
đź”’ General security procedures
We have some general security procedures in place to keep our staff and patients safe:
- Fire doors should be closed and locked before leaving the premises
- Cupboards with medicines should be locked
- The burglar alarm should be turned on by the last member of staff leaving the surgery. They should also make sure that all windows and doors are locked and all equipment is turned off
- Members of the public should not normally be allowed into the surgery before the official opening time
- Many of our sites have card-based access control systems. Please ensure you don’t share your cards and keep doors closed when not in use!
- CCTV cameras are installed inside and outside the surgery. Footage is continuously recorded and the previous 30 days of footage is kept on a secure server
👤 Unauthorised people
If you’re suspicious of a person on the surgery premises, tell your site Reception Lead immediately. Do not approach the person if you are worried about your safety, or if you have any doubts about whether it’s safe to approach the person.
đź’Š Medications & other substances
If you’re taking any medications you should check possible side effects with your GP or pharmacist and tell your Line Manager if there are any safety concerns. For example, anti-depressants, sleeping pills or hay fever remedies can cause drowsiness and loss of concentration. These side effects increase the risk of accidents, particularly if you’re operating machinery or working at heights.
Everyday substances such as cleaning materials and glue have an addictive potential. Appropriate risk assessment and care should be taken when they are in use.
🩸 Risk of infection
We do our best to make sure that all our patients and staff are protected from risk of infection in our surgeries, including HIV, Hepatitis B and C.
Here are some ways that we do this:
- We check Immune status of all new staff as part of our onboarding.
- Clinical staff are required to be immunised if you’re not already immune (or you may declare that you have refused immunisation).
- Non-clinical staff are not required to be immunised, but will be offered immunisation if you’re not already immune (especially for staff that will be handling laboratory samples including blood and other bodily fluids).
- Following a full course of vaccination your antibody response will be checked, and you’ll be assessed for the provision of a “booster” or serological testing. We follow the guidance given by NHS in circular HSG(93)40 on hepatitis B.