Question reference: S6O-00590
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 15 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS boards require pregnant medical staff to work in settings where there are patients with COVID-19.
Answer
The Department for Health and Social Care guidance for pregnant women in the workplace, covers NHS staff in all settings in Scotland and we have taken steps to ensure it is applied. The guidance clearly states that all pregnant staff must have a workplace risk assessment and can only continue working if the risk assessment says, it is safe for them to do so.
If a risk is identified employers must adjust their working conditions to remove the risk or offer alternative work on the same terms and conditions. If this is not possible then the member of staff will be asked not to attend work, but will continue to be paid as if at work. This ensures there is no detriment to NHS staff.
We continue to promote the use of risk assessments across Health and Social Care and on an individual, case by case basis.