Hospitals urged to make coronavirus guidance accessible

NHS leaders are calling on all hospital trusts and other healthcare providers to ensure additional information and guidance around coronavirus measures are widely promoted and accessible to staff working at all levels within their organisation.

This can include guidance around social distancing, hand hygiene and PPE measures, with the advice set to look at new and more effective ways to ensure those colleagues who might not have regular access to internal intranets, staff briefings, mobiles, apps and webinars, such as porters, cleaners, agency, shift workers and support staff, also receive regular information updates on coronavirus and the precautions they should be taking to protect themselves and others.

NHS England has said that every NHS employer across England – from ambulance services to hospital trusts and community teams – are being supported to immediately review their communications efforts and make adjustments where necessary to ensure that they reach every member of staff that they need to.

Prerana Issar, NHS Chief People Officer, said: “It’s essential that every single NHS colleague has access to information that will help keep them safe. Employers need to take particular care to reach those with less access to internal communications such as porters, cleaners, agency and shift workers, as well as colleagues who don’t speak English as a first language.”